Windows 10: Specify Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder in Windows 10

How to: Specify Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder in Windows 10

How to Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder in Windows 10


Starting with Storage Sense option in Storage Settings to automatically get rid of the files you dont need to save you an extra step when low on disk space. Currently this is only supported for unused temporary files, files in your recycle bin over 30 days, and files in your Downloads folder that haven't changed for over 30 days.

Starting with Windows 10 build 17720, Storage Sense can now run when your device is low on storage space by default. Once activated, Storage Sense will intelligently run whenever your device runs low on storage space and clear temporary files that your device and applications no longer need.Storage Sense looks for and will remove the following types of files:

• Temporary setup files
• Old indexed content
• System cache files
• Internet cache files
• Device Driver packages
• System downloaded program files
• Dated system log files
• System error memory dump files
• System error minidump files
• Temporary system files
• Dated Windows update temporary files
• …and more.

When Storage Sense is enabled, it can delete files in the users Downloads folder if they have been there for over a certain amount of days.

Starting with at least Windows 10 enabled) will delete files in the Downloads folder for all users.

This tutorial will show you how to specify when Storage Sense will automatically delete files in the Downloads folder for your account or all users in Windows 10.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for Current User in Settings
• Option Two: Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for Current User using a REG file
• Option Three: Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
• Option Four: Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for All Users in Registry Editor

OPTION ONE [/i] Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for Current User in Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the System icon.

2. Click/tap on Storage on the left side, turn on Storage sense on the right side, and click/tap on the Configure Storage Sense or run it now link. (see screenshot below)



3. Under Temporary Files, select Never (default), 1 day, 14 days, 30 days, or 60 days for what you want in the Delete files in my Downloads folder if they have been there for over drop down list. (see screenshot below)



4. You can now close Settings if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for Current User using a REG file

*note The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD values in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy

32 DWORD

0 = Never
1 = 1, 14, 30, or 60 days

512 DWORD

0 = Never
1 = 1 day
e (hex) = 14 days
1e (hex) = 30 days
3c (hex) = 60 days


1. Do step 2 (Never), step 3 (1 day), step 4 (14 days), step 5 (30 days), or step 6 (60 days) below for what you want to do.


2. Specify Storage Sense to Never delete files in Downloads folder
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Storage_Sense_delete_files_in_Downloads_folder_Never_for_current_user.reg

Download

3. Specify Storage Sense to delete files in Downloads folder if they have been there for over "1 day"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Storage_Sense_delete_files_in_Downloads_folder_over_1_day_for_current_user.reg

Download

4. Specify Storage Sense to delete files in Downloads folder if they have been there for over "14 days"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Storage_Sense_delete_files_in_Downloads_folder_over_14_days_for_current_user.reg

Download

5. Specify Storage Sense to delete files in Downloads folder if they have been there for over "30 days"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Storage_Sense_delete_files_in_Downloads_folder_over_30_days_for_current_user.reg

Download

6. Specify Storage Sense to delete files in Downloads folder if they have been there for over "60 days"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Storage_Sense_delete_files_in_Downloads_folder_over_60_days_for_current_user.reg

Download
7. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

8. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

9. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

10. If you like, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
*note This option is only available starting with at least Windows 10 build 18282.

You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option

If specified, this option will override Option One and Option Two for all users on the computer.

The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Four.
1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. Navigate to the key below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Storage Sense




3. In the right pane of Storage Sense in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (specify) or step 6 (default) below for what you would like to do.


5. To Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder
A) Select (dot) Enabled, enter a number between 0 to 365 for how may days you want, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

*note Entering 0 will be for never.

6. Default User Choice for when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

*note Not Configured is the default setting.




7. When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.





OPTION FOUR [/i] Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for All Users in Registry Editor
*note This option is only available starting with at least Windows 10 build 18282.

You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option

If specified, this option will override Option One and Option Two for all users on the computer.
1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense

*note If you do not have the StorageSense key, right click on the Windows key, click/tap on New, click/tap on Key, type StorageSense for the name, and press Enter.




3. Do step 4 (specify) or step 5 (default) below for what you want to do.


4. To Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder
A) In the right pane of the StorageSense key, double click/tap on the ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)

*note If you do not have a ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold DWORD, right click on an empty area in the right pane of the StorageSense key, click/tap on New, click/tap on DWORD (32-bit) Value, type ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold for the name, and press Enter.

B) Select (dot) Decimal, enter a number between 0 to 365 for how may days you want, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

*note Entering 0 will be for never.





5. Default User Choice for when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder
A) In the right pane of the StorageSense key, right click on the ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold DWORD, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below step 2)

B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)




6. You can now close Registry Editor if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Enable or Disable Storage Sense to Automatically Free Up Space in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Storage Sense to Automatically Free Up Space in Windows 10
• How to Specify when to Run Storage Sense in Windows 10
• How to Free Up Disk Space Now with Storage Sense in Windows 10
• How to Specify when Storage Sense Automatically Make OneDrive Files On-Demand Online-only in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Storage Sense to Delete Temporary Files in Windows 10
• How to Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Recycle Bin in Windows 10

:)

 

Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Downloads Folder for Current User in Settings

Hi, first of all let me thank you for the detailed tutorial.

There is one point that I do not find clear:

What do you mean with "Storage Sense can now turn itself on" ?

I see there is a switch that can turn on/off storage sense, my storage sense is now disabled





what happen when I'll be low on spage, will files be removed, meaning that it will turn itself on and files will be removed even if the swictch is "disabled"?

Thanks.

 

I deleted $Windows~.BT folder that was propably Windows 10 files. How to recover?

Hello,

So about two weeks ago I deleted a $Windows~.BT folder (through the cmd). Now I know that was Windows 10 files ready for install.

How can I download it again? I'm sure I need to reinstall some update. But which?

Tintai

 

Storage Sense is not deleting old files in the Downloads folder

Here are my settings for Storage Sense. However I have waited for 2 days now and files older than 1 day are still in the recycle bin (see below).





Downloads folder:





The files can be deleted manually and are also deleted when running storage sense manually with the "Clean Now" button, but no automatic deletion happens.

 

What is STORAGE SENSE?

Hello Taffy087,

Storage Sense has been around since Windows 10 build 15014, and updated in build 17720.

Storage Sense basically allows you to automatically delete the specified content in its settings to help free up space on the hard drive. Think of it like an automated Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe).

The tutorials below can help provide more details about Storage Sense if you like:

Turn On or Off Storage Sense Automatically Free Up Space in Windows 10

Enable or Disable Storage Sense in Windows 10

Specify when to Run Storage Sense in Windows 10

Specify when Storage Sense Delete Files in Recycle Bin in Windows 10

Automatically Make OneDrive Files On-Demand Online-only in Windows 10

Free Up Disk Space Now with Storage Sense in Windows 10

 

Trouble deleting a folder

Download norton commander for windows and try it. I`m using it for deleting those autorun.inf virus files that stuck to the USB drives or second non system partition. If no file is used from windows folder NC should erase it easy. And there is Hiren`s boot disk that you can download it is bootable and has volkov commander on it similar to NC and it runs in DOS and it will delete windows folder 100%. Or you can make USB stick bootable and use deltree command.