System
Delivery Optimization User Cache
Windows Delivery Optimization keeps a per-user cache of downloaded update chunks, metadata, and peer-to-peer transfer state under the DeliveryOptimization folder so Microsoft Store apps, feature updates, and other Microsoft content can resume quickly without fetching every block again. Over time this cache can accumulate stale partial payloads, expired block maps, and old job data that no longer matches current update packages. Kudu removes these cached Delivery Optimization files while leaving installed updates, user accounts, settings, and personal files untouched.
Why clean Delivery Optimization User Cache?
- Expired or mismatched update chunks can make Microsoft Store app downloads loop between downloading and verifying without finishing
- Stale Delivery Optimization job metadata leaves orphaned partial files behind, so disk space stays occupied even after the original download was canceled
- Corrupted block maps in the user cache can trigger repeated download retries, which shows up as slow progress, sudden resets to lower percentages, or error codes in Store updates
- Old peer-to-peer transfer state may keep Windows trying unusable sources first, causing long pauses at the start of downloads before it falls back to Microsoft servers
- Large accumulations of cached update fragments under the profile consume SSD space unexpectedly, especially after repeated app updates or interrupted downloads
- Partially cached package data from a previous version can interfere with current package reconstruction, leading to installs that stall near completion until the cache is rebuilt
- Cleaning out abandoned cache entries removes invalid resume data, so new update sessions start with fresh manifests instead of inheriting broken transfer history
What gets cleaned
Cache paths Kudu targets
Windows
%LocalAppData%/Microsoft/Windows/DeliveryOptimization |
Frequently asked
Common questions about Delivery Optimization User Cache
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