Computer Systems

How to delete Windows.old folder from C drive.

By Md Abul Hasnat 19 Views Oct 17, 2025

🧼 Method 1: Delete Windows.old Using Disk Cleanup (Recommended & Safe)

👉 This will safely remove all old system files, including Windows.old, without any permission error.

If the folder still remains or you want to remove it manually:

Open File Explorer → go to *C:*
Right-click Windows.old → Properties
Go to Security tab → click Advanced
Under Owner, click Change
Type your Windows username (e.g., DESKTOP\YourName) → click Check Names → OK
Check “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” ✅
Click Apply → OK → OK
Now try deleting the folder again.

If it still doesn’t delete, open Command Prompt (Admin) and run these commands one by one:

takeown /F C:\Windows.old /A /R

icacls C:\Windows.old /grant administrators:F /T

rd /s /q C:\Windows.old

👉 This will forcefully remove the Windows.old folder.

Once you delete Windows.old, you cannot roll back to the previous Windows version.
Make sure your current Windows installation is stable before deleting.