Microsoft has fixed a Windows 11 bug that allowed a system file to consume hundreds of gigabytes of storage without warning.
In extreme cases, the affected file grew to around 500GB. Other users reported losing between 12GB and 200GB of storage due to the same issue. Microsoft included the fix in its optional June 2026 update, KB5095093.
System File Grew Out of Control
The problem affected a file calledCapabilityAccessManager.db-wal, which Windows 11 installs by default.
The file is connected to Capability Access Manager, a Windows service that manages app permissions. These include access to a device’s location, camera, microphone, and other privacy-related features.
The file is supposed to store information about permission requests. However, Windows 11 appeared to log some access events repeatedly, causing it to grow far beyond its expected size.
Microsoft has not provided a detailed explanation of what caused the excessive logging.
Microsoft Releases Fix
Microsoft’s changelog for KB5095093 states that the update improves disk-space usage for the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file.
The optional update is available for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. It upgrades the operating systems to builds 26100.8737 and 26200.8737, respectively.
Affected users can install the update immediately by opening:
Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates
They can then select and install the June 2026 preview update.
The fix should also reach users through Microsoft’s regular July security update, meaning those who are not affected do not need to install the optional preview manually.
How to Check Your Storage
Users who have unexpectedly lost a large amount of storage can check the storage breakdown in Windows 11.
The information is available under:
Settings > System > Storage
If the “System and reserved” category is using an unusually large amount of space, the bloated Capability Access Manager file may be responsible.
Avoid Deleting the File Manually
Users should install Microsoft’s update instead of attempting to delete the affected system file themselves.
Some people who manually removed the file or disabled the related Windows service reported losing Wi-Fi or network connectivity. Capability Access Manager controls important system permissions, meaning deleting the wrong files could create additional problems.
The update is therefore the safer way to stop the file from continuing to consume storage.
Other Changes in the Update
KB5095093 also brings several additional Windows 11 improvements.
Microsoft has improved Taskbar notification badges, shared network connections, Netlogon authentication and the delivery of Secure Boot certificates.
The update also changes the GIF provider in the Windows emoji panel from Google’s Tenor service to GIPHY. It fixes a Recycle Bin issue that could show an internal filename instead of the original name when permanently deleting a file.
However, the storage fix is likely to be the most important change for users whose PCs were losing hundreds of gigabytes to a single Windows system file.
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