Some Windows 11/10 users report that they see a folder called WpSystem on their PCs but they didn’t create it. What is the WpSystem folder? Can you delete it? How to delete it. This post tells you all information.
In Windows 11/10, apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store are stored in the WindowsApps folder. This folder is located on the C drive and is hidden by default. But you can see it by enabling the Show hidden files and folders feature in File Explorer. You can find the WindowsApps folder in the following location:
C:/Program Files/WindowsApps
To save space on your C drive, Windows 11/10 provides an option to change the default save location for Microsoft Store apps. By changing the default location, you can install Windows applications to another partition, external drive, and external storage device.
When you change the installation location of a Microsoft Store application, Windows creates a WindowsApps folder on that drive. In addition to the WindowsApps folder, three other folders are automatically created in the same drive, namely:
- WpSystem
- WUDownloadCache
- Program Files
What Is WpSystem Folder
The WpSystem and WUDownloadCache folders are created when certain apps from the Microsoft Store are installed. According to users, some of these apps are the VLC app, the Halo app, the Halo 5: Forge game, and more. Some users have also confirmed that after installing some specific games via Xbox, the WpSystem folder Game Pass is created on their hard drives.
Can You Delete the WpSystem Folder
Can you delete the WpSystem folder? If the folder already exists on the PC and the application has stored files there, it should not be deleted. If you delete it under this situation, the application may crash or stop responding.
According to reports, many users who deleted the folder faced serious issues and ended up having to reinstall affected apps from scratch. This is especially true for apps that don’t have a built-in file repair option to recover deleted files.
The only time you can delete this folder is after uninstalling the applications that store data in it, or their effective function is no longer important.
How to Delete the WpSystem Folder
Some users receive the “you require permission from the system to make changes to this file” error message when trying to delete the WpSystem folder. How to delete the WpSystem folder on Windows 11/10? Follow the guide below:
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Step 1:Go to File Explorer and find the WpSystem folder. Then, right-click it to select Properties.
Step 2: Go to the Security tab and click Advanced.
Step 3: Click Change. Enter the user name for the active profile in the text field, click Check Names, and OK.
Step 4: Check the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects box and the Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object box. Then, click OK to save the changes.
Step 5: Click Yes in the confirmation prompt. Then, you can right-click the WpSystem folder to delete it.
Final Words
Now, you have known what the WpSystem folder is and if you can delete it. If you want to delete it, you had better make a backup for it. Then, you can delete it with the above steps.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Having been an editor at MiniTool since graduating college as an English major, Daisy specializes in writing about data backups, disk cloning, and file syncing as well as general computer knowledge and issues. In her free time, Daisy enjoys running and going with friends to the amusement park.