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How to Clear the Cache on a Microsoft Surface

Elise Williams Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to safely clear caches on a Microsoft Surface, differentiating between Microsoft Office add-in caches, specific application caches, and general system temporary files without causing system errors.

How to Clear the Cache on a Microsoft Surface

Product: Microsoft Office / Microsoft Surface
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Experiencing degraded device performance, glitches with Microsoft Office add-ins, or running low on system storage space.
Observed behavior: Applications or add-ins may fail to load properly, display outdated data, or the operating system may run sluggishly due to an accumulation of temporary files.

Before you start

Identify whether you need to clear the Office cache or general Windows temporary files, and close all running applications (especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) to prevent file-in-use errors during deletion.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear the Microsoft Office Add-ins Cache

Use this method if your Office add-ins are not loading correctly or are displaying outdated information.

Microsoft Office caches add-in components to improve load times. However, a corrupted cache can cause add-ins to malfunction. Deleting the contents of the 'Wef' folder forces Office to download fresh add-in data.

Open the Run dialog

Press the Windows key + R simultaneously on your Microsoft Surface keyboard to open the Run dialog box.

Navigate to the Office cache directory

Type '%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\' into the Run box and press Enter to open the cache folder in File Explorer.

Delete the cache files

Select all files and folders inside the 'Wef' directory (press Ctrl + A), then press the Delete key. Empty your Recycle Bin to permanently remove them.

Clear the Microsoft Office Add-ins Cache

Version Compatibility: The '16.0' in the folder path applies to Office 2016, Office 2019, and Microsoft 365. If you are using an older version, replace '16.0' with '15.0' for Office 2013.

Solution 2

Clear General Windows Temporary Files

Use the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup tool to safely remove system-wide caches and temporary files on your Surface.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience a Faster, Lightweight Office Suite with WPS Office

Tired of dealing with bloated application caches, add-in errors, and sluggish performance on your Microsoft Surface? WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office that runs smoothly without consuming excessive system resources.

1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for Windows.
2. Install on your Surface: Run the downloaded executable file and follow the lightweight installation wizard.
3. Open and edit your files: Launch WPS Office and instantly open your existing Microsoft documents without any conversion.

Fully compatible with all major Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Lightweight architecture ensures fast launch times and smooth performance on Microsoft Surface devices.Free to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate tabbed interface.Requires significantly less storage space and generates minimal background cache.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing the cache delete my personal files on my Surface?

No. Clearing the application or system cache only removes temporary files generated by the operating system and software to speed up loading times. Your personal documents, photos, and downloaded applications remain completely safe and untouched.

How often should I clear the cache on my Microsoft Surface?

It is not necessary to clear your cache on a regular schedule. You should generally only clear system or Office caches when you are troubleshooting a specific application error, experiencing noticeable performance drops, or if you critically need to free up storage space.

Why do Microsoft Office add-ins stop working properly?

Office add-ins run using web technologies that rely on cached data. Occasionally, this cached data becomes corrupted or fails to update when the add-in provider releases a new version. Clearing the cache forces Office to fetch the latest, error-free resources.

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