What are Temporary Internet Files?

Temporary files: Created when you download and install 'uninstall software, open files in email and instant messaging programs, or transfer files. Generally, programs that create temporary files delete them when they finish, but sometimes these files are retained. Temporary files may be kept for a variety of reasons: the program may be interrupted before the installation is complete, or it may crash on restart. Temporary files are also created when you surf the web. Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, also save a cache of web pages on your hard drive to speed up future browsing.