Are .dmp Files Safe to Delete?
Short answer: yes, .dmp files are safe to delete. They are crash snapshots kept for debugging — remove them once you are done diagnosing, and reclaim the space (a full dump can be gigabytes).
The verdict
Safe to delete once the crash is diagnosed. A .dmp (dump) file is a snapshot of what was in memory when a program or Windows itself crashed. Windows saves MEMORY.DMP and small minidumps after a Blue Screen; apps write their own .dmp when they hang. They exist only so a developer (or a tool like WinDbg / BlueScreenView) can work out what went wrong. They serve no purpose to the running system.
When to keep one
Keep a .dmp only if you still need to investigate a crash — for example you are chasing a recurring Blue Screen and plan to analyse the dump or send it to support. Otherwise it is dead weight; a full memory dump can be as large as your installed RAM.
How to delete them safely
- Use Disk Cleanup. Run
cleanmgr, tick System error memory dump files and System error minidump files, and clean. This is the cleanest way and needs no admin folder-digging. - Or delete manually. The system dump is at
C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP; minidumps live inC:\Windows\Minidump. Application dumps often sit in%LocalAppData%\CrashDumps. - Storage Sense can clear them automatically over time via Settings → System → Storage.
Is a .dmp a virus?
No — a dump is inert captured data, not executable code. It can, however, contain fragments of whatever was in memory (potentially passwords or personal data), so avoid uploading one publicly. Deleting it is always safe.
FAQ
Are .dmp files safe to delete?
Yes. A .dmp is a crash memory snapshot kept only for debugging. Once you no longer need to diagnose the crash, deleting it is safe and frees space — a full dump can be several gigabytes.
How do I delete .dmp files in Windows?
Run Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr) and tick 'System error memory dump files' and 'System error minidump files'. Or delete C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP and the C:\Windows\Minidump folder manually.
Is a .dmp file a virus?
No. It is inert captured memory data, not runnable code. It may contain sensitive fragments from memory, so do not share it publicly, but deleting it is always safe.