Buzz
$WINDOWS.~BT and $WINDOWS.~WS are folders associated with the Windows 10 upgrade process. These folders may manifest on Windows 7, 8, and 10 machines, occupying substantial disk space.
Demystifying $WINDOWS.~BT Folder: What You Need to Know
By default, these are hidden folders, so you need to take extra steps to reveal them on Windows Explorer (or File Explorer) to view the directories.
Refer to additional steps for displaying hidden files and folders on Windows 7/8/10 [here].
On Windows 7 and Windows 8
During the free upgrade to Windows 10, Windows 7 ISO and 8 automatically download Windows 10 installation files, storing them in the $WINDOWS.~BT folder. When upgrading to Windows 10, the system utilizes these files for a swift installation of the new operating system.
However, the free upgrade period has expired, making these files unusable for upgrading to Windows 10.
Despite Microsoft's efforts to remove them, these files still persist on Windows 7 ISO and Windows 8 computers in reality.
On Windows 10
Within Windows 10, the $WINDOWS.~BT folder houses installation files from previous versions. These files come into play in scenarios where downgrading to a previous Windows version or a prior build of Windows 10 is necessary.
The $WINDOWS.~BT folder is akin to the Windows.old directory, housing installation files from the previous Windows version. In fact, you'll encounter both the Windows.old and $WINDOWS.~BT folders after upgrading to Windows 10.
Furthermore, the $WINDOWS.~BT folder also contains log files. For instance, if you download and run the Media Creation Tool, it generates a $WINDOWS.~BT folder with log files. Additionally, this Media Creation Tool creates a folder containing Windows installation files.
In the Anniversary Update, Windows will automatically delete these files after 10 days to free up space, or after 30 days if your computer hasn't upgraded to the Anniversary Update.
Is it possible to delete $WINDOWS.~BT and how do you go about it?
Warning: If you delete the $WINDOWS.~BT folder on Windows 10, you won't be able to downgrade to the previous build of Windows 10 or previously installed Windows versions.
The option to revert your computer to a previous version in Settings => Update & Security => Recovery will also disappear. However, Windows 10 will automatically remove these files after 10 days.
If you wish, you can also delete these files, but not through the usual means. Instead, you'll need to use the integrated Disk Cleanup tool available on Windows versions.
To accomplish this, access the integrated Disk Cleanup tool, then click on Clean Up System File. Check the items below to delete the files:
- Delete the Previous Windows installation(s) folder: Remove the $WINDOWS.~BT and Windows.old folders on Windows 10.
- Remove Temporary Windows installation files: Erase the $WINDOWS.~BT folder on Windows 7 and 8, and the $WINDOWS.~WS folder on Windows 10.
Click OK to delete these files.
After completing the above steps, if the $WINDOWS.~BT folder persists and contains only a few log files, you can delete the folder directly in File Explorer. Simply right-click on the folder and choose Delete.
On Windows, many files are hidden, including $WINDOWS.~BT and Windows.old. While $WINDOWS.~BT is linked to the Windows 10 upgrade process, Windows.old stores data from the old operating system when installing a new one. Can you delete Windows.old like $WINDOWS.~BT? You can delete Windows.old to reclaim storage, but retaining it makes reusing the old operating system easier.
Deleting files on Windows is as simple as uninstalling apps on Android. When you no longer want to use an app, deleting it frees up storage and allows for the installation of other apps. We've detailed the process of uninstalling apps on Android; feel free to check it out if interested.
The $WINDOWS.~BT folder appears only when you display folders in Windows. Similar to $WINDOWS.~BT, the $GetCurrent and $SysReset folders emerge due to various computer activities. Refer to our introduction of the $GetCurrent and $SysReset folders for more details.
