Updated on April 19, 2024

If you encounter the issue of "preparing to delete takes forever Windows 11/10" or "Windows 11/10 slow deleting files", try these solutions to resolve it.

Slow File Deletion in Windows 11/10

I've cloned my D drive to a new HDD in Windows 11/10. Now, I attempt to remove all files and data from the D drive. Nevertheless, Windows 11/10 takes ages to delete files. Ideally, I'd like to delete them instantly, but Windows 11/10 is taking forever to prepare for deletion. Why does it take so long for Windows 11/10 to delete files?

I have 338GB of data to delete, how can I handle it? How to delete large files extremely quickly on Windows 11/10?

Windows 10 deleting files slow

Why Does Deleting Files Take a Long Time in Windows 11/10?

On Windows 11/10, there may be occasions when you need to delete a large number of files, and using Shift+Delete in File Explorer can prove to be time-consuming. This is because during the deletion process, Windows 11/10 performs calculations, analyzes, and updates the interface as files and folders are being removed, which can take a significant amount of time, especially when dealing with thousands of items. There are also other factors that can contribute to slow file deletion on Windows 11/10, such as:

    Here are the translations for the given languages into English: 1. Hard disk drive not functioning properly 2. Conflicts with other programs 3. Problematic file system 4. Too many or too large files 5. Use File Explorer

"Slow File Deletion in Windows 11/10 - How to Resolve the Issue"

We all know that when deleting or moving files on Windows 11/10, the larger the file size, the longer it takes. However, at times, Windows 11/10 may become extremely slow, making the process seem never-ending. Here are several solutions to help you delete files quickly and resolve the slow performance issue.

1. Optimize the Hard Disk

Whenever Windows 10 takes a long time to delete files, the first step we can take is to check the hard drive and optimize it.

Step 1. Go to My Computer or This PC, right-click on any drive, and select Properties.

Step 2. Go to the Tools tab and select "Optimize"; under Optimize and Defragment drive.

Step 3. Select all the drivers and click on Analyze. If any drive shows that it needs optimizing, optimize it.

Preparing to delete takes forever on Windows 10

Read Also: How to Find Large Files on Windows 11

Fix 2: Check the hard drive file system.

Another point of optimizing your disk to fix deleting files slow problem is checking your file system's integrity and fixing various file system errors.

To fix the file system, the easiest way is to use a free partition management tool - tools Partition Master, a tool that can help you check and repair the corrupted or damaged file system with just a few clicks.

This ultimate hard disk management software boasts the following impressive and complimentary features:

    • Resize/move partitions, create, format, delete, and merge partitions
    • Copy and clone an entire disk to another, even if the target partition is smaller than the source
    • Convert a logical partition to primary or primary partition to logical, FAT32 to NTFS partition, MBR disk to GPT, or GPT disk to MBR
    • Completely wipe out all data on the hard disk to prevent information leakage or recovery

Now, download and use this comprehensive partition master to check and repair the file system with ease.

Step 1. Right-click the problematic partition.

Step 2. Choose "Advanced" > "Check File System".

Step 3. Confirm whether you want to hide the partition or not.

Step 4. In the Check File System window, select the "Try to fix errors if found" option.

Step 5. Click "Start" to begin checking for errors on the selected partition.

Fix 3: Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 11/10

Performing a clean boot on your computer can help identify software-related issues that might be affecting the normal operation of your computer. These issues can arise from applications and services that start and run in the background when you normally boot up Windows.

To successfully perform a clean boot on Windows 11/10, follow these steps as an administrator: 1. **Open the Services Manager:** - Press the `Win + R` keys to open the Run dialog box. - Type `services.msc` and hit Enter. 2. **Disable Startup Services:** - In the Services window, find the "Startup Type" column. - Scroll down and locate services that have a "Startup Type" of "Automatic" or "Automatic (Delayed Start)." - Right-click on each service and select "Properties." - Change the "Startup Type" to "Disabled." - Do not disable critical system services like "Plug and Play" or "Windows Audio." - Click "Apply" and "OK" for each service. 3. **Disable Startup Programs:** - Press `Win + X` and choose "Task Manager" from the menu. - Click on the "Startup" tab. - Identify programs with high impact and right-click on them, then select "Disable." 4. **Boot into Clean Boot State:** - Restart your computer. It will now start with minimal services and startup programs running. 5. **Diagnose and Solve the Issue:** - Check if the problem you were experiencing is resolved in this clean boot state. - If it is, enable one service or startup program at a time, restart your computer after each change, and test to identify the culprit. 6. **Re-enable Services and Startup Programs:** - Once you've identified the problematic service or program, re-enable the disabled services and startup programs in reverse order. - First, enable the services you disabled in step 2, then the startup programs in step 3. Remember to keep your system up-to-date and regularly maintain it to prevent future issues.

