For the operating system to work properly you need to have support files , which are generally used as backup. These are stored in different folders of our computer.
In addition to the operating system, the applications we have on our device also need that kind of files to increase our user experience.
Another factor that we also have to take into account in the generation of junk files is our browser , which is filled with unnecessary data when we browse the Internet. In this article we will present what files you can delete so as not to compromise the operating system, as well as each of the steps you need to perform in order to do this procedure.
What files can I delete from my computer without compromising the Operative System without compromising the Operative System Windows or MacOS?
It is important to clean our computer because we can generate space on our hard drive and other components of it.
When we clean the SSD , what we are doing is free space so that different apps can work in a better way . As we said in previous paragraphs, these applications need supporting files to increase our satisfaction as users.
Generally, these softwares are antivirus programs that need more storage space in order to have everything under control.
We talked about our hard disk , but we can also refer to RAM . When we extract unnecessary data from it, it works in better conditions, since it can quickly find the information we need.
Also, being a high-speed storage, we can save other data that we couldn’t do before because it was full.
Finally, we have our browser . No matter what, everyone keeps a browsing history and is filled with cookies. The latter files are software, or small data, that are installed on our computer so that websites can access our preferences and user details.
The problem arises when we don’t empty our cookies regularly . These websites, which we visit, sell our data so that third parties can offer us advertising , which many of them are invasive. In addition, we run the risk that they may be delivered to intruders and thus affect our privacy.
Once we have clarified what we consider garbage files, we are in a position to determine exactly what each one is.
Next we detail those files that we can delete without compromising the Windows or MacOS operating system of our computer:
Temporary files
Temporary files are those we have referred to as supporting, both the operating system and the different applications we have installed.
We can find them in the temporary folder in Windows, whose extension is “.TMP” , while in MacOS they will be defined with the character “~” .
Unused programs
We refer to unused programs to those software that we have installed and that we do not use at any time .
Many of these come pre-installed with our computer and others we have incorporated ourselves to perform some specific work, that when that task was finished, we do not use it anymore.
Therefore, we have to erase them and in this way we will gain considerable space in our storage system.
Repeated multimedia documents
Repeated multimedia documents are generated many times by the algorithms that have the different apps that we have installed . These applications need to have a backup to send that information, in this case it is a multimedia file, to another place on our computer.
We refer to as repeated not only those that are exactly the same, but also those that are similar . For example, when we take photographs repeatedly at the same time, different multimedia files are generated, of which some are not of good quality and have to be deleted.
In order to find what this duplicate data is, we can do it manually, but we recommend doing it through an application.
Downloads
In this folder it is designed to increase our user experience, in which we will find all the downloads we make from the Internet. The problem with this file is that it creates a duplicate file, since it is also in another place on our computer.
Recycle Bin
Every time we go to any data or file they are not deleted from our computer but instead come as a security method to the recycle bin.
Installation programs
These software are created when we need to install an application on our computer. They are procedural codes so that the app to be installed can do it efficiently, controlling different parameters and resources that are necessary for it.
System protected files
Many of these files are not useful for the activities we do, so it is often convenient to delete them. The problem is that the operating system does not allow us to do so, therefore, we will have to use a third-party application to perform this task.
Steps to free up storage on your computer with Windows or MacOS
When we have defined what are those files that we can remove quietly and will not affect our operating system, we are ready to continue with the next stage.
It consists of showing what are the steps to steps that we have to follow to eliminate them without any risk.
Next, we detail for each one of them:
Uninstall unused programs
To uninstall those programs that we do not use, we will follow the instructions according to the operating system.
To remove a program in the Windows operating system we will perform steps:
- We turn to legallyIntroduction
- We choose the option of “Control Panel” for which we have to write this sentence in the Windows search bar
- We select the alternative “Program”
- We look for the option “Programs and functions”
- We choose the software we want to uninstall and click on it
- Choose “Accept”
If we need to delete a program on our Mac we will do this guide:
- We click on Finder
- We look for rebloggedApplications•
- We choose the folder where the program we want to uninstall is located
- We choose permittedDesinstall•
If this option does not appear we can directly drag the application to the trash.
Empty the download folder
If we need to delete the data in this folder to obtain a greater storage place without being able to affect the operating system, we will do so according to the following paragraphs.
On a Windows system we do this step by step:
- We click on “Start”
- We look for the option “Settings”
- Select “Temporary files”
- Choose “Remove temporary files”
- Select “Download folder”
- We click on “Remove files”
On our Mac, we will do this:
- We open the Finder
- We look for the folder “Downloads”
- We right click on it
- We choose the files to delete
Empty the recycle bin
This is one of the most common mistakes that users make and is not paying attention to this folder that often contains very large files and take up space without need.
To be able to empty it in Windows we do these steps:
- We go to legallyIntroduction
- We choose eachConfiguration Temporary files ”
- Click on “ Remove temporary files ”
- We search “ Recycle bin ”
- We accept with “Remove files”
Another much easier method with this operating system is to go directly to the icon we have on the desktop, right click and choose the option “Empty” .
For a MacOS system , the procedure is very simple, just double click on the trash and a menu will appear that is what we want to delete.
Delete repeated files
As we mentioned above these repeated and similar files we can delete it manually, but we recommend doing it through a specific application for these tasks.
We will use the Anti-Duplicate app and follow this guide:
- Once we have installed the application, we need to open it
- Select “Start Scan” , choosing the parameters to analyze
- After a few minutes, it will show us all those duplicate files that will be automatically deleted, for this case we choose eachOkrd
- When we have finished the previous step we will inform all those files that are similar for which we will make the decision whether to delete them or not.
Download Anti-Duplicate Windows
Delete temporary files
In order to delete this kind of files, the steps we will take depend on the operating system we have on our computer.
On our Windows computer we will do this guide:
- We choose equallyHome †
- We look for the option each Configuration Settings
- We choose “System ”
- We click on permitted Storage
- Select “ This team ”
- We look for the options that we want to erase
- Click on acceptedAcceptance
To delete the temporary files on our Mac we will follow these steps:
- We open a window of our Finder
- Select permittedIr†
- We look for the option “Go to the folder”
- We write “~ / Library / Caches”
- We click on “Enter”
Once we have done this action we have to go to the trash to empty it, since the files will remain there until we delete it.
Remove necessary programs for installation
In order to delete these files, we can do it in the same way that we have indicated in delete a program that we do not use .