Windows updates already have a reputation for showing up at the worst time. But the annoyance doesn’t end there. Most of the time, these update files also stick around on your PC after installation, not for your benefit, but to help other people update their system. It sounds strange, but that’s exactly what Windows’ Delivery Optimization feature does.
If that doesn’t sound like something you want, you’re not stuck with it. You can clear out those leftover files to reclaim storage, and even stop Windows from storing them in the first place.
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How Windows turns your PC into an update-sharing hub
Your PC is doing more than just updating itself
When your PC downloads Windows updates, it’s not simply grabbing files from Microsoft’s servers and calling it a day. Most of the time, it keeps those files even after installation. And no, it’s not for recovery purposes. Instead, they’re stored so they can be redistributed to other computers.
This feature is known as Delivery Optimization and it’s quite clever. Rather than having millions of PCs hit Microsoft’s servers at once to download an update, it spreads the load across multiple sources. This way, when an update rolls out, your PC can download parts of it from multiple sources, including nearby devices. In return, it also shares those downloaded files with other systems.
And these “other systems” are not just PCs on your local network. By default, your PC also shares update data with other devices over the internet. In a way, your PC becomes a part of a peer-to-peer network and helps deliver updates to strangers.
This feature comes pre-enabled in Windows 11 and most users have no idea about it. It’s not really a privacy risk since it only shares official update files, but there are tradeoffs. More importantly, it doesn’t offer much benefit to you except for slightly better speeds when downloading updates.
Why Delivery Optimization cache is a problem
It’s not just about storage
Delivery Optimization sounds helpful, but it does come with a few downsides that are difficult to ignore. The most obvious one is storage bloat. Any update files Windows keeps, known as the Delivery Optimization cache, just sits there on your PC. This can be a problem on laptops with smaller SSDs because it’s the kind of clutter that slowly eats into your free space.
Another problem is how this affects your bandwidth. When your PC is used to upload update data to other devices via the internet, it can affect network performance. You could experience slower speeds while browsing, gaming, or working. It’s even a bigger problem if you’re on limited data. If you haven’t set your connection as metered, Windows will continue to use the data freely to share files with strangers.
Lastly, this feature also uses system resources every time it runs. While the impact is usually small, it does add background activity that can be a problem on lower-end machines.
Getting rid of old update files is easy enough
Easy way to free up space without deleting apps or personal files
The good thing is that Windows doesn’t hold onto these update files forever. It automatically clears the old Delivery Optimization cache once it’s no longer needed. But if you’re tight on space or don’t want to wait, you can also remove it yourself.
Open the Disk Cleanup tool using the search menu and then look for the Delivery Optimization Files entry. It should also say how much storage it’s taking. Select it, untick everything else, and hit OK. Then choose Delete Files to confirm.
That’s all it takes. You can do this every few weeks or whenever you need to free up storage space quickly. Depending on when you do it, the cache size can vary widely, from a few megabytes to 20 GB or more.
Stop Windows from using your PC as an update server
Put an end to it once and for all
The thing about the Delivery Optimization cache is that even after you clear it, or even when Windows clears it automatically, it’s only a matter of time before it comes back. As new updates roll in, your PC will start storing and sharing those files all over again. If you don’t want to deal with this cycle, the better solution is to turn the feature off entirely.
Head to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization. Here, turn off the Allow downloads from other PCs, and you’re done. Your PC will now go back to downloading updates directly from Microsoft’s servers. You might lose out on the occasional speed boost, but you don’t have to worry about storage or network usage. There’s also the Devices on my local network option, which is handy if you have multiple PCs on the same network and want to share update files within them.
Windows’ Delivery Optimization isn’t a bad feature. It’s just something most users don’t need or benefit from in a meaningful way. That’s why it feels like one of those Windows features that should be turned off by default.
