is there a way to find & remove orphaned files in windows 10?

Hi JustMe6010

Installed Applications will install files into, their own program folder in Program Files, also into C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files and the ProgramData folder on your C drive . . .

is there a way to find where all the orphaned files are located in order to manually delete them? I have run DiskCleanup but it does not look for orphaned files.

I was not specifically referring to system files. I am looking to find and remove any files no longer needed due to apps or programs removed from my PC. I know the ProgramData folder (hidden) contains some files but I am sure there are other locations where files might be located.

Hi JustMe6010

it depends on what you mean by orphaned files, are you referring to system files?

The best first option is to run Disk Cleanup twice as explained below, the second time, make sure to clean the system files:

Open File Explorer

Click on your hard drive

On the Manage Tab, click Cleanup

Let Disk Cleanup do its initial scan

Select Everything in the list and choose Delete

Start Disk Cleanup again

Let Disk Cleanup do its initial scan

Important - This time in the resulting dialog, click 'Cleanup System Files'

Let Disk Cleanup run another scan

Select Everything in the list and choose Delete

Hi JustMe6010

The above process is the only automated process built in to Windows, other than that, you would need to manually remove those . . .