Yes, it's safe to empty C:\Windows\Prefetch. Windows uses these files to launch your frequently used apps a little faster, and deleting them won't damage anything. But the popular claim that clearing Prefetch speeds up your PC is a myth: Windows simply rebuilds the data, and the only real effect is that a few apps open slightly slower until it does.

TL;DR

  • Prefetch (C:\Windows\Prefetch) stores .pf files that help Windows preload commonly used programs faster.
  • Emptying it is safe; Windows regenerates the files automatically.
  • It will not speed up your computer. If anything, the next few launches are marginally slower.
  • The folder is small, often well under 100 MB, so it's a poor way to reclaim space.
  • It's fine to clear once when troubleshooting a corrupt-launch issue, but pointless as routine maintenance.

What is the Windows Prefetch folder?

Prefetch is a Windows performance feature living at C:\Windows\Prefetch. Each time you run a program, Windows records which files and dependencies it loaded into a small .pf file. The next time you launch that program, Windows reads the .pf file and fetches those resources ahead of time, trimming startup delay.

The folder fills with files named like CHROME.EXE-XXXXXXXX.pf. There's also a Layout.ini and ReadyBoot data used to optimize boot timing.

Is it safe to delete files in Prefetch?

Yes. Prefetch holds optimization hints, not program code or your data. Delete everything in the folder and your apps still run exactly as before; they just lose the head start until Windows observes them launching again and writes fresh .pf files.

To clear it, open C:\Windows\Prefetch in File Explorer, select all, and delete (you'll need administrator confirmation). Windows starts repopulating it immediately.

What Windows does natively, and where it stops

Windows manages Prefetch entirely on its own. It caps the number of .pf files it keeps (around 128), ages out stale entries, and tunes the data over time. You never need to maintain this folder manually; the system already prunes it.

Where it stops: Windows treats Prefetch as a performance cache, not as junk to be cleared for space. Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense generally leave it alone, because emptying it offers no storage benefit and a small performance cost. So if you were expecting Windows to "clean" Prefetch for you, it won't, on purpose.

What clearing Prefetch cannot do, and what to leave alone

Clearing Prefetch cannot speed up a slow PC. The myth persists because the folder fills with files that look like clutter, but those files are the optimization, not the problem. Removing them throws away accurate, app-specific load data and forces Windows to relearn it.

Don't disable Prefetch via the registry or services to "save resources" on a modern machine. On SSD-equipped PCs the benefit is small, but the downside of fiddling is real instability in boot optimization.

Leave it alone as a maintenance habit. The only legitimate reason to empty Prefetch is a one-off: if a .pf file became corrupted and an app launches oddly, clearing the folder lets Windows rebuild clean data. For genuine space savings, look at the temp folders and per-user caches instead, such as what lives in the AppData folder.

FAQ

Does emptying Prefetch make Windows faster?

No. Prefetch is what makes app launches faster in the first place. Emptying it deletes that head-start data, so the next few launches of each program are slightly slower until Windows rebuilds the .pf files. There is no speed gain.

Will Windows recreate the Prefetch files?

Yes, automatically. As soon as you run programs again, Windows observes what they load and writes new .pf files into C:\Windows\Prefetch. You don't need to do anything.

How much space does the Prefetch folder use?

Not much. Windows limits how many .pf files it keeps, so the folder typically stays well under 100 MB. Clearing it frees a trivial amount of disk space, which is another reason it's not worth doing routinely.

If real clutter is what you're chasing, your phone usually hides far more of it than your PC. Cleanor for iPhone helps you find the storage that's actually worth recovering.