Temporary (.tmp) files are created by programs to store data during their operation, such as for work-in-progress documents, backups, or cache files. Operating systems or the applications themselves generate them as needed for short-term tasks. Whether they are automatically deleted depends entirely on how the specific program creating them is designed and the context of their use; there is no universal rule enforced by the operating system itself. Software should clean up its own temporary files when no longer required, but this doesn't always happen reliably.

For example, a word processor might create a .tmp file as an automatic backup every few minutes while you work, deleting it when you properly save and close the document. Similarly, web browsers create temporary internet files (often .tmp) to speed up page loading and may automatically clear them based on cache size settings or when you close the browser. File extraction tools also frequently use .tmp files during decompression and should remove them upon successful completion.

The main limitation is inconsistency in automatic cleanup, leading to wasted disk space as orphaned .tmp files accumulate over time. This also represents a minor security risk if sensitive transient data remains accessible. Users often need to manually clear temporary folders periodically or rely on built-in OS disk cleanup tools. Future developments focus on improving application responsibility for deletion and enhancing OS-level temporary file management systems.