What files can or should I delete? (Temp files, cache, binaries...)

Development Getting Started & Setup
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1

Today I wanted to clean my project. I cooked it to see the warnings and errors it showed me and thus know what things I should delete. However I have seen some warnings that I did not expect.

For example, certain files cannot be found.

cant find file
cant find file1548Ă—853 176 KB

Those files are blueprints that I deleted because they were no longer needed.

So this makes me think that there must be some kind of cache or something that must be removed as well.

Also, searching the project directory tree I found files that apparently are not strictly necessary for the project. Like for example these. (Saved\Crashes)

Chrases
Chrases800Ă—1168 31.2 KB

Or a lot of AutoSaves files.

Autosave
Autosave650Ă—1073 105 KB

I would also like to delete the generated binaries during the build. But I don’t know where they are

So basically I would like to be able to delete everything that is not necessary. I would like to make a BATCH script or something like that to automate the task.

However I’m not totally sure what can or cannot be deleted. I don’t want to delete essential engine files.

So I want to clarify that the problem is not deleting assets that are not used. I know exactly what assets I am using and where to find them.

The only thing I want to delete are those “temporary” files, the cache, and the remnants of the compilations…

So the question is very simple:
Does anyone know exactly which folders have that type of content and which can be deleted?

Thank you very much for your help!!

2

i found this:

Can someone confirm that it is possible to delete the contents of these folders without breaking the project?

Anyway I’ll do a test with a copy of the project in case it breaks…

If it works, I’ll let you know here.

3

YOU CAN DEL INTERMEDIATE SAVED AND BINARIES
oops
capslock
sorry
you can right click fix redirectors
or
you can migrate your levels to a clean project

3 Likes
4

Ok, I’ll try that first!! Thank you very much!!

5

Hi,
Intermediate saved and binaries work fine!!
Fix redirectors work fine too!! This help a lot!!

But, migrate levels was a disaster!! I lost the project settings. And the files were moved to random directories…

I think to remove the some files from the original project combined with your first and second options can be the correct way to do it…

Thank you so much for you help!!

6

you can export the project settings from the first one to the other
it sometimes helps by leaving old things behind

1 Like
7

Thank you so much Christ!!

8

well you see i have a project and it is in D drive but my C drive is full “0bytes left” why?

9

Hi @Crazysoham11
Maybe you have a lot of temp files generated in this folder

“C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\UnrealEngine\Common\DerivedDataCache”

The compiled shaders are saved in that folder… and never are deleted
Each time you created a new project this folder is bigger and bigger

1 Like
11

Well, I tried and a lot of space was cleared,
image
Thanks

1 Like
12

when i add plugin to project, the drive fill again after the catch, Intermediate, saved is deleted, what should i delete in that situation?
I also clean vault catch from epic games
btw what is your e-mail id I will give you my game for free for giving me solution

13

if you already deleted (Intermediate, saved, binaries, DerivedDataCache) folders then i think your project is too big. Thre is not more folders to delete. Maybe you must to unistall some programs or move some files to an external hard disck to get free space.

14

What if I want to clear cache plugins from Unreal Marketplace?

15

In “Project/Plugins” the only junk directory I see there is “Intermediate”.

If it helps anyone here is our UE5 Tortoise SVN ignore list. Not quite 100% but will keep the vast majority of junk out of your distribution.

*.log
*.patch*
*.pdb
*.sln
*.vs
*.vsconfig
*-ProjectName-0*.dll
*-Win64-*
AutoScreenshot.png
ConsoleHistory.ini
EditorPerProjectUserSettings.ini
OpenImageDenoise.dll
tbb12.dll
Autosaves
Collections
Crashes
CrashReportClient
Debug
DerivedDataCache
Developers
HoloLens
Intermediate
Layouts
Logs
Platforms
Saved
Script
WorldState
16

more help here…

But you can simply delete the intermediate and save folder anyway…

cd %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\UnrealProyects\Catharsis\Binaries\Win64
del *.exe
del *.exp
del *.pdb
del *.lib
del *.dll
del *.target
del *.modules

cd %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\UnrealProyects\Catharsis\Intermediate\Build\Win64\UnrealEditor\Development\MyProjectName

del *.obj
del *.exp
del *.esponse
del *.old
del *.json
del *.h
del *.cpp
del *.lib

pause