Do not manually delete folders under C:WindowsWinSxSTempInFlight. Microsoft warns that deleting files from WinSxS can severely damage Windows, and its documented cleanup methods do not establish a safe exception for empty folders at this exact path. Use Windows’ built-in component-cleanup options instead.
Why deleting InFlight folders is risky
WinSxS is the Windows component store: it holds files used by Windows and servicing tools. Microsoft warns that deleting files from WinSxS—or deleting the folder itself—may leave a PC unable to boot or update. Microsoft’s WinSxS cleanup guidance does not provide a safe procedure for manually removing contents of TempInFlight.
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The same caution applies if the child folders appear empty. The official guidance located does not say that empty InFlight folders are safe to remove. Community posts make that claim, but they are not authoritative Windows servicing instructions. The conservative choice is to leave the path alone.
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Use Windows’ supported component-cleanup options
These methods are documented for reducing component-store size on running Windows 10 and later installations. They clean eligible component-store data; they are not commands for force-deleting InFlight contents.
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| Method | How it behaves | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled StartComponentCleanup task | Run it from Task Scheduler or an elevated command prompt. When it runs automatically, it waits at least 30 days after an updated component is installed before uninstalling previous versions. A manually started task has a one-hour timeout and may not clean every eligible file. | Follows the scheduled cleanup behavior and grace period. |
| DISM component cleanup | Run Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup from an elevated command prompt. It removes previous versions of updated components immediately rather than waiting for the scheduled task’s 30-day grace period. |
Does not use the scheduled task’s grace period. |
| DISM with /ResetBase | Run Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase from an elevated command prompt. |
After it completes, existing update packages cannot be uninstalled. |
| Disk Cleanup | Use Disk Cleanup’s system-file cleanup options, including cleanup updates where available. | Uses Windows’ built-in cleanup interface; available options can vary. |
Run the scheduled task
- Open Task Scheduler and go to
Task Scheduler LibraryMicrosoftWindowsServicingStartComponentCleanup, then run the task. - Alternatively, open an elevated Command Prompt and run
schtasks.exe /Run /TN "MicrosoftWindowsServicingStartComponentCleanup". - Allow the task to run. A manual start has a one-hour timeout and may not process every eligible file.
Run DISM without resetting the update base
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Run
Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup. - Wait for the operation to finish. This removes previous versions of updated components without the scheduled task’s 30-day wait.
Decide whether to use /ResetBase
Use the /ResetBase variant only if you accept losing the ability to uninstall update packages already installed when the command completes. That trade-off is distinct from ordinary component cleanup.
Why the WinSxS size shown in Explorer can mislead
Windows uses hard links in WinSxS. A file can appear in the component store while the same underlying data is referenced elsewhere, so a basic folder-size display does not show how much extra disk space deleting an entry would recover. Microsoft explains that meaningful savings depend on data whose hard links are no longer needed elsewhere. Do not use the displayed folder size as a reason to manually remove InFlight contents. See Microsoft’s explanation of WinSxS folder size.
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What is known about the exact InFlight path
Reports in Microsoft community forums discuss empty InFlight directories and, separately, data accumulating there during DISM ScanHealth on a reported Windows 11 25H2 build. These are user reports, not official Microsoft approval of a deletion method or confirmation that a force-deletion script is safe across Windows versions and servicing states. Microsoft’s documented cleanup guidance does not specify whether deleting only empty child folders at C:WindowsWinSxSTempInFlight is safe or give an official command to do it.
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