How to Include a Custom Folder in an Easy System Utility Cleanup

Easy System Utility includes a range of ready-made cleaning options for Windows, browsers and supported programs. You can also add your own folder when temporary or unwanted files are stored somewhere that is not already covered by the standard cleaner.

The Include Locations setting lets you choose a custom folder and make it available through the Custom Locations option in the Clean section.

This can be useful for application cache folders, temporary export locations, leftover installer folders or other directories that regularly collect files you no longer need.

Custom locations should be added carefully because Easy System Utility cannot decide whether the contents of a folder are personal files or disposable data. Only include a folder when you are comfortable removing the files stored inside it.

What is a custom cleaning location?

See also: How to Clean Your PC Automatically When Windows Starts Article

A custom cleaning location is a folder that you manually add to Easy System Utility.

The normal cleaner already knows where to look for supported Windows and software data, including:

• Windows temporary files
• Thumbnail cache
• Crash dump files
• Windows logs
• Browser caches
• Software cache files
• Windows Error Reports

A custom location lets you go beyond those built-in selections.

For example, a program may store temporary exports in its own folder, or you may have created a dedicated folder for files that can be cleared regularly.

Once the location has been added, you can select Custom Locations in the Windows cleaning list and include it in an analysis or cleanup.

When is Include Locations useful?

You may want to add a custom folder when:

• A program stores temporary files in an unsupported location
• A folder regularly collects disposable exports
• Old installer files are saved to a dedicated directory
• A work application creates a separate cache folder
• You use your own temporary storage folder
• A supported program has been installed in a custom location
• You want to include a folder that the normal Windows junk file cleaner does not check

Using a custom location can save time when the same folder needs to be cleared repeatedly.

It is generally better to add one specific folder rather than a broad area containing a mixture of important and temporary files.

Folders you should not normally include

See also: How Automatic Cleaning Works in Easy System Utility PRO Article

Avoid adding general personal folders unless every file inside them can be removed.

This includes folders such as:

• Documents
• Desktop
• Pictures
• Videos
• Music
• Downloads
• OneDrive
• Project folders
• Backup folders
• Game save folders

The Downloads folder can contain old installers, but it can also contain documents, photos, purchases and other files you still need. It is normally safer to review Downloads manually rather than include the entire folder in an automatic cleanup.

You should also avoid adding Windows or program installation folders unless you know exactly what the selected application stores there.

Do not include broad locations such as:

• C:\Windows
• C:\Program Files
• C:\Program Files (x86)
• An entire Windows user profile
• The root of a drive

Cleaning a large system or personal folder could remove files that Windows, an installed program or the user still needs.

How to add a folder to Include Locations

To add a custom cleaning folder:

1. Open Easy System Utility.
2. Select Settings from the left-hand menu.
3. Open Include Locations.
4. Use the folder selection option to browse to the location you want to add.
5. Select the folder.
6. Add it to the Include Locations list.
7. Check that the correct folder path now appears in the list.

Take a moment to read the full path before continuing.

Folders with similar names can exist in several places, particularly inside AppData or a program’s installation directory. Make sure you have selected the intended location.

How to clean an included folder

See also: How to Save Cleaning Selections in Easy System Utility Article

Adding the folder to Settings does not mean it is immediately cleaned.

You must also enable the Custom Locations cleaning option:

1. Select Clean from the left-hand menu.
2. Make sure the Windows cleaning list is open.
3. Find Custom Locations.
4. Tick the checkbox beside it.
5. Select Analyze.
6. Review the amount of data found.
7. Select Clean when you are comfortable continuing.

Easy System Utility will include the folders listed under Include Locations as part of the cleanup.

Leaving Custom Locations unticked prevents those manually added folders from being processed during that cleaning session.

Always analyse a new location first

The first time you add a custom folder, run Analyze before clicking Clean.

The analysis does not remove files. It checks the selected location and shows how much data Easy System Utility has found.

This gives you a chance to confirm that:

• The correct folder was added
• The folder contains the type of data you expected
• The amount found looks reasonable
• You did not select a broader parent folder by mistake
• The location is not unexpectedly full of important files

If the result is much larger than expected, return to Include Locations and check the path before cleaning.

For example, accidentally including a complete application data folder instead of a smaller cache subfolder could produce a much larger result.

Use a dedicated temporary folder where possible

See also: Why Easy System Utility Could Not Remove Some Files Article

One of the safest ways to use Include Locations is to create a folder specifically for disposable files.

For example, you could create a folder for:

• Temporary image exports
• Test files
• Installation packages
• Completed conversion files
• Temporary downloads
• Program output that can be recreated

Because the folder has a clear purpose, it is easier to know that its contents can be removed.

Avoid mixing important documents and temporary files inside the same included folder.

Does Easy System Utility decide which files are safe?

No. A custom location is supplied by the user.

Easy System Utility does not know whether the files inside that folder are:

• Personal documents
• Program settings
• Saved games
• Backups
• Temporary files
• Cache data
• Unsaved work
• Files that can be downloaded again

The program can process the location you selected, but the responsibility for choosing a suitable folder remains with you.

