{"id":555545,"date":"2023-02-23T15:00:32","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T12:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder\/"},"modified":"2023-02-23T15:00:32","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T12:00:32","slug":"its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder\/","title":{"rendered":"#It\u2019s Time to Clean Out Your Downloads Folder"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a38442f0a6da\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a38442f0a6da\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder\/#%E2%80%9CIts_Time_to_Clean_Out_Your_Downloads_Folder%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;It\u2019s Time to Clean Out Your Downloads Folder&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder\/#The_Hoarding_Folder\" >The Hoarding Folder<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder\/#Downloads_Add_Up\" >Downloads Add Up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder\/#Clean_It_Up_or_Automate_It\" >Clean It Up or Automate It<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CIts_Time_to_Clean_Out_Your_Downloads_Folder%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;It\u2019s Time to Clean Out Your Downloads Folder&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-large wp-image-873486\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Downloads-folder-1-650x366.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Downloads folder.\" width=\"730\" height=\"366\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Joe Fedewa \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The file system on Windows PCs and Macs is full of folders: Pictures, Documents, Music, and, of course, <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download<\/a>s. Despite our best efforts, the Downloads folder is often the catch-all, and yours is probably overdue for a cleaning.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Hoarding_Folder\"><\/span>The Hoarding Folder<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of all the folders on your PC, there\u2019s a good chance the Downloads folder is the messiest. Typically, anything you download or save from the internet is automatically dumped in the Downloads folder\u2014unless you manually change it. So the folder becomes full of\u00a0ZIP, EXE, PDF, PNG, JPG, MP4, and tons of other types of files.<\/p>\n<p>Therein lies one of the problems with the Downloads folder\u2014it\u2019s not specific. Pictures and Documents folders have clear labels, and the Desktop is nice for temporary things, but the Downloads folder is very open-ended. Unless you specifically move something out of it, stuff just sits there forever. It\u2019s almost like a second Recycle Bin.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Downloads_Add_Up\"><\/span>Downloads Add Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-873550\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/2023-02-16_16-58-37-650x256.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Downloads folder on Windows.\" width=\"730\" height=\"256\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m no saint when it comes to keeping a tidy Downloads folder. Out of curiosity, I took a stroll through my own folder. I purchased my laptop on June 9th, 2021, and lo and behold, my oldest files in the folder are from June 10th, 2021. They\u2019ve been sitting there for nearly two years untouched.<\/p>\n<p>These things add up. My Downloads folder contains 17GB of completely random stuff: everything from PDFs to memes and GIFs. My Downloads folder accounts for 10GB more storage space than my second largest folder, the Pictures folder. Without really noticing it, the Downloads folder became the biggest storage space hog on my computer.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"admonishment_tip\"><p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> How much space is your Downloads folder using? In File Explorer on Windows, just right-click it and select \u201cProperties\u201d to find out. In Finder on a Mac, right-click or Ctrl-click the folder and select \u201cGet Info.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Unlike the Desktop\u2014which can also get cluttered quickly\u2014the Downloads folder isn\u2019t in your face as often. You may download an executable file, launch it once to install the application, and then never see it again. Slowly but surely, the Download folder gets bigger and bigger.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Clean_It_Up_or_Automate_It\"><\/span>Clean It Up or Automate It<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-873546\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/2023-02-16_16-56-36-650x355.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Windows 11 Storage Sense\" width=\"730\" height=\"355\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>So, what can you do about it? Well, there are two options. For starters, you can simply take some time to regularly purge the Downloads folder. Do this semi-frequently and it won\u2019t be too much of a chore. If you\u2019re feeling extra courageous, press Ctrl+A on Windows (Command+A on a Mac) to select everything and then delete it all in one swift action.<br \/>\nT<br \/>\nThe second option is to let your PC handle it. Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a tool called \u201cStorage Sense.\u201d One of the features of Storage Sense is called \u201cAutomatic User Content Cleanup.\u201d Essentially, it can automatically delete certain things when they get old.<\/p>\n<p>With Windows 10, you can set it to automatically delete \u201cTemporary Files\u201d and delete files that have been in the Recycle Bin for over 30 days. Windows 11 gives you some extra fine-tune controls over these settings, letting you choose different lengths of time. You can find it at Settings &gt; System &gt; Storage &gt; Storage Sense.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>Chances are your Downloads folder doesn\u2019t contain anything super important. If it did, you probably would have already moved it to a different folder. Take some time to clear out all those files using up space, or let your computer handle it for you. And while you\u2019re at it, take care of that email inbox, too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>Why Do You Have So Many Unread Emails?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/873471\/its-time-to-clean-out-your-downloads-folder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It\u2019s Time to Clean Out Your Downloads Folder&#8221; Joe Fedewa \/ How-To Geek The file system on Windows PCs and Macs is full of folders: Pictures, Documents, Music, and, of course, Downloads. Despite our best efforts, the Downloads folder is often the catch-all, and yours is probably overdue for a cleaning. The Hoarding Folder Of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":555546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Downloads-folder-1-650x366.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-555545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/555545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=555545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/555545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/555546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=555545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=555545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=555545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}