CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal filling up hard drive

[LedHed]

Hello all,
Just a heads up. In recent weeks, I've come across 3 client hard drives that are almost completely full. The culprit is this file:
CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal, which is stored in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\CapabilityAccessManager\.

The most recent case was this past weekend was the worst one I've seen. The client had a 512GB drive that had only 2.1GB free. I used WizTree portable to identify the culprit. The CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal had grown to over 300GB. After deleting the file, the hard drive showed that only 179GB was being used.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know. I would be interested to know whether anyone else has seen this and whether there is a way to prevent it.

Andy

 

[JoelM]

Here is Copilot's response:

The CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file filling up a customer’s hard drive is a known Windows 11 bug that can consume tens to hundreds of gigabytes of storage. Microsoft has officially fixed the issue in updates KB5095093 (June 2026 preview) and KB5101650 (July 2026 Patch Tuesday).

What’s happening​

The camsvc service (Capability Access Manager) logs app access to camera, mic, location, screen capture. A bug causes its write‑ahead log file (CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal) to grow uncontrollably — sometimes 100GB–500GB.

First step: Install the Windows fix​

Make sure the machine has KB5101650 or KB5095093 installed. These updates stop the runaway growth.
Important: The fix does NOT shrink an already‑bloated file. You must clean it manually.

 

[LedHed]

Thank you