The standard Disk Cleanup tool that most Windows users know—searchable from the Start menu, showing a modest list of file categories—is not the complete version of the tool. There’s a command-line variant that unlocks additional cleanup categories, and the difference in recoverable space is often substantial.
Why the standard version misses so much
The regular Disk Cleanup interface presents a curated subset of cleanup options. Several significant categories are omitted by default, including Windows Update Cleanup, Temporary Windows Installation Files, and Previous Windows Installations. These accumulate silently over time. Windows Update files in particular can reach several gigabytes on systems that have been running for a year or more without a thorough cleanup.
How to access the extended version
Open the Run dialog with Win + R. Type cleanmgr /sageset:65535 and press Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, confirm to run as administrator—some categories require elevated permissions to clean.
An extended Disk Cleanup settings window opens. This version includes categories not visible in the standard interface. Check all boxes, paying particular attention to Windows Update Cleanup, Temporary Windows Installation Files, and Previous Windows Installations if they appear. Click OK to save the configuration.
Running the cleanup
Open Run again with Win + R and type cleanmgr /sagerun:65535. This executes the cleanup using the settings you just saved. The process typically takes a few minutes, depending on how much is being removed.
The number 65535 is a profile identifier—it’s simply the maximum value in the 0–65535 range. Your settings are stored under this profile number, which means you can run cleanmgr /sagerun:65535 again in the future without repeating the configuration step.
What to expect
On a system where the standard Disk Cleanup was showing a few hundred megabytes, the extended version commonly finds 2–5GB or more. On systems with older Windows Update accumulations or previous installation files, the figure can be higher.
The command works on Windows 10 and Windows 11.