Windows Error Reporting Folder (WER)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to delete the contents of the WER folder. Clearing Windows Error Reporting logs will not cause system crashes or disrupt software applications.

What is the Windows Error Reporting (WER) Folder?

Located at %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\WER (and %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\WER), this hidden directory is managed by the Windows Error Reporting (WER) service.

When a desktop app, game, or background service crashes, freezes, or encounters an exception, Windows creates diagnostic report archives inside WER subfolders:

• ReportArchive/: Saved crash reports sent (or waiting to be sent) to Microsoft servers.
• ReportQueue/: Pending diagnostic reports.
• Temp/: Staged crash dumps (.dmp) generated during application crashes.

If a game or app enters a crash loop, WER can generate hundreds of crash dump files, taking up 5 GB to 25 GB+ of drive space.

Can You Delete WER Files?

✅ Yes, it is completely safe to delete.

• Pure telemetry: WER logs are telemetry files used by developers to debug software crashes.
• Zero system impact: Deleting WER reports does not affect active software programs or system stability.

How to Safely Clean Up WER Folder

Method 1: Delete via Windows Disk Cleanup (Recommended)

1. Press Win + R, type cleanmgr, and press Enter.
2. Click Clean up system files.
3. Select your C: drive and check System error memory dump files and System error minidump files.
4. Click OK.

Method 2: Manual Folder Deletion

1. Press Win + R, type %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\WER, and press Enter.
2. Open ReportArchive and ReportQueue.
3. Permanently delete all contained report folders.

Related Guides

• Learn about deleting Windows MEMORY.DMP.
• How to clean up Minidump files.
• Check if you can clean LiveKernelReports.