Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users. It only takes a minute to sign up. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. From your description, you can probably delete the files in the Downloads directory without affecting anything. But your wording is a little ambiguous and there are a couple of caveats.
For example, your question refers just to programs, but the Downloads directory is used for more than that. So to give you a safe answer, let me start with some context. Since downloading is such a common action, the popular operating systems you don't mention which one you use , include for convenience a directory called Downloads in the installed directory structure.
It's set as the default download location so users can start using the computer without needing to configure that. You can change it if you want, but the empty directory takes up no space, so there is really no need to delete the directory, itself. The download directory receives all kinds of files--documents and media files, executables, software installation packages, etc. Those files remain there unless you move or delete them.
Documents, media files, and the like can be used regardless of where you put them. The only thing to be aware of regarding moving or copying them is re-accessing a file from the history e. If you open a file with your software while it is still in the Downloads directory and later move it somewhere else, the Recent Documents will still point to the old location and won't find it there.
Like installation media, though, you should keep them somewhere safe, in case you need to run setup again and the download is no longer available from the original source. Setup files and packages downloaded from the internet are just like the original installation media you received back in the day when you purchased software in physical form.
Almost all software used to be sold and distributed on CD or DVD media or floppy disks, if you go back far enough. You would run the setup program from the disc , and the software was copied onto your computer. After setup was complete, you removed the discs and began using the new software on your machine. When you run the downloaded setup program, it copies the software onto your hard disk. I recommend you save that downloaded setup program somewhere before you delete it from your hard drive.
When you have physical media, like an installation DVD, you can keep it somewhere and grab it when needed. If you routinely delete set-up files before saving them somewhere else, when it comes time to set up that program again, you might be out of luck.
The most common scenario for needing that download again is getting a new machine. The second most common scenario? The instructions for a complete reinstall are pretty simple: reinstall Windows and then reinstall all your applications.
It varies, of course, depending on how you organize your life. That could be a different machine, an external hard drive, your backup drive, cloud storage, or some other storage location dedicated to the task. When I download software to my machine I currently 1 :. I can also save space in OneDrive by making the folder, or just the file, cloud-only.
In my case, since I have several computers, this practice allows me to avoid downloading the same thing multiple times. Subscribe to Confident Computing!
Less frustration and more confidence, solutions, answers, and tips in your inbox every week. Download right-click, Save-As Duration: — 8. It might be different yet again by the time you read this. I have some OLD downloads that are 10 to 15 years old, some of those are bough softwares, from now out of business vendors, that I still use regularly. Doing it twice, or more, a year is only for peoples that are doing researches, testing and other things that may corrupt the OS or worst or that demand a clean slate state.
He just said that he, given his very special use of his computer, regularly did clean reinstalls. Not twice a year, no, but periodically is indeed a good idea. You have great articles, and I read them often.
It depends. It's up to you, as to whether you think it might be necessary to reinsstall the program there, or reuse the files there for whatever purpose. You could also consider moving the files in the downloads folder to external media such as CDs or DVDs. Choose where you want to search below Search Search the Community. Search the community and support articles Windows Windows 7 Search Community member.
Is it safe to delete the downloads is the Downloads file? If you are not in the process of a Windows installation or major update, you can feel free to delete these files. The following options are unimportant for you. You can delete them immediately to release disk space for new data.
But, it seems that the files in it are not critical for Windows Defender. They are some temporary files and you can remove them without scruple. This folder includes ActiveX controls and Java applets that are downloaded from the Internet when you use Internet Explorer to view certain web pages.
You can delete them without influencing your computer. Actually, they will be re-downloaded when visiting a web page that needs the files. These files are the browser caches that are generated when using Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge.
With these files, the web browser will load the previous opened website faster in the future. But beyond that, there will be no other influence. You can directly delete them in Disk Cleanup. Some other Windows web browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox will maintain the current situation. These are the thumbnail images for videos, pictures, documents. If you delete them, Windows will re-create them when you access a folder that contains those files again. The followings are some files that appear in the old Windows versions or related to some certain types of files.
Except for the Windows ESD Installation files, if you are not going to roll back a device driver, uninstall a Windows update, downgrade Windows version, or fix a system issue, it is safe to delete almost all files in Disk Cleanup.
If you mistakenly delete some files, such as the files you want to restore in Recycle Bin, you can use free data recovery software to get them back. MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a good choice. This software is a special file recovery tool that can be used to rescue files from hard drives, SD cards, memory cards, and more in different situations.
As long as the deleted files are not overwritten by new data, you can use this software to rescue them. It has a trial edition. You can first use it to see whether it can find the files that need to be restored.
You can press the following button to get this freeware.
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