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WinSxS folder (component store)

System folderWindows 7, 8.1, 10, 11Safe to delete: Only with its own tool
Checked against official documentationLast reviewed 1 min read

WinSxS is the Windows component store, located at C:\Windows\WinSxS. It holds the files Windows needs to install features, apply updates and repair itself. Explorer overstates its size because most files are hard links shared with the Windows folder, and it must never be deleted by hand.

1Why it looks so large

Many files in WinSxS are hard-linked into C:\Windows\System32 and other folders. Explorer counts them twice, so the folder appears bigger than the space it really uses.

DISM can report the real size: Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore shows the actual size of the component store and whether a cleanup is recommended.

2How it is cleaned

Windows cleans superseded components automatically with the StartComponentCleanup scheduled task. You can run the same cleanup manually with Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup.

Adding /ResetBase removes all superseded versions of every component. After that, updates that are already installed can no longer be uninstalled.

How to check and reduce WinSxS

  1. Open Terminal (Admin).
  2. Run: Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore
  3. If 'Component Store Cleanup Recommended' is Yes, run: Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
  4. Only if you are sure you will not need to uninstall current updates: Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

Cautions

  • Never delete files from WinSxS manually or change its permissions: Windows Update and repairs can stop working.
  • /ResetBase makes installed updates permanent.

Sources

  1. Clean up the WinSxS folder (Microsoft Learn) learn.microsoft.com
  2. Determine the actual size of the WinSxS folder (Microsoft Learn) learn.microsoft.com

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