To clear Delivery Optimization files on Windows, open Settings › System › Storage › Temporary files, tick Delivery Optimization Files, and click Remove files — no reboot needed. Delivery Optimization is the background service Windows uses to share downloaded update payloads across your network and, by default, with other PCs on the internet. Its cache can quietly grow to 10 GB or more.
TL;DR
- Delivery Optimization Files are cached Windows Update payloads kept for peer-to-peer sharing.
- Clear them in
Settings › System › Storage › Temporary files→ tick Delivery Optimization Files → Remove files. - Disk Cleanup (
cleanmgr→ Clean up system files) does the same thing. - It is safe to delete; the files are regenerated only as needed and clearing them won't break Windows Update.
- To stop the cache returning, turn off Allow downloads from other PCs under Windows Update advanced options.
What are Delivery Optimization files?
Delivery Optimization (DO) is a Windows Update component that caches downloaded update and app payloads on your PC. The cache lives at C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\DeliveryOptimization. Windows keeps these files so that:
- other PCs on your local network can pull the update from you instead of re-downloading from Microsoft
- (when enabled) PCs anywhere on the internet can also pull from you
- a failed or interrupted update can resume from the local copy
On a corporate network with dozens of PCs this saves real bandwidth. On a single home PC it rarely pays off, and the cache is safe to wipe.
How to clear Delivery Optimization files
Quick way — Storage settings
- Open
Settings › System › Storage. - Click Temporary files.
- Wait for the scan to finish.
- Tick Delivery Optimization Files (untick anything you want to keep).
- Click Remove files.
Advanced way — Disk Cleanup
- Press Start, type
cleanmgr, and press Enter. - Choose drive C:.
- Click Clean up system files, then re-select C:.
- Tick Delivery Optimization Files.
- Click OK and confirm.
Both methods remove the same cache. No restart is required, and Windows Update keeps working normally afterward.
How to stop the cache from coming back
Clearing the files is a one-off; capping the service prevents a slow rebuild:
- Open
Settings › Windows Update › Advanced options › Delivery Optimization. - Toggle Allow downloads from other PCs to Off, or scope it to Devices on my local network only.
- For a hard size cap (not exposed in the UI) use Group Policy or the registry — but on a home PC, turning the toggle off is simpler than capping it.
This only disables peer-to-peer sharing. Windows Update still downloads updates from Microsoft directly.
Is it safe to delete Delivery Optimization files?
Yes. Delivery Optimization Files are a cache of update payloads, not part of Windows itself or your personal data. Deleting them won't uninstall updates, break Windows Update, or remove any installed app. The worst case is that Windows re-downloads an update payload from Microsoft the next time one is available, instead of pulling it from a peer. Both Storage settings and Disk Cleanup only target this cache, so you won't accidentally remove documents, programs, or system files.
FAQ
What are Delivery Optimization files in Windows?
Delivery Optimization files are cached copies of Windows Update and Microsoft Store download payloads. Windows keeps them so other PCs can pull updates from your machine instead of re-downloading from Microsoft, which speeds up update distribution on networks.
Is it safe to delete Delivery Optimization files?
Yes, it is safe. They are a regenerable cache, not personal data or core system files. Removing them won't uninstall updates or break Windows Update; at most, a future update payload is downloaded fresh from Microsoft.
How much space do Delivery Optimization files use?
The cache size depends on recent updates and your sharing settings, and it commonly ranges from a few hundred megabytes to around 10 GB. After a large feature update it can be on the higher end.
Will clearing them stop Windows Update from working?
No. Clearing the cache does not affect Windows Update's ability to download or install updates. It only removes locally stored payloads used for peer-to-peer sharing.
Do I need to restart after removing them?
No restart is needed. The files are removed immediately and Windows continues updating normally.
If an update itself is stuck, the broader cleanup picture helps: see deep cleaning Windows 11 and 10 without third-party utilities and how to safely empty the Downloads folder on PC. To free even more space, read how to clear the Microsoft Store cache, how to disable hibernation to save gigabytes of space, and what is the AppData folder and can I delete it. For a structured workflow, browse our content and data utilities hub. And when your phone is the device that's full, Cleanor handles photo, video, and cache cleanup locally on iOS and Android.