How to Actually Clean Your PC
Let’s say you want to clean your PC just like a PC cleaner would. Here’s what you can do:
*.Run the Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows. It’s focused on freeing up space on your hard drive, but it will also delete old temporary files and other useless things. Just tap the Windows key, type Disk Cleanup, and press Enter to launch it. You can evenschedule a Disk Cleanupto clean your computer automatically.
*.Clear your browser historyor — even better —set your browser to automatically clear its history when you close itif you don’t want to store a history.
*.Run the Disk Defragmenter included with Windows. This isn’t necessary if you use asolid-state drive.
*.Don’t bother with a registry cleaner. If you must,use the free CCleaner, which has thebest-tested registry cleanerout there. It will also delete temporary files for other programs — CCleaner alone does much more than these PC cleaning apps do.
A test performed in 2011 by WindowsSecretsfound that the Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows was just asgood as paid PC cleaning apps. Note that this is true even though PC cleaning apps fix “registry errors” while the Disk Cleanup app doesn’t, which shows just how unnecessary registry cleaners are.
So yes, it’s been tested — PC cleaning apps are worthless.