This is a console tool for the Windows command line environment that deletes temporary files and directories in %SYSTEMROOT%\temp (System) and %TEMP% (User). Great for use as a scheduled task (Task Scheduler). This works in cmd or PowerShell.

This helps me automate cleaning my temporary folders. I've been writing scripts to do this for years, this just makes it a tad bit easier; more portable.

You can fork this repository and build yourself or you can download it at the current Releases page.

Like any cli tool (or any executable for that matter) this can be used in any available command line program/emulator in Windows like CMD or PowerShell, for example, and should work in most available terminals.

Like any portable program in this can either be placed somewhere in your %PATH% and if not then when your run it you'll need to provide the direct path of the executable.

     > & 'C:\Users\<USERNAME>\Bin\cleantemp.exe' /? 
  

This is best used as a scheduled task via Task Scheduler with the [/P] switch, but you can use it from the command line, shortcut (.lnk), clicked, or from any other program.

In CMD or PowerShell. (with /?, /H, or /HELP). You can also find a screenshot below.

    C:\Windows\System32> cleantemp /?
    
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                   Clean Temp                   │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Clean temporary files and directories.         │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ cleantemp [/H] [/S] [/U] [/P]                  │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ /?,/H,/HELP     This help screen.              │
│ /P,/PROMPT      Skip [Enter] prompts.          │
│ /U,/USER        User temp directory only.      │
│ /S,/SYSTEM      System temp directory only.    │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ © 2022 Ian Pride - New Pride Software/Services │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
    
  

Good old fashion cmd.exe.

Clean user temp dirctory only.

  
  C:\Windows\System32> cleantemp /U
  
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  Clean Temp                    │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Clean all temporary directories for a user.    │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Found user temp directory and enumerating     │
│  children files and directories.               │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Found files and folders in the user temp       │
│ directory and attempting to delete.            │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Temp\027bfd2d-276b-4e2c-83b2-5f1d444c3382.tmp is in use by another process.
...
Access is denied for C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Temp\8cd7e51b-f6be-48c9-afd0-e04c6954b9aa.tmp.node
C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Temp\8fccf883-842d-4d9a-a21e-8cbf0b6d9f1f.tmp is in use by another process.
...
C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Temp\qtsingleapp-qBitto-9f54-1-lockfile is in use by another process.
C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Temp\tempoa deleted successfully.
C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Temp\tempob deleted successfully.

The more powerful PowerShell or PWSH.

Clean system temp dirctory only.

  
  C:\Windows\System32> cleantemp /U
  
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  Clean Temp                    │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Clean all temporary directories for a user.    │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Found system temp directory and enumerating    │
│ children files and directories.                │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Found files and folders in the system temp     │
│ directory and attempting to delete.            │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
C:\WINDOWS\Temp\catalog.json deleted successfully.
C:\WINDOWS\Temp\INFERNO2-20220115-1352.log is in use by another process.
C:\WINDOWS\Temp\officeclicktorun.exe_streamserver(2022011513515810B8).log is in use by another process.

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.