Windows 11 24H2: Large amount of data in the update cache cannot be deleted

Microsoft has admitted a problem with Windows 11 24H2 to the US media. After installing – both as an update and as a fresh installation –, more than eight GB of memory remains in the temporary folders even after a system cleanup. They cannot be deleted.

In the settings under "System" you will find the item "Memory". Under "Temporary files", you can view the space occupied by them. After updating to Windows 11 24H2 and installing the subsequent preview and patchday updates, they take up a lot of space in the system. They can be cleared out using the cleanup function provided.

However, in Windows 11 24H2, more than eight GB of storage space remains occupied in the temporary storage for Windows updates after this cleanup with system tools. They cannot be cleared with Disk Cleanup or manually in the running system.

Change of update system as the cause?

With Windows 11 24H2, Microsoft now uses checkpoint updates, which are supposed to reduce the size and increase speed. However, they apparently require a newer software version as a basis than the originally installed version of the Windows system files, which probably costs additional space.

A Microsoft employee has confirmed the problem to Windows Latest and has announced that this will be corrected in future updates. It remains unclear exactly what a solution to this would look like.

The problem has already been reported to Microsoft in the Windows Feedback Hub. However, users should not remove the files remaining after system cleanup, for example after booting from a different medium. Without these files, further updates could fail, and the system could become unmaintainable, which would ultimately require a reinstallation.

(dmk)