Home → Techniques and Tips → Windows Operations → Opening Your Temp Folder
What is a "temp folder", and why do I care?
The temporary folder or "temp folder" is where most programs write temporary files, files that will not be needed after the program is closed.
Over time, these orphaned files accumulate, because there's no provision for purging them automatically. At best, they're taking up space on your hard drive and making backups take longer. At worst, they can actually make Windows run slower and cause Excel to behave erratically. Therefore, it's good to purge them periodically. See Cleaning Your Temp Folder.
Also, as part of troubleshooting a problem, Palisade Technical Support may ask you to send us some files from your temp folder.
How do I find that folder and open it?
The simplest way is to let Windows find and open it for you, as follows:
Windows 10: In the box in your taskbar that reads Search the Web and Windows, type %TEMP% including the percent signs, and press Enter. Your temp folder will open.
Windows 8: If a key on your keyboard has a Windows logo, press that key and R together. Type %TEMP% including the percent signs, and press Enter.
If you don't have the Windows key, then right-click on the Start screen and select All Apps. Find the Windows System header, which will be at or near the right-hand edge of the list, and click Run. A Run box appears. Type %TEMP% including the percent signs, and press Enter.
Windows 7, Vista, and XP: Click Start » Run. Type %TEMP% including percent signs, and press Enter.
Additional keywords: Temp directory, temporary directory
Last edited: 2017-02-15