Remove Empty Directories for Windows

Used Remove Empty Directories for Windows?

Editors’ Review

Download.com staffNovember 5, 2025

Empty directory folders are annoying, but not often a cause for great concern. Still, they build up over time, and Remove Empty Directories is a smart and fast solution. The tiny program greets you with a mostly blank pane and an icon key to understanding your results. There's a dialog box at the top to specify a particular folder or drive to search, although by default it checks your C drive.

At the bottom is a Scan button. System resources and drive capacity aside, it takes a while to scan an entire drive. When finished, it coughs up a folder tree marked by the key: red folders will be removed, gray ones won't be touched, and blue ones have been protected, a feature accessible from the context menu. Once you have your list ready to go, hit the Delete button at the bottom and watch the extinction scroll past. Folders that couldn't be deleted might contain hidden files or be connected to a program that relies on them. The Settings tab provides both basic and advanced options, including Windows Explorer integration, a blacklist, customizable protocol, and setting the max depth for folder parsing.

This app is clearly aimed at those who like knowing exactly what's in their folder tree, or those who hate programs that leave behind empty folders as territorial markings of their presence. It functions well, and makes a useful if esoteric system utility.

Remove Empty Directories for Windows

Used Remove Empty Directories for Windows?

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: February 6, 2011

Latest update: November 5, 2025

Version: 2.3

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System: Windows 11

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 134,798

Downloads Last Week: 3

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Last Updated

User Reviews

3.1/5

65 User Votes

excellent software, does a neat job
piyush1.mehtaAugust 30, 2014
Pros
1. Does the neat job of removing empty directories 2. Fast and smooth 3. Friendly user interface 4. very handy software, tried couple in the category, this one emerges as best one so far
Cons
none noted
Summary
Does exactly what is supposed to do!
ckcomodoDecember 16, 2013
Pros
Pros: Finds large numbers of unexpected debris left over from updates, initial installs, etc. Outlines each un-needed entry in red in case you value something. Does not slow down my buggy OS. No other bloatware associated with this one.
Cons
Cons: Cannot remove all the junk (lets you know how many files are empty that are protected against removal.) I have several cleaners and each one "finds" different empties/junk so not unique here. Not updated (why would it be?)
Summary
Great!
Good, not great
ShiverZ_HDApril 2, 2012
Pros
Easy and very simple to use for a small programme, deletes many empty directories without the hassle of going through them your'self. Also I had no problems with running the programme, my CPU remained at an average level.
Cons
It came up with a list of red files which will be deleted, but failed to actually delete around 10% of them.
Summary
I would recommend this programme to anyone looking for an empty directory cleaner, but if you want a full scale cleaner, look somewhere else.
Just the app I needed
FerBearJanuary 30, 2012
Pros
Does the job. Quick to install, ease of use. For those who complain about the time to remove tons of empty folder, think about the time it would take for you to remove them manually. Other apps just move them to a hidden directory, so you won't really free any space.
Cons
No cons at all.
Summary
Does the job it's named for.
Don't use this product if you value your sanity
uberdommeJanuary 2, 2012
Pros
Quick and easy to install Scans your computer (for folders to delete) fast enough
Cons
Software isn't quite clear what exactly it will delete Makes your system slow as heck (CPU 100%)
Summary
My experience; I wanted a simple program to delete any empty folders from my hard drive to tidy it up a bit. I found this one and the reviews were a little off-putting, but I took the risk anyhow (wish I hadn't) and downloaded the software. Installed very quickly and program popped up without any loading time. Great. I made it do a scan of my hard drive and it completed that in no time. Great. Now, I wasn't sure whether it was safe enough to delete empty folders in my Windows directly (better safe than never, right?), so I right-clicked it to "Protect" it and the program placed a little Lock icon beside the folder. I assumed this meant that any empty folders within the Windows directory would remained untouched. However, I was wrong and once I let the software do it's business, I discovered that it deleted all the empty folders within Windows directory. This may or may not be safe to do so, but either way it angered me. Now, as soon as I closed the program, my computer started freezing up. CPU 100%. I checked my processes and there was nothing out of the ordinary. It could only have been Remove Empty Directories. Luckily, all the deleted folders get placed in the Recycle Bin so I was able to restore them all. However, because my CPU was at it's limit, it took a good 20 minutes to restore a measly 19MB of folders (and empty files might I add). Low and behold, as soon as these folders and files were restored, my computer ceased it's freezing and CPU back down to 1-10%. Needless to say, I removed the software as soon as I was able and came on here to review this piece of junk! STAY AWAY!
Doesn't do anything
lenin_dcruzDecember 10, 2011
Pros
Gives you hopes
Cons
Didn't find the empty folders in my desired media folder.
Summary
Looking elsewhere.
Worked as advertised
techman4life69November 30, 2011
Pros
Great search and listing features. Gave you a clear path of what files were going to be deleted and the option to remove or leave it as is.Quick file deletion and accurate. Set up dummy "empty" directories and it found them all.
Cons
Larger display window for deep trees or buried folders, the ability to maximize the program or display window in tabs
Summary
Excellent product I have it in my arsenal and its a keeper
Didn't work, and froze up my system.
TomaqiNovember 22, 2011
Pros
There were no pros
Cons
I ran it once to tidy my itunes directories., It didn't get all the empty folders, and my windows7 laptop immediately became buggy. Revo Uninstaller got rid of it nicely.
Summary
I do not recommend this software. If you only have a couple-hundred directories to delete, just take an hour and do it the safe, plodding way.
It d the job as i expected
posseplayer1November 9, 2011
Pros
Cleans unnecessary empty files
Cons
doesn't tell you if files have information you have to look up those files yourself to make sure you don't delete the wrong ones,i almost did myself.
Summary
I'll keep using it,it is a good tool to have.
went right to the problems
jackplane5October 25, 2011
Pros
easy set and use
Cons
did not delete all empty directories
Summary
sofar good

Developer’s Description

By JonasJohn.de

Remove empty directories from your folder tree.

RED searches and deletes empty directories recursively below a given start folder and shows the result in a well arranged tree. Further you can create some custom rules for keeping and deleting folders. Empty files in directories can also be ignored. Just try RED to see the other features - no registry keys or system files will be touched.