Clean up the WinSxS folder — by Microsoft Learn

intermediatepageLink only (©)Windows 11Windows 10

The safe ways to shrink the component store: the StartComponentCleanup task, DISM /StartComponentCleanup (with an optional /ResetBase) and Disk Cleanup. It also warns why you must never delete WinSxS files by hand.

Quick steps

  1. Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Paraphrased from the source. Menus can differ by version, so check the original for full details.

Read the full article on learn.microsoft.com

Source: Clean up the WinSxS folder by Microsoft Learn. Licence: Link only (©).

Source reviewed
2026-11-02
Link checked
2026-11-02
Tested hands-on
Not by Oddbyte.Me

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