During the installation of the Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2) via an in-place upgrade, users may notice that the system creates a backup of the previous setup. This precautionary measure allows for a smooth rollback in the event of critical issues. However, once the installation is complete, the backup files remain stored in the “Windows.old” folder, which can occupy over 20GB of space—a considerable amount for devices with limited storage capacity.
Fortunately, Windows 11 offers multiple methods to reclaim this valuable storage space through the Settings app and Disk Cleanup. Below, we outline the steps to effectively delete the previous installation files, allowing users to free up space after upgrading to the latest version of the operating system.
How to free up space after upgrading to Windows 11 2024 Update using Settings
To reclaim storage after installing the latest release of Windows 11, follow these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on System.
- Click on Storage.
- Navigate to the Temporary files section on the right side.
- Clear all preselected items (if applicable).
- Check the “Previous Windows installation(s)” option.
- Click the Remove files button.
Upon completing these steps, users will find additional space available for more essential files.
How to free up space after upgrading to Windows 11 2024 Update using Disk Cleanup
To free up space using Disk Cleanup after upgrading to Windows 11 version 24H2, follow this procedure:
- Open Start.
- Search for Disk Cleanup, and select the top result to open the settings.
- Click the “Clean up system files” button.
- Check the “Previous Windows installation(s)” option.
- Clear the Downloads option to avoid deleting downloaded files inside the “Downloads” folder (if applicable).
- Click the OK button.
After completing these steps, the previous installation files will be deleted, effectively freeing up storage on the installation drive. It’s important to note that while users can delete backup files for a previous installation, this option is only available within the first ten days following the upgrade. After this period, the system will automatically remove these files.
Once the deletion process is initiated, users will no longer have the option to revert to the previous installation through recovery settings. However, reinstallation of version 23H2 remains possible if users have the installation media for a clean installation.
Additionally, some users have reported challenges when attempting to clear the “Windows Update Cleanup” cache, which contains copies of installed updates. It is worth noting that this issue is separate from the process of clearing previous installation files.
More resources
For further assistance, insights, and answers to common questions regarding Windows 10 and Windows 11, consider exploring the following resources:
