How to Clear and Reset the Thumbnail Cache in Windows 11

File Explorer showing outdated or incorrect image previews is a common Windows 11 problem, and in most cases the thumbnail cache is to blame. Clearing that cache forces Windows to rebuild every preview from the current state of the files. This guide covers four methods to clear and rebuild the cache, explains why some cache files refuse to delete while File Explorer is running, and shows what the cache is and when clearing it makes sense.
If you’re newer to Windows 11 overall, our Windows 11 for Beginners guide is a useful starting point before troubleshooting File Explorer.

How to Clear and Reset the Thumbnail Cache in Windows 11

There are several ways to clear the thumbnail cache in Windows 11, ranging from a built-in graphical tool to a reusable batch file. The methods below are ordered from simplest to most advanced. One thing matters before starting: File Explorer keeps the cache files it is actively using open, so a plain delete leaves those locked files behind. Disk Cleanup and the Command Prompt method both get around that, which makes them the two most reliable options for a full clear.

Method 1: Clear the Thumbnail Cache Using Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup is the most straightforward method. It is built into Windows, requires no technical knowledge, and clears the cache without stopping File Explorer first.

1. Press the Windows key and type Disk Cleanup. Click the first result to open the application.
2. Select the system drive when prompted. This is usually the C: drive. Click OK and wait while Windows calculates available space.
3. Check Thumbnails in the list of file types. Untick everything else to keep the operation focused on the cache. Leaving other categories checked, such as Temporary Internet Files, is generally safe, but unticking them keeps the clean-up limited to previews.
4. Click OK, then click Delete Files to confirm. Windows clears the cache and closes the tool.

Windows 11 exposes the same cache through the Settings app. Go to System then Storage, click Temporary files, tick Thumbnails, and click Remove files for the same result.

Method 2: Clear the Thumbnail Cache Manually in File Explorer

This method suits anyone who prefers to see and remove the files by hand. The catch is that Windows locks the cache files it is currently using, so part of this method involves stopping File Explorer to release them. The cache folder is:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

1. Enable hidden files. Open File Explorer, click View at the top, hover over Show, and tick Hidden items. The AppData folder is hidden by default and will not appear otherwise. The guide on how to show hidden files in Windows 11 covers this in more detail.
2. Open the cache folder. Click the address bar, type the path above, and press Enter. Using %LocalAppData% avoids having to type the account name.
3. Delete the cache files. Sort the folder by name, select every file beginning with thumbcache_, then press Delete. Files that are not in use are removed straight away. Windows blocks the rest with a “file in use” message.

To clear the files that reported as in use, stop File Explorer first:

1. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Click File, then Run new task, type cmd, and click OK. This command window keeps running after File Explorer stops.
2. In Task Manager, select Windows Explorer and click End task. The taskbar and desktop disappear, which is expected while Explorer is stopped.
3. In the command window, run the deletion command below. The /a switch includes hidden and system files so none are skipped.

   del /f /s /q /a "%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db"

4. Restart File Explorer. Back in Task Manager, click File, then Run new task, type explorer.exe, and click OK. The desktop and taskbar return.

With Explorer stopped, every thumbcache file is removed, including the ones that were locked before. Ctrl + Shift + Esc is worth committing to memory for exactly this kind of job, and the Windows keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet covers the rest. Windows regenerates the cache the next time a folder with images or video is opened.

Method 3: Clear the Thumbnail Cache With Command Prompt or PowerShell

For anyone comfortable in a terminal, the whole cache clears with three commands. This is the fastest complete method, and the same commands work on Windows 10.

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as administrator. Press the Windows key, type cmd or PowerShell, right-click the result, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Stop File Explorer to release the cache file locks. The taskbar and desktop disappear until Explorer is restarted in the last step.

   taskkill /f /im explorer.exe

   

3. Delete the cache files. The /a switch includes hidden and system files so none are skipped.

   del /f /s /q /a "%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db"

   

4. Restart File Explorer.

   start explorer.exe

   

Windows rebuilds the cache as folders are browsed. Stopping Explorer first is what lets this method clear the files that a plain delete leaves behind.

Method 4: Clear the Thumbnail Cache With a Batch File

A batch file bundles the same steps into one double-click for anyone who expects to clear the cache more than once. The script below stops File Explorer, clears both the thumbnail cache and the icon cache, and restarts Explorer automatically.

