CCleaner. The name is practically synonymous with PC cleanup and optimization. For years, it’s been a go-to tool for millions to declutter their Windows machines, boost performance, and reclaim precious disk space. But in a world of increasingly sophisticated operating systems and built-in optimization tools, is CCleaner still relevant? I’ve put the latest version of CCleaner Professional through its paces to find out. This review will cover its features, pros, cons, and whether it’s worth your investment.
Full disclosure: if you decide CCleaner is right for you, purchasing through this link helps support my work!
What is CCleaner and What Does It Do?
At its core, CCleaner is a system utility designed to clean up unnecessary files, optimize your PC’s performance, and enhance your privacy. It achieves this through a combination of tools that address several key areas:
- Junk File Removal: CCleaner identifies and removes temporary files, browser caches, system logs, and other “junk” that accumulates over time and takes up valuable disk space.
- Registry Cleaning: The Windows Registry is a database that stores settings and configurations for your operating system and installed applications. Over time, it can become cluttered with obsolete or broken entries, potentially leading to slowdowns and errors. CCleaner’s Registry Cleaner attempts to identify and fix these issues. Note: Registry cleaning is a controversial topic, and I’ll address that below.
- Performance Optimization: CCleaner includes a “Performance Optimizer” (Professional version only) that identifies and temporarily disables resource-hogging background applications, freeing up CPU and RAM for improved performance.
- Driver Updating: Outdated device drivers can cause performance problems, stability issues, and even security vulnerabilities. CCleaner’s Driver Updater (Professional version only) scans for outdated drivers and helps you update them.
- Software Updating: Similar to driver updates, outdated software can pose a security risk. CCleaner’s Software Updater (Professional version only) helps you keep your applications up-to-date.
- Startup Management: CCleaner allows you to manage which programs launch automatically when your computer starts, helping to reduce boot time.
- Privacy Protection: CCleaner can clear your browsing history, cookies, and other tracking data, helping to protect your online privacy.
- PC Health Check: A one-stop feature that analyzes your PC, suggests quick fixes, and automatically tunes and updates it.
- Cloud Drive Cleaner: Cleans Google Drive and OneDrive.
CCleaner Features: Free vs. Professional vs. Professional Plus
CCleaner comes in three versions:
- CCleaner Free: Provides basic cleaning and privacy protection (junk file removal, browser cleaning).
- CCleaner Professional: Adds Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater, Software Updater, PC Health Check, real-time monitoring, scheduled cleaning, and priority support.
- CCleaner Professional Plus: Includes everything in Professional, plus file recovery (Recuva), hardware inventory (Speccy), and CCleaner for Android Pro and Mac Pro.
This review primarily focuses on CCleaner Professional, as it offers the most significant benefits.
Pros of CCleaner:
- Ease of Use: CCleaner’s interface is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate, even for beginners. The one-click cleaning options make it simple to perform basic maintenance.
- Effective Cleaning: CCleaner does a good job of removing junk files and freeing up disk space. This can be particularly noticeable on older machines with limited storage.
- Performance Optimizer (Pro): This feature can genuinely improve performance, especially on systems with many background processes. It’s a more sophisticated approach than simply disabling startup programs.
- Driver Updater (Pro): Keeping drivers up-to-date is crucial for performance and security, and CCleaner’s Driver Updater simplifies this process.
- Software Updater (Pro): Helps close security holes by keeping your applications up-to-date.
- Comprehensive Feature Set (Pro/Pro Plus): The paid versions offer a wide range of tools beyond basic cleaning, making them a more complete PC maintenance solution.
- Established Reputation: CCleaner has been around for a long time and is a trusted brand.
- Multiple lenguages: It is available on more than 60 lenguages.
Cons of CCleaner:
- Registry Cleaner Controversy: Registry cleaning is a debated topic. While CCleaner claims its Registry Cleaner is safe, many experts believe that registry cleaning provides minimal performance benefits and carries a (small) risk of causing system instability if it accidentally removes a critical registry entry. It’s generally recommended to back up your registry before using any registry cleaner, including CCleaner’s. I personally use the Registry Cleaner sparingly, if at all.
- Aggressive Upselling (Free Version): The free version of CCleaner frequently prompts you to upgrade to the paid version, which can be annoying.
- Past Security Incident: In 2017, CCleaner was the victim of a supply chain attack where a compromised version of the software was distributed. While this issue was addressed, it did raise concerns about security. Gen (formerly Avast/Piriform) has since taken steps to improve security.
- Potential for Over-Cleaning: If you’re not careful, you could accidentally delete files you need. It’s important to review the scan results before deleting anything.
- Windows Built-in Tools: Windows 10 and 11 have improved their built-in disk cleanup and optimization tools, making some of CCleaner’s features less essential than they once were.
CCleaner vs. The Competition:
- Windows Built-in Tools (Disk Cleanup, Storage Sense): These tools are free and can handle basic junk file removal. However, they lack the advanced features of CCleaner Professional, such as the Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater, and Software Updater.
- IObit Advanced SystemCare: A similar all-in-one PC optimization suite. IObit’s products have a reputation for being more aggressive in their cleaning and optimization, which can sometimes lead to problems. CCleaner is generally considered more conservative and safer.
- Glary Utilities: Another popular PC optimization suite. CCleaner and Glary Utilities offer comparable features, but CCleaner has a slightly cleaner interface and a longer track record.
- AVG TuneUp: TuneUp improves your PC’s boot speed and performance, cleans the registry, and frees up space.
Conclusion: Is CCleaner Worth It?
Despite the controversy surrounding registry cleaners and the improvements in Windows’ built-in tools, CCleaner Professional remains a valuable tool for PC maintenance. The Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater, and Software Updater are genuinely useful features that can improve performance and security. The free version is adequate for basic cleaning, but the real value lies in the paid version.
If you have an older PC that’s feeling sluggish, or if you want a convenient, all-in-one solution for keeping your system clean and optimized, CCleaner Professional is a worthwhile investment. However, if you have a newer, well-maintained PC, and you’re comfortable using Windows’ built-in tools, you might not need CCleaner.
My Recommendation:
- For most users: CCleaner Professional offers a good balance of features, ease of use, and price.
- For users on a tight budget: The free version of CCleaner or Windows’ built-in tools are sufficient for basic cleaning.
- For users who need file recovery and hardware inventory: CCleaner Professional Plus is a good option.
- Avoid using the Registry Cleaner unless you’re experienced and have backed up your registry.
Ready to give your PC a boost? Try CCleaner Professional today!
