Remember that Windows 11 bug where a random system file would balloon to hundreds of gigabytes? Microsoft’s finally patching it.
The file is CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal. It’s a database write-ahead log tied to app permissions. Installed by default. And for some users, it grew into a monster. One person reported 500 GB eaten by a single file. Others saw 12 GB or more.
The fix rolled out in the optional June 2026 update — KB5095093. The release notes say it “improves disk space usage for the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file.” Microsoft’s typical phrasing for “we broke something and now we’re unbreaking it.”
It’s an optional update for now. If you’ve been fighting mysterious disk space loss on Windows 11, this is probably why. Grab the patch.
