How to Disable Windows Update Trace Logs in Windows Temp Folder

Introduction

Every day, Windows creates a number of folders in the C:\Windows\Temp folder, many of which contain individual .etl log files inside. One such folder is C:\Windows\Temp\_9ABC4DDF-732F-4F70-820A-9C186380CECAWindowsUpdate.2025. These logs can take up a significant amount of disk space over time, and in some cases, may cause performance issues. This article will cover how to disable Windows Update trace logs in the Windows Temp folder.

Understanding Windows Update Trace Logs

Windows Update trace logs are used to diagnose and troubleshoot issues related to Windows Update. These logs can be helpful for IT professionals and developers who need to identify and resolve problems with Windows Update. However, in most cases, these logs are not necessary for everyday users.

The logs are stored in the C:\Windows\Temp folder and are named using a unique identifier, such as \_9ABC4DDF-732F-4F70-820A-9C186380CECAWindowsUpdate.2025. Each log file contains detailed information about the Windows Update process, including any errors or issues that occurred.

Disabling Windows Update Trace Logs

To disable Windows Update trace logs, you can follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following key: HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WINEVT\Channels\Microsoft-Windows-WindowsUpdateClient\Operational
4. Right-click on the Operational key and select Permissions.
5. Click on the Security tab and then click on Advanced.
6. Click on Change next to the owner and enter your username, then click OK.
7. Check the box next to Replace owner on subcontainers and objects and click OK.
8. Back in the Permissions tab, check the box next to Deny for the Special Permissions section and click OK.

In this article, we covered how to disable Windows Update trace logs in the Windows Temp folder. These logs can take up a significant amount of disk space over time, and in some cases, may cause performance issues. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can disable these logs and free up disk space on your Windows system.

References

• Event Tracing
• How to disable and delete Windows 10 update logs
• How to turn off Windows 10 update notifications