This is different from the built-in Windows and Software cleaning options, which target known types of temporary or cached data.

Check whether the program is still using the folder

A custom folder may belong to an application that is currently open.

Before cleaning it:

1. Save any work in the related program.
2. Close the program.
3. Check whether it is still running in the Windows system tray.
4. Wait a few seconds for background processes to finish.
5. Run the analysis and cleanup.

Files may be skipped when they are still open or locked.

More importantly, cleaning active working files could cause the program to behave unexpectedly, so always close the related application first.

How to remove an included location

If you no longer want a folder included in custom cleaning:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Include Locations.
3. Find the folder in the list.
4. Select it.
5. Remove it from the included locations.
6. Save your changes where required.

Removing the path from Easy System Utility does not delete the folder or its files. It only stops the location from being included in future Custom Locations cleanups.

You can also leave the folder saved and untick Custom Locations in the Clean section when you temporarily do not want to process it.

Can you include more than one folder?

Yes. You can add multiple locations when you have several folders containing disposable data.

However, the more folders you add, the more important it becomes to keep the list organised and review it regularly.

Before running a cleanup, check that every listed location is still suitable.

A folder that originally contained temporary files may later be reused for something important. Easy System Utility will not automatically know that the purpose of the folder has changed.

It is better to keep a short list of clearly understood locations than to add every folder that might contain unwanted files.

Included locations and saved selections

The Custom Locations checkbox can be saved alongside your other Windows and software cleaning selections.

If you select Custom Locations and then use Save Selections, Easy System Utility can remember that choice for future cleaning sessions.

This is convenient when you regularly clean the same custom folders.

Before saving the selection, confirm that every path under Include Locations is correct. Adding a new folder later may cause it to be included the next time the saved cleanup runs.

Included locations and Automatic Cleaning

Easy System Utility PRO can automatically run your saved cleaning selections daily, weekly or monthly. It can also clean when Windows starts.

If Custom Locations is part of the saved selection, your included folders may be processed when the automatic cleanup runs.

This makes it especially important to choose custom folders carefully.

Before enabling Automatic Cleaning:

• Review the Include Locations list
• Remove folders that are no longer suitable
• Confirm that each folder contains disposable data
• Make sure important files are stored elsewhere
• Run a manual analysis and cleanup first
• Check that Custom Locations is intentionally selected

Do not use automatic cleaning on a folder where important or unpredictable files may appear.

A dedicated temporary folder is much safer for automation than a general Downloads or project folder.

Included locations compared with excluded locations

Include Locations and Exclude Locations perform opposite jobs.

Include Locations

This tells Easy System Utility about an additional folder that you may want to clean.

The folder becomes part of the cleanup when Custom Locations is selected.

Exclude Locations

This tells Easy System Utility to avoid a selected folder during supported cleaning operations.

Exclusions can help protect application data or another location you do not want processed.

If a folder appears in both areas, remove the conflict so it is clear whether the location should be cleaned or protected.

Why was an included folder not cleaned?

If Easy System Utility does not appear to process the folder, check the following.

Custom Locations is not selected

Adding a folder under Settings is only the first step.

You must also tick Custom Locations in the Windows Clean section.

The folder is empty

There may be nothing available to analyse or clean.

The folder has been excluded

Check whether the same folder, or one of its parent folders, appears under Exclude Locations.

Files are currently in use

Close the application that uses the folder and try again.

Administrator permission is required

The location may be protected by Windows.

Select Start ESU as administrator, approve the Windows prompt and repeat the analysis.

The folder path has changed

A program update or manual move may have changed where the files are stored.

Review the path in Include Locations and add the new folder if required.

Why could some files not be removed?

Files in a custom location may be skipped when they are:

• In use by an open application
• Locked by Windows
• Protected by file permissions
• Being scanned by security software
• Stored on a read-only drive
• Changed after the analysis
• Owned by another Windows account

Close the related program and try running Easy System Utility as an administrator.

Do not attempt to force-delete a file when you are uncertain about its purpose.

Custom Locations or Deep Clean?

Both tools can find files outside the standard Windows cleaner, but they work differently.

Custom Locations is best when you already know the exact folder you want to clean.

Deep Clean is better when you want to search an entire drive for file types such as .tmp, .log, .dmp, .bak or .old.

Use Custom Locations for a known and regularly used temporary folder.

Use Deep Clean when you do not know where the files are stored and want to review individual matches.

A safe way to use Include Locations

A careful custom cleaning setup looks like this:

1. Choose a specific folder containing disposable files.
2. Check that it does not contain personal data, backups or program settings.
3. Add the folder under Settings > Include Locations.
4. Open the Windows Clean section.
5. Select Custom Locations.
6. Run Analyze.
7. Confirm that the result looks correct.
8. Close any program using the folder.
9. Select Clean.
10. Review the included folder regularly.

Include Locations gives you more control over Windows junk file cleaning by allowing Easy System Utility to reach folders outside its normal supported locations.

Used carefully, it can make clearing application caches, temporary exports and other disposable folders much quicker. The most important step is choosing a folder whose contents you are genuinely comfortable removing.