What Is the AppData Folder and What Can You Delete From It
AppData is a hidden folder at C:\Users\<your name>\AppData where programs keep their settings, caches and sometimes the programs themselves. Do not delete the folder, and do not delete the Local, LocalLow or Roaming folders inside it. You can safely clear real caches and temporary files in it, and the folders left behind by apps you have already removed. Everything else needs checking first, because mail, game saves and browser profiles live here too.
How to open it
Press Win + R, type one of these and press Enter. Each goes straight to the folder, even though AppData is hidden:
%LOCALAPPDATA%
%APPDATA%
%TEMP%
To see it while browsing, open File Explorer › View › Show › Hidden items. AppData then shows dimmed inside your user folder.
What the three folders are
| Folder | Path | What belongs there | Typical contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local | %LOCALAPPDATA% |
Data for this PC only | Caches, Temp, browser profiles, apps in Programs |
| LocalLow | %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow |
Data from low-privilege apps | Some games and sandboxed apps |
| Roaming | %APPDATA% |
Settings that can follow you on a managed network | App settings, profiles, some game saves, npm |
Microsoft defines these in its Known Folders list. Developers choose where to put things and not all follow the rules, so a folder's location does not prove what it holds. Before anything else, find what is using the space. In a file manager that shows folder sizes, or from PowerShell:
Get-ChildItem $env:LOCALAPPDATA -Directory -Force | ForEach-Object {
[pscustomobject]@{ GB = [math]::Round((Get-ChildItem $_.FullName -Recurse -Force -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Measure-Object Length -Sum).Sum / 1GB, 2); Folder = $_.Name }
} | Sort-Object GB -Descending | Select-Object -First 15
Change LOCALAPPDATA to APPDATA to do the same for Roaming.
What is safe and what is not
| Path | What it is | Can it go |
|---|---|---|
Local\Temp |
Temporary files | Yes, skip what is in use, see the Temp folder |
Local\CrashDumps |
Crash files | Yes, unless you are reporting a crash |
Local\Microsoft\Windows\WER |
Windows error reports | Yes |
Local\D3DSCache |
Shader cache | Yes, some games stutter once while it rebuilds |
Local\npm-cache, Local\pip\Cache, Local\NuGet\v3-cache |
Developer caches | Yes, packages download again, see Windows developer caches |
A browser's Cache folders |
Web cache | Yes, with the browser closed. Keep the profile around them |
| The folder of an app you removed | Leftovers | Usually, check the name matches, see what apps leave behind |
Local\Programs |
Programs that are installed per user | No, uninstall them properly |
Local\Packages |
Store app data | No, reset or uninstall the app in Settings |
Local\Microsoft |
Windows and Office data | No, apart from the paths above |
Roaming\Microsoft |
Credentials, templates, Start menu | No |
A browser's User Data or Profiles |
Bookmarks, passwords, extensions | No |
| A mail client's folder | Local mail and archives | No, unless you have a backup |
Roaming\<game>, LocalLow\<game> |
Often saves and settings | Back it up first |
A rule that holds up well: a folder or file named cache or temp, inside an app you can sign back in to, is usually safe. A folder with an app's plain name is not, until you know what is inside.
Close the app before clearing its folder, and move things to the Recycle Bin rather than deleting them outright. Use the PC for a few days before emptying it.
What not to do
- Do not delete AppData, Local or Roaming as a whole. Windows recreates the folders, but every program on your account loses its settings, and some lose data that cannot be recovered.
- Do not move AppData to another drive with a junction to save space. Some programs, Store apps and updates fail on it, and it is a well-known way to break a profile.
- Do not treat a large folder as junk because of its size. A 40 GB
Local\Slack, game folder or mail archive may be what you are using. - Do not run a cleaner that empties all of AppData, even if it promises to be careful. Pick what to clear by hand.
Where Mole fits
Mole for Windows reads the rows it knows under AppData, such as WER reports, crash dumps, D3DSCache, browser caches and developer caches, so you can review them in Clean with the size of each. Rows with personal data start unticked, and rows held by a running app wait until it quits. To see the whole folder, open Analyze on your system drive, then go into Users and your own folder, where hidden folders appear with their sizes. After a finished Clean scan, a folder inside AppData whose Clean rows reach at least 10% of its size offers Review cleanable items in its menu, plus a brush where the tile has room, which opens Clean with only that folder's recommended rows ticked. Move to Recycle Bin in that menu is your own call for anything else, and it is offered on AppData itself too, so do not use it there. When you uninstall an app through Mole, its AppData is listed for review with the program. Most of the app's own data is ticked by default, so you can untick what you want to keep, while personal data and browser, mail and Electron profiles start unticked.
FAQ
Can I delete the AppData folder?
No. Clear what is inside it selectively. Removing the whole folder resets every program on your account, and you can lose mail, saves and browser data.
Why is my AppData folder so big?
Usually one or two apps, such as browsers, chat apps with media caches, games, developer tools or AI models. Measure the folders inside it first, since the answer differs from PC to PC.
What is the difference between Local, LocalLow and Roaming?
Local is for this PC only, LocalLow is for low-privilege apps, and Roaming is for settings that can follow your account on a managed network. On a home PC, Roaming stays on that PC.
Why can't I see AppData?
It is hidden. Turn on View › Show › Hidden items in File Explorer, or press Win + R and type %LOCALAPPDATA% to go straight there.
Is it safe to delete Temp in AppData?
Yes. Files in use will refuse to delete, so skip those. Clear it after a restart to get the most back.