How to Delete the Windows.old folder on Windows 11

When upgrading from an older version of Windows to Windows 11, the system creates a Windows.old folder. This folder contains files from your previous installation, including system files, program files, and user data.

Before deleting the Windows.old folder in Windows 11, consider whether you might want to revert to your old version of Windows. If you're sure you won't need to downgrade, proceed with the following steps.

Go to Settings

Select System.

Select Storage.

Select Cleanup recommendations. 

Select the Previous Windows installation(s) checkbox.

Click Clean Up button

You can also use Disk Cleanup to delete the windows.old folder on windows 11

Press Windows + S to open the search bar, then type Disk Cleanup and select it from the search results.

If prompted, choose the drive where Windows is installed (usually C:) and click OK.

In the Disk Cleanup window, click on Clean up system files.

After the system scan, you’ll see a list of file types.

Look for Previous Windows installation(s) and check the box next to it.

Click OK, then confirm the deletion by clicking Delete Files

Once you delete the Windows.old folder, you won’t be able to roll back to your previous version of Windows. Make sure you're happy with Windows 11 before you remove it.

Deleting the Windows.old folder on Windows 11 is a simple way to reclaim valuable disk space.