Disk Cleanup removes option to empty Downloads by mistake on Windows 10

Disk Cleanup finally removes the option to deletes files from the Downloads folder by mistake, but the change won't arrive until the Windows 10 20H1 update.

Disk Cleanup without Downloads folder option
Disk Cleanup without Downloads folder option

On Windows 10, Disk Cleanup is a legacy tool that has been around a long time to safely delete temporary files to free up space on your device. However, with the October 2018 Update, a new change was added to include the ability to remove the contents from the Downloads folders to reclaim even more space.

Although the option was not selected by default, because the tool has worked the same way for years, it was easy to make a mistake and delete everything within the Downloads folders. Thankfully, Microsoft is now acknowledging that it can be a problem, and starting with the 20H1 update, Windows 10 will no longer include the option to delete the files from the Downloads folder.

However, it appears that the option will only be removed from the legacy Disk Cleanup tool as the Temporary files settings page in Storage sense still shows the Downloads option.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.