How to Run DISM Component Cleanup on Windows 11

What component cleanup actually removes

Windows keeps every component version it has ever installed in C:\Windows\WinSxS, and after each cumulative update the older, superseded versions stay behind so that the update can be uninstalled if necessary. StartComponentCleanup deletes those superseded versions once they are no longer needed, shrinking the store without touching installed features, apps or personal settings. The folder also looks far larger in Explorer than it physically is, because hard links count one physical file several times — AnalyzeComponentStore reports the true size right next to the Explorer figure.

The cleanup pays off after several months of cumulative updates or right after a feature update, when the backlog of superseded components is largest. On a fresh installation, or on a system the built-in scheduled task has already processed, expect almost nothing back. Honest expectations are 1–5 GB reclaimed and a runtime from about ten minutes to well over thirty on slower hardware.

Running the cleanup step by step

Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin), which opens an elevated Windows PowerShell. First run the analysis command and read its closing lines: Component Store Cleanup Recommended : Yes means it is worth continuing, No means you can close the window. Then run the cleanup itself and let it finish without shutting down or restarting — interrupting it corrupts nothing, but the run is simply wasted.

The progress bar regularly stalls for many minutes at the same percentage, which is normal, not a hang. Once DISM finishes, sfc /scannow is a natural follow-up if you also want system file integrity verified. Two hard rules stay in force: never delete anything inside WinSxS manually, and never compress the folder — both break servicing, and the commands below are the only supported way to shrink the store.

• Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore — actual store size and a Yes/No recommendation
• Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup — the cleanup itself, 10–40 minutes
• Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase — aggressive variant, see below
• sfc /scannow — optional integrity check once DISM has finished

The /ResetBase trade-off and how often to repeat

Adding /ResetBase strips out every superseded version, including the ones Windows keeps so that recent updates can be uninstalled. The extra gain is modest, but afterwards installed updates can no longer be removed individually — the Uninstall updates button in Settings → Windows Update → Update history stops working for them. Choose it only when a permanently smaller component store matters more to you than the rollback safety net, for example on a machine you know is stable.

You rarely need to repeat the procedure by hand: Windows already runs the same cleanup through the built-in scheduled task \Microsoft\Windows\Servicing\StartComponentCleanup, admittedly without /ResetBase. A manual pass every few months, or right after a feature update, is plenty. If AnalyzeComponentStore keeps recommending cleanup, something is constantly superseding components — usually a backlog of pending updates — so install those first and analyze again.

Questions and Answers

Read next

All articles · FAQ