You can also reduce the size of a Windows image using some of the same techniques, as discussed in Reduce the Size of the Component Store in an Offline Windows Image. After a period of time, these older components are automatically removed from the installation. Previous versions of some components are kept on the system for a period of time, allowing you to rollback if necessary. Windows also uses internal processes to reduce the size of the WinSxS folder, such as uninstalling and deleting packages with components that have been replaced by other components with newer versions. Starting with Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016, the operating system automatically reduces the size of the WinSxS folder by using methods similar to the ones described in this topic. For more information about the WinSxS folder, see Manage the Component Store. This topic is about the different ways to reduce the size of the WinSxS folder on a running Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation.ĭon't delete the WinSxS folder, you can instead reduce the size of the WinSxS folder using tools built into Windows.