Key Takeaways
- A bug in CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file caused it to grow up to 500GB, affecting storage space.
- The fix is included in the optional June 2026 update, KB5095093, for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2.
- Users can install the update through Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates.
Microsoft has addressed a significant issue in its latest version of Windows 11 that was causing system files to consume vast amounts of storage space, with reports indicating up to 500GB being affected. The problem stemmed from the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file, which is designed to store information about permission requests for various app permissions.
According to Microsoft’s changelog for KB5095093, this update specifically targets and fixes the excessive growth of the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file, ensuring better disk-space usage. This optional update is available for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, upgrading them to builds 26100.8737 and 26200.8737 respectively.
Users can easily install the fix by navigating through Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates. Alternatively, those who are not affected do not need to manually install this optional preview update as it will be included in Microsoft’s regular July security update.
To check if your storage is being impacted, you can review the storage breakdown under Settings > System > Storage. If the 'System and reserved' category shows an unusually high usage, it may indicate that the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file has grown excessively. However, users are advised against manually deleting this file or disabling the related Windows service as doing so could result in network connectivity issues.
The fix is part of a broader set of improvements included in KB5095093, which also enhances Taskbar notification badges, shared network connections, Netlogon authentication, and Secure Boot certificate delivery. Additionally, it addresses a Recycle Bin issue that previously showed internal filenames instead of original names when permanently deleting files.
For users who have experienced significant storage loss due to this bug, the update is crucial in preventing further space consumption by the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file. Microsoft’s solution ensures that system permissions are managed effectively without compromising on storage efficiency.
