Confirm the same issue. Had to use Disk Cleanup to remove Windows.old as System, Storage Sense failed to remove Windows.old.
Dev build 26300 Storage file cleanup
Windows Insider program | Windows Insider preview | Files, folders, and storage
3 answers
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Johnny55 5,150 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator2026-01-30T00:23:10.93+00:00 -
CrazyKats 19,240 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator2026-01-29T05:10:27.5833333+00:00 Already stated that Storage Sense is broken. Disk Cleanup works.
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Huy-K 13,985 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-01-29T04:40:00.5533333+00:00 Dear @CrazyKats,
Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.
We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter when using our services/ products. Based on your description, kindly try these workaround steps:
Option 1: Use Disk Cleanup (legacy) to remove Windows.old
Since Disk Cleanup is already detecting the ~30 GB, use it to remove it safely:
- Open Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr)
- Select the system drive (usually C:)
- Click Clean up system files (this is what exposes protected items like Windows.old)
- Check Previous Windows installation(s) (and optionally other safe items like temporary installation files)
- Confirm deletion
Option 2: Use Storage Sense “Run now” (may or may not catch Windows.old on this build)
Even if the Temporary files list is bugged, it’s still worth trying Storage Sense because it can trigger cleanup tasks:
Go to Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense
Turn it On
Choose your cleanup schedule options
Select Run Storage Sense now
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