Folder Preferences Cleaner
Folders pick up hidden clutter: desktop.ini and Thumbs.db from Windows, .DS_Store and ._ files from a Mac. Folder Preferences Cleaner finds every one in a folder and everything inside it, shows you exactly what it found, and tidies it away to the Recycle Bin while keeping the files that give your folders their icons and names.
Clear the hidden clutter from any folder.
See it in action
About Folder Preferences Cleaner
Open a folder with hidden files showing and you will find things you never made: desktop.ini, Thumbs.db, ehthumbs.db, and on anything that has been near a Mac, .DS_Store, ._ files and a .Trashes folder. Folder Preferences Cleaner clears them out.
Drop a folder, see what is hiding
Drop a folder on the window or choose it, and the app looks through it and every folder inside. The little File Explorer window fills with the leftovers it finds, and the list beside it counts them by kind: folder view settings, thumbnail caches, old app leftovers, Mac Finder files, Mac resource forks and Mac system folders, each with its size.
Choose, then tidy
Untick any kind you want to keep, open a kind to see the exact files, and open any of them in File Explorer. Click the window and everything you chose is tidied away. The folders snap back into line and the result tells you how much was removed.
Safe by design
Everything goes to the Recycle Bin unless you turn that off, so any file can be put back. A desktop.ini that gives a folder its icon or its display name, such as Documents or Pictures, is kept. The Windows folder and Program Files are never scanned, folder links are never followed, and anything that could not be removed is listed with the reason.
Everything happens on this PC. There is no account, nothing is uploaded, and it works with no connection.
Features
- Find and remove the hidden files folders collect: desktop.ini, Thumbs.db, ehthumbs.db, IconCache.db, Picasa.ini and .DS_Store
- Removes Mac leftovers from drives shared with a Mac: ._ resource forks, .Spotlight-V100, .Trashes, .fseventsd and more
- Scan first, then choose what goes: 6 kinds of leftover, each with its own count and size
- See the exact files behind every kind and open any of them in File Explorer
- Keeps the desktop.ini files that give folders their icons and names, such as Documents and Pictures
- Sends everything to the Recycle Bin by default, so any file can be put back
- Scan one folder or every folder inside it
- Drop a folder on the window, or choose it, or pick one of your recent folders
- Never touches the Windows folder or Program Files, and never follows folder links
- Clears the read-only, hidden and system flags that block a plain delete
- Lists anything left in place and why: in use, access denied or refused by the Recycle Bin
- Stop a scan or a clean part way through
- Dark theme by default, with light and match-Windows options
- Works offline, with no account and nothing uploaded
Details
- Works on
- Windows 10 (1809 or later) and Windows 11
- Download
- About 2.6 MB
- Version
- 2.0.3, updated October 2026
- First released
- January 2023
- Price
- $2.49 once. No subscription.
- Category
- Utilities & tools
What's new in 2.0.3
- New: scan first, then choose which of 6 kinds of leftover to remove
- New: see the exact files, and open any of them in File Explorer
- New: removes Mac system folders such as .Spotlight-V100, .Trashes and .fseventsd, which the old version missed
- New: Recycle Bin by default
- New: keeps folder icons and names such as Documents and Pictures
- New: drop a folder on the window, and recent folders
- New: a list of anything left in place, and why
- New: dark theme by default
Questions
Anything else? Ask us
Which versions of Windows does it run on?
Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) and Windows 11.
Is it a subscription?
No. Folder Preferences Cleaner is a one-time purchase of $2.49, and updates are included.
How do I get it?
EvlarSoft apps are moving to direct downloads from this site. Ask to be notified and we will email you as soon as Folder Preferences Cleaner is ready to download.