1. Open Notepad. Press the Windows key, type Notepad, and open it.
2. Paste the script below into Notepad.

   @echo off
   :: Clears the thumbnail and icon cache in Windows 10 and 11.
   
   set /p CONFIRM=This will clear the thumbnail and icon cache and restart File Explorer. Continue? (Y/N):
   if /i not "%CONFIRM%"=="Y" (
       echo Operation cancelled.
       pause
       exit /b
   )
   
   echo.
   echo Stopping File Explorer...
   taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
   
   echo Deleting thumbnail cache...
   del /f /s /q /a "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db"
   
   echo Deleting icon cache...
   del /f /s /q /a "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_*.db"
   
   echo Restarting File Explorer...
   start explorer.exe
   
   echo.
   echo Done. Windows will rebuild the cache as folders are browsed.
   pause

3. Save the file with a .bat extension. Click File then Save As, name it ClearThumbnailCache.bat, and set Save as type to All Files so Notepad does not add a .txt extension. The Desktop is a convenient location.
4. Run the batch file as administrator. Right-click the .bat file and choose Run as administrator. The script asks for confirmation, clears both caches, and restarts File Explorer when it finishes.

Because the script stops Explorer before it deletes, it removes the locked files that a manual delete cannot. Clearing the icon cache in the same run also fixes blank or wrong file icons, which come from a separate cache stored in the same folder.

How to Rebuild the Thumbnail Cache

After the cache is cleared, Windows 11 rebuilds it automatically. No extra steps are required. To trigger the rebuild right away:

1. Open File Explorer. Press Windows + E or click the folder icon on the taskbar.
2. Browse folders that contain images or video. Windows generates fresh previews as each folder opens. Folders with many high-resolution files may take a few extra seconds on the first visit.

The more folders that are opened, the more of the cache is rebuilt. Windows handles the rest in the background.

What Is the Thumbnail Cache in Windows 11?

When a folder opens in File Explorer, Windows reads each image or video file and generates a small preview for the icon. Rendering those previews takes processing time, so Windows stores them in hidden database files on the drive. Together, those files are the thumbnail cache.

The next time the same folder opens, Windows loads the previews from the cache instead of re-reading every file, which makes browsing faster. The cache lives at:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

The database files there use the thumbcache prefix and a .db extension, and they can be opened and inspected with a dedicated viewer, as covered in the guide on how to open and view Windows thumbnail files.

The cache causes problems when:

• A file is renamed, moved, or edited, but the thumbnail still shows the old version.
• The database becomes corrupted after an unexpected shutdown or a software conflict.
• Windows shows the wrong preview for a file entirely.

In each case, clearing the cache forces Windows to rebuild it from the current state of the files.

Signs the Thumbnail Cache Needs Clearing

A few symptoms point to the thumbnail cache rather than the files themselves.

• Thumbnails not updating after file changes. If an image is edited, a video is renamed, or a file is overwritten and File Explorer still shows the old preview, the cache has not caught up with the change.
• Wrong thumbnails appearing on files. Icons may show previews from unrelated files, or a video may display a frame from a different clip. This usually points to a corrupted thumbcache database.
• File Explorer is slow to open folders. A large or damaged cache can increase load times rather than reduce them. If folders with many images are slow to open, or File Explorer stalls while browsing, clearing and rebuilding the cache may help.

If any of these apply, clearing the cache and letting Windows generate a clean set of previews is worth the few minutes it takes.

Conclusion

To clear the thumbnail cache in Windows 11, open Disk Cleanup, select the system drive, tick Thumbnails, and click Delete Files. For a full reset that also removes locked files, run taskkill /f /im explorer.exe, then del /f /s /q /a %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db, then start explorer.exe. Windows rebuilds the cache on its own afterward.

Four methods reach the same result. Disk Cleanup is the simplest and needs no commands. The manual route gives direct visibility into which files are removed. The Command Prompt method is the fastest complete clear, and the batch file is the most practical option for repeat use.

Clearing the thumbnail cache does not touch personal data, and Windows rebuilds the previews on its own, so the process is low-risk. Backing up important files before any system maintenance remains good practice regardless.