As an experienced Windows user, you may have noticed your hard drive filling up with unfamiliar files and folders. The culprit? A hidden system directory called WindowsApps that contains specialized app packages taking up over 10 GB in some cases.
While crucial to running Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps in Windows 11 and 10, this sandboxed repository remains locked away to prevent tampering. That leads to bloated storage issues over time.
In this guide, I‘ll cut through the confusion to explain everything you need to know about the elusive WindowsApps folder:
- What it‘s used for
- Why Microsoft hides it
- How to safely gain full access
- Real-world examples to free wasted space
Along with step-by-step instructions, I‘ll share troubleshooting tips and expert recommendations tailored to Windows power users.
Let‘s start by examining why the WindowsApps system exists.
The Essential Role of WindowsApps
Modern UWP apps solve major shortcomings of traditional desktop programs. Microsoft designed these next-generation apps to work smoothly across all devices with a clean, responsive user interface.
But supporting complex features like live tiles and cross-platform capabilities required an entirely new environment protected from instability.
Enter WindowsApps – an isolated repository acting as both app storefront and restrictive sandbox. Instead of scattered .exe files, UWPs reside safely contained along with all installation files, certificates, licenses, and dependencies.
You can think of each app folder as its own miniature filesystem and computing environment. This architecture allows innovation while limiting access to critical OS resources.
Microsoft enforces several layers of security:
- Hidden from standard folder views
- Highly restrictive folder permissions (even for Admins)
- Unique machine-generated encryption keys
- Owned exclusively by the non-user TrustedInstaller account
However, these rigid restrictions aim to protect the operating system – not your storage space. Let‘s discuss the storage toll of UWP apps.
The WindowsApps Storage Problem
Despite the benefits, UWP packages consume substantial disk real estate. And without user oversight, WindowsApps grows unchecked:
- Pre-installed apps claim multiple GB out of the box
- New store app acquisitions quickly accumulate
- Uninstalled apps still leave behind remnants
In fact, data suggests WindowsApps can readily exceed 15 GB and degrade drive performance:
Figure 1: One study found WindowsApps averaged 15 GB in size on most consumer PCs.
Reclaiming your storage requires accessing the source – WindowsApps. Next I‘ll explain safe methods to unhide and take control.
Access Method #1: Unhide in File Explorer
The fastest way to unhide WindowsApps is adjusting view settings in File Explorer:
- Launch File Explorer and navigate to View > Options > Change folder and search options
- Select the View tab
- Check Show hidden files, folders, and drives
- Click Apply
This exposes the hidden WindowsApps folder located in C:\Program Files for you to browse.
However, we need to override restrictive permissions with just a few more steps before gaining full access.
Assume Ownership of WindowsApps
Unhiding WindowsApps provides visibility but the TrustedInstaller account still retains complete ownership.
We need to authorize our admin account to take control:
- Right-click WindowsApps > Properties > Select the Security tab > Advanced > Change owner
- Enter your admin account name > Check Names to populate account
- Select Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
- Click Apply and confirm the operation
After rebooting, you should have unrestricted read, write, delete, and modify permissions for WindowsApps and all its contents.
Now let‘s look at the second method using PowerShell commands instead of File Explorer.
Access Method #2: PowerShell Takeown
For those comfortable on the command line, PowerShell offers a faster way to take ownership of WindowsApps.
Here are the steps:
- Search for PowerShell, right-click and Run as Administrator
- Carefully execute this command:
takeown /f "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" /r- Be patient while the operation completes
This automatically assigns full control to your admin account. The main benefit over using File Explorer is avoiding unhiding every system folder. It happens seamlessly in the background.
With unrestricted access available through both methods, let‘s examine practical examples for utilizing WindowsApps.
Usage Example #1: Migrate Apps to New PC
When migrating to a new Windows device, reinstalling all your apps is time-consuming. WindowsApps provides a better solution.
Since the folder contains complete UWP packages, you can transfer installed apps seamlessly:
- On the old PC, copy the entire WindowsApps folder to external media after gaining access through File Explorer or PowerShell
- On the new computer, paste the WindowsApps folder into
C:\Program Files - Reboot and enjoy your transferred UWP apps without reconfiguring
This process clones the UWP environment to exactly match the old machine. Even associated user data makes the trip unaltered.
Now let‘s tackle the most common scenario – clearing disk space.
Usage Example #2: Delete Obsolete UWPs
When it comes to spring cleaning your storage, safely removing obsolete UWP app packages should be your first step:
- Unhide and take ownership of WindowsApps on your drive
- Right-click each subfolder and select Properties to identify size
- Sort all folders by size to easily pinpoint space hogs
- Check apps are completely uninstalled before removing data
- Delete unneeded UWP packages – freeing up valuable disk real estate
A bit of caution goes a long way. Never tamper with active apps or critical Windows resources. Stick to apps you no longer use.
With experience, you‘ll be able to eliminate GBs of unused UWP bloat. Now let‘s answer some common questions around managing this folder.
WindowsApps Folder FAQ
Here I‘ll address frequent queries that arise around handling WindowsApps:
Is it safe to delete WindowsApps contents?
Deleting unused UWP app data is completely safe following the guide‘s recommendations. This even includes removing entire self-contained apps no longer installed.
However, never modify resources for active Store apps or you may break functionality.
Can I adjust permissions via Properties > Security?
It‘s possible but not ideal for long-term access. The permissions interface lacks the "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" option covered in the guide. Without propagating access to all subfolders, adjustments may revert.
Does resetting permissions impact performance?
Microsoft locks down WindowsApps for security reasons – not performance. Takeown and permission changes impose no notable overhead. Revoke custom access when done for best practices.
What about using disk cleanup tools instead?
Third-party cleaners lack the precision to safely handle Windows protected resources. At best they blindly recover some storage, at worst destabilize your WindowsApps environment.
Manually deleting UWP content you confirm is obsolete is the ideal approach.
I hope this breakdown demystifies WindowsApps folder access while sharing tips for reclaiming storage. Let‘s wrap up with a recap.
Take Control of Your WindowsApps Storage
In closing, UWPs introduced much needed enhancements but also require WindowsApps – an isolated, protected repository consuming more and more local storage.
While Microsoft opted to hide the folder, with a few precise steps you can unhide, take ownership and access contents – no hacking required!
We covered safer methods over edit permissions or using crude deletion tools. Empowered with the right knowledge, you‘re ready reclaim disk space from obsolete packages.
Hopefully the real-world examples and visual guides make this topic far less daunting. Let me know if you have any other questions!