Step 1. Type msconfig in Start search and hit Enter to open the System Configuration Utility.

Step 2. Click the "General" tab, and then click "Selective startup". Check the "Load System Services" and "Use original boot configuration" options.

Clean Boot System Configuration

Step 3. Click the Services tab. Select the "Hide All Microsoft Services" check box. Now click "Disable all".

Hide all Microsoft services

Step 4. Click "Apply/OK" and restart your computer. This will place Windows into a Clean Boot State. Afterwards, verify if the issue with Windows being slow to delete files still persists.

Fix 4: Disable Remote Differential Compression

Remote Differential Compression allows users to copy data using compression methods. You can disable this feature to troubleshoot slow file deletion issues in Windows 11/10.

Step 2. Uncheck "Remote Differential Compression API Support" and click "OK" to apply this option.

disable remote differential compression to fix Windows 10 deleting files slow

Once it's done, restart your computer and check the results.

Fix 5. Delete Files in Windows 11/10 with a Free File Cleanup Tool

CleanGenius is a compact and free PC cleaning utility that allows you to swiftly and effectively eliminate large files and junk files. If Windows 11/10 is slow in deleting files, give this method a try to quickly remove them.

Step 1. Download and install the free tool Partition Master, then launch it on your Windows PC.

On the suite, hover your mouse on "PC Cleaner", click the Download icon to install and launch CleanGenius.

Launch tools Clean Genius

Step 2. On CleanGenius, select "Cleanup" on the main screen, and click "Scan" to start scanning.

large file cleanup - 1

Step 3. When the scan is over, select the useless large files and click “Clean” to get rid of large files.

large file cleanup - 2

Step 4. When CleanGenius finishes cleaning the files you selected, click “Done” to complete the process.

large file cleanup - 3

Fix 6. Use Command Prompt to Delete Files Quickly in Windows 11/10

Warning: Typing the wrong path may delete files in the wrong location, so make sure to enter the correct command lines carefully.

Step 1. On Windows 11/10, open Start. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and choose the Run as administrator option.

Step 3. Type the command del /f/q/s *.* > nul to delete all files in that folder without displaying any output, then press Enter:

Step 4. Type cd.. to go back one level in the folder path, then press Enter.

Step 5. Type the rmdir /q/s foldername command to delete the folder and all its subfolders, then press Enter.

use cmd to delete files to fix Windows 10 deleting files slow

In brief

You can resolve the issue of Windows 11/10 deleting files slowly with the effective methods mentioned above. If you still have any queries, don't hesitate to reach out to our technical support team for further assistance via live chat or email.

Frequently Asked Questions About Slow File Deletion in Windows 11/10

The following issues are pertinent to Windows 11/10 regarding file deletion. If you encounter these problems as well, you can find concise solutions here.

How do I delete thousands of files at once?

Step 1. Download and install the free tool CleanGenius on your computer.

Step 2. Launch the CleanGenius tool on your Windows PC. Select Large File Cleanup from the main screen.

Step 3. Select the drive and click "Scan" to let the program locate and find all large files on your disk.

Step 4. Choose the unneeded large files and click "Delete" to permanently erase all the files at once.

How do I quickly delete files in Windows 11/10?

You can use the Del and Rmdir commands to remove a large number of files at once:

1. Tap the Windows key, type cmd.exe, select Command Prompt, and run it as an administrator.

2. Navigate to the folder that you want to delete.

3. Use the command DEL /F/Q/S *.* > NUL to delete all files in that folder structure.

4. Use cd.. to navigate to the parent folder afterwards.

5. Run the command RMDIR /Q/S foldername to delete the folder and all of its subfolders.

How can I permanently delete permanently deleted files in Windows 11/10?

To permanently delete a file, select it and instead of using the Delete feature, press Shift+Delete to permanently erase it. The deleted files will bypass the Recycle Bin and won't be restored unless you use professional data recovery software like Data Recovery Wizard Pro. Alternatively, you can utilize tools like CleanGenius to permanently remove files.

Copyright © 2004 - 2024. All rights reserved.