How to Turn On Storage Sense Temporary File Cleanup in Windows 11

What is Storage Sense?

Storage Sense frees up disk space by deleting files you no longer need. It targets temporary system files, old items in your Recycle Bin 🗑️, and files sitting in your Downloads folder. Because it works in the background, you don’t have to hunt for junk files yourself.

• Deletes temporary files you don’t need, such as leftovers from apps and Windows updates
• Empties the Recycle Bin 🗑️ after a certain time, which you can set in its options
• Cleans files in your Downloads folder after a while. Check this setting before you use it, because files in Downloads are often ones you still want.

Storage Sense cleans up unused files automatically, so you don’t have to delete old downloads and temporary files by hand. That leaves more room for your programs and current data. It only touches the kinds of files listed above, not your documents or installed programs.

What happens when you turn it on? Storage Sense runs automatically when your disk space gets low and removes temporary files. If you also choose a schedule in its settings, it can run at regular intervals instead of waiting for low space.

On most PCs, Storage Sense is off by default, so temporary file cleanup does not run on its own. Windows may switch it on automatically if your drive gets low on space. You can activate it at any time to manage disk space by deleting unneeded files. You can also check or change it manually in Settings › System › Storage

Method 1Using Group Policy Editor

It is the cleaner method for managing automatic cleanup rules, but it is only included in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education. Windows 11 Home does not have it, so Home users should skip to the Registry Editor method further down.

A policy set here overrides the user's own choice. After you set it, the Storage Sense toggle in Settings may be greyed out or show a message that some settings are managed by your organization. That is expected.

1. Click the Start button, type Edit group policy, then press Enter. The Group Policy Editor window should open. If Windows says it can't find the file, you are on Home edition.
2. In the left pane of the window, expand the folders to follow this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Storage Sense
3. In the right pane, find Allow Storage Sense Temporary Files cleanup and double-click it. A settings window for that policy should open.
4. Choose one of these options:

   • Not Configured – Leaves it as default (Storage Sense can be turned on or off by users)
   • Enabled – Storage Sense will delete temporary files automatically and users won't be able to turn this off
   • Disabled – Storage Sense won't delete temporary files and users can't turn it on
5. Click OK to save your changes. The policy window should close.
6. [REQUIRES ADMIN PRIVILEGES] Restart your computer to make sure the changes take effect. To undo the change later, open the same policy again and pick the default option from the list above.

Method 2Using Registry Editor

The Registry Editor is a tool for viewing and changing the database that stores low-level Windows settings. With it you can control temporary file cleanup by editing a registry value directly. This method works on every edition, including Windows 11 Home, which has no Group Policy Editor.

You need an administrator account to make the change.

1. [REQUIRES ADMIN PRIVILEGES] Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Start menu search and running it as administrator. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission.
2. Navigate to this folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense
3. Look for a value called AllowStorageSenseTemporaryFilesCleanup in the right pane.
4. If it exists, double-click it and set the number to:

   • 0 to turn off temporary file cleanup
   • 1 to turn on the cleanup
5. If it doesn't exist, create it:

   • Right-click an empty area in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new value should appear with its name highlighted.
   • Name it AllowStorageSenseTemporaryFilesCleanup
   • Double-click it and set the value to 0 to disable, or 1 to enable
6. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. To undo the change later, return to the same value and set it back, or delete the value if you created it.

Summary

Storage Sense is a useful Windows tool that automatically removes temporary files. You can control its temporary file cleanup with either the Group Policy Editor (Pro, Enterprise and Education) or the Registry Editor (all editions, including Home). Restart your PC after either change, and reverse it at any time by setting the policy or value back.