How to Clear Windows Thumbnail Cache in Windows 11

Is it safe to clear the thumbnail cache?

Yes, it is completely safe. Clearing the thumbnail cache does not delete your actual photos, videos or documents. It only removes the temporary preview database files. Windows rebuilds the previews the next time you open a folder containing those files.

Expect a short delay the first time you open a large folder of pictures or videos afterwards. Windows has to regenerate each preview, so the thumbnails may fill in a few at a time. The cache grows back on its own, so there is nothing to undo.

How often should I clear the thumbnail cache?

You do not need to clear it regularly. Only do this if your folder icons are blurry, missing or showing the wrong previews. A cache that is working properly does not need any attention.

If you find yourself doing this often, the cause may be deeper, such as a failing drive or damaged system files. In that case, check the drive’s health and run a system file check before you keep clearing the cache.

Why this happens: Understanding Cache Corruption

The Windows thumbnail cache can get corrupted because the preview files it stores become mismatched or broken over time, especially as you add, rename, move or delete files. Windows keeps the cache in a few database files. If one entry points to a file that has changed or gone, you get a wrong or blank preview.

An unexpected shutdown, a crash while Explorer is writing to the cache, or a disk error can also damage these files. Clearing them is a safe fix because Windows simply creates new ones.

Method 1Using Disk Cleanup (Easiest Way)

Disk Cleanup is the easiest built-in tool for clearing the thumbnail cache in Windows 11. It also frees up a little storage space. It scans your drive for unnecessary preview files and deletes them in a few clicks, with no command-line tools needed.

Close any open File Explorer windows that show thumbnails before you start. Files that are in use can be skipped.

1. Open File Explorer and click This PC in the left pane. You should see your drives listed on the right.
2. Right-click your Local Disk (C:) and select Properties. On Windows 11 you may need to choose Show more options first, depending on your build. The drive's Properties window opens on the General tab.
3. Click the Disk Cleanup button. Windows spends a few moments calculating how much space it can free, then opens the Disk Cleanup window.

   

4. In the window that appears, scroll the Files to delete list and check the box for Thumbnails. You can untick everything else if you only want to clear previews. The window shows how much space the thumbnails use.

   

5. Click OK to delete the files. Confirm the prompt by clicking Delete Files. The window closes when the cleanup finishes. Open a picture folder afterwards and the thumbnails should be rebuilt.

   

If Thumbnails is not in the list, the cache is probably empty or the files are locked. Try again after closing File Explorer windows, or use the Command Prompt method below.

Method 2Automated Cleanup via Command Prompt

Command Prompt lets you clear the thumbnail cache in Windows 11 by running a direct file deletion command that targets all the stored preview databases at once. This is an advanced method, but it works faster than deleting the files by hand, and it clears files that Disk Cleanup sometimes cannot reach. You need to stop the active File Explorer process first.

You must stop the Windows Explorer process first to unlock the files. Windows keeps the cache files open while Explorer is running, so the delete fails if you skip this. Save your work and close other programs before you begin, because stopping Explorer removes the taskbar and desktop for a moment.

del /f /s /q %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db

This is normal. Your icons will reappear once the cache is rebuilt.

If the taskbar and desktop do not come back after a minute, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click Run new task, type explorer.exe and click OK. That starts Explorer again by hand.

Troubleshooting: Thumbnails Still Not Working?

If clearing the cache does not fix the issue, check your Folder Options. One setting turns thumbnails off completely, and no amount of cache clearing helps while it is on. Follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click the three dots (...) at the top and select Options. The Folder Options window opens.
3. Go to the View tab. You will see a list of settings under Advanced settings.
4. Ensure the box Always show icons, never thumbnails is unchecked. If it was ticked, that explains why you only saw generic icons.
5. Click Apply and OK. Open the folder again and the thumbnails should appear. You can tick the box again later if you want to turn thumbnails back off.

Summary

Clearing the Windows 11 thumbnail cache fixes broken icons by removing old preview files, which Windows then rebuilds automatically. Disk Cleanup is the simplest way, and Command Prompt is the faster option when Disk Cleanup does not remove everything. If thumbnails are still missing afterwards, check that Always show icons, never thumbnails is turned off in Folder Options.