Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to delete files inside C:\Windows\Minidump. Deleting minidump crash files will not harm your PC or affect future system stability.
What is the Minidump Folder?
Located at C:\Windows\Minidump, this system folder contains small crash dump files (.dmp) generated by Windows whenever your computer experiences a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).
Unlike full memory dump files (MEMORY.DMP) which can be 16 GB+, minidump files are small (256 KB to 2 MB each). They log critical technical details about the driver, RAM address, or hardware error that caused the crash.
Over months of troubleshooting PC crashes or overclocking hardware, dozens of old .dmp files accumulate inside Minidump.
Can You Delete C:\Windows\Minidump?
✅ Yes, it is completely safe to delete.
- Purely diagnostic: Minidumps are only useful if an IT technician is actively debugging a past crash with tools like BlueScreenView or WinDbg.
- No system dependency: Windows does not need past minidumps to operate smoothly.
How to Safely Clean Up Minidump Files
Method 1: Using Windows Disk Cleanup (Recommended)
- Open Start, type Disk Cleanup, and press Enter.
- Select your
C:drive and click OK. - Click Clean up system files (requires Administrator rights).
- Check System error minidump files.
- Click OK > Delete Files.
Method 2: Manual Deletion via Command Prompt
- Open Start, search
cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. - Run:
del /f /q C:\Windows\Minidump\*.*
Related Guides
- Learn about deleting MEMORY.DMP crash dumps.
- How to clean up dumpstack.log.
- Check if you can clear CBS.log files.
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