Are your programs struggling to start and web pages taking a long time to display? Do you feel that your computer is slow? Your hard drive is probably overloaded due to the accumulation of thousands of temporary or unused files generated during your daily activities: downloads, software installation, Internet browsing, etc.
No need to wait for spring to come and clean up! This selection of free software will help you eliminate obsolete files and useless programs, sort out your files, clean the registry, etc. All these operations are essential for the health of your hard disk and the comfort of using your PC.
CCleaner: clean up traces of Internet browsing and unnecessary system files
Multifunctional, CCleaner is the Swiss Army knife of PC cleaning and optimization. Able to cleanly get rid of useless files such as temporary files and lists of recently opened documents, the program does not forget to focus on the privacy of its users. Compatible with a wide range of web browsers, it eradicates all traces of browsing, unburdening the hard disk of your histories, cookies and cache.
Another great advantage of CCleaner lies in the possibility of cleaning up the registry without risking any lasting damage to your machine. The tool removes missing DLLs, obsolete programs, invalid keys and non-existent paths.
It is possible to extend the scope of CCleaner with the help of CCEnhancer. This unofficial plugin adds new rules to the Piriform software. In total, more than a thousand new applications are fully supported, and your PC is better off.
Download CCleaner for Windows (Free) Download CCleaner Portable for Windows(Free) Download CCEnhancer for Windows(Free)
AdwCleaner: get rid of unwanted software and adware programs
Although CCleaner specializes in removing temporary and unnecessary files, it is on the other hand not able to get rid of unwanted programs. In case of infection, it is recommended that you run a scan of your machine using AdwCleaner. The advantage of the program is its portability. There is no need to install yet another program on your already exhausted computer.
AdwCleaner performs a quick scan, identifying adware, PUPs/LPIs (potentially unwanted software), toolbars and other hijackers installed on your PC by targeted categories. This is a perfect solution for those who are constantly having their browser home page hijacked, or who are suffering from multiple annoying pop-ups. AdwCleaner also has an uninstall mode to eradicate the problems it detects. It is up to you to select the items to be removed before launching a major cleanup that should relieve your computer once the system is restarted.
Download AdwCleaner for Windows (Free)
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware: eradicating malicious programs
Despite the proven effectiveness of AdwCleaner, you are not safe from recalcitrant unwanted software that the tool missed. It is therefore strongly recommended that you run a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. In its free version, the program performs an in-depth analysis of your hard disk, which can take several minutes depending on the amount of files on the disk.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware detects PUPs and adware that may have escaped AdwCleaner, as well as all malicious software installed on your computer such as trojans, rootkits and other spyware. By default, detected malicious elements are placed in quarantine. It is up to you to decide how dangerous they are and to remove them permanently. Because of its rigorous nature, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware makes a good ally for your antivirus, however powerful it may be.
Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Windows (Free)
PC Decrapifier: uninstall native programs and files
The acquisition of a new PC should guarantee a system free of all programs. However, it is not uncommon for manufacturers to integrate unwanted software and applications into their machines. To effectively get rid of these native elements, consider using the portable application PC Decrapifier.
Once launched, the software analyzes your hard disk and draws up a list of programs to be removed. Note that the tool relies on an intelligent algorithm and suggests file deletion based on the behavior of the PC Decrapifier community. This means that you are specifically warned which items can be safely deleted, and which should be handled with caution. And if despite all these precautions you make a wrong manipulation, PC Decrapifier systematically proposes to set up restore points to recover your data erased by mistake.
Download PC Decrapifier for Windows (Free)
Should I Remove It?: fine-tune the cleanup safely
Should I Remove It? continues the work started by PC Decrapifier, analyzing in detail the programs installed on your computer. The purpose of the tool is to find all the unwanted and potentially dangerous elements that have slipped through the net set by AdwCleaner and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Each detected program is given a score out of five regarding its reliability, as well as a universal color code indicating its degree of urgency for removal.
The advantage of Should I Remove It? lies mainly in the mountain of information it provides about each software installed on the PC. It becomes easy to identify the applications that are essential to the proper functioning of the system and to differentiate them from superfluous elements that you can safely remove.
Download Should I Remove It ? For Windows (Free)
Unchecky: automatically uncheck unwanted offers
Wanting to go too fast, it still happens that we forget to read and uncheck some little boxes when installing a software. As a result, you quickly find yourself overwhelmed by third-party software, toolbars and adware, even though you thought you were being careful. Unchecky does the job for you, automatically unchecking all unwanted additional offers that are casually slipped into the installation wizards.
This also includes misleading offers that you only need to click on an Accept button. In a hurry, you think you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of use. In reality, you have just agreed to the installation of a toolbar that is as annoying as it is difficult to remove. In these cases, Unchecky alerts you instantly to the nature of the ad, giving you the opportunity to retract your consent before it’s too late.
Download Unchecky for Windows (Free)
Autoruns: manage programs that start at the same time as Windows
You have eradicated all traces of viruses and other malware from your disk. However, your computer still struggles to start up, sometimes taking long minutes before offering a fully functional desktop interface. This may be due to too many services starting up at the same time as the system, which has the effect of slowing down your machine considerably.
Many programs such as Autoruns offer to manage all the processes starting up at the same time as Windows. You can sort faulty applications into categories, hide Windows-native entries, enable or disable automatic execution of defined software, and check the processing order of processes. Autoruns is obviously to be handled with care. If you disable an input that is essential for Windows to work properly, your computer may not start up properly.
Download Autoruns for Windows (Free)
CleanMem: freeing up RAM
A sluggish PC is often a victim of RAM overload. Discreet but effective, CleanMem finds solutions to your problems, freeing up uselessly monopolized resources in one click. The software consists of a cleaning tool, a mini-monitor and a settings box for those who want to customize the way RAM is freed up.
Simply launching the application file CleanMem frees up your resources according to the program’s default settings. Further configuration of the software gives you control over deleting the cache and stopping running processes. As for the mini-monitor, it consists of a kind of widget that is always displayed on the desktop and keeps you informed in real time of the memory used. A simple double-click on the bubble, and the resources are unblocked without affecting the proper functioning of the system.
Download CleanMem for Windows (Free)
Everything Search Engine: find a file instantly from its name
Finding content on your PC can quickly discourage the most adventurous, especially when the hard drives are full to bursting. Search times are often close to two eternities, and one prefers to keep one’s documents within reach of a click on the desktop, even if it means creating even more clutter. Unlike the Windows built-in search tool, Everything Search Engine promises to break records for speed in finding the file or directory you want. The tool indexes the names of content saved locally or online in a few seconds, allowing you to find a document immediately.
When you open the program, you have access to all the indexed content, i.e. several hundred thousand files. By entering all or part of the name of the document you are looking for, Everything Search Engine instantly limits the results to the nominal filter indicated. Paths, size and date of last modification are also indicated.
Download Everything Search Engine 32-bit for Windows(Free)
Download Everything Search Engine 64-bit for Windows(Free)
Quick Access Popup: grouping the most used directories and documents in a contextual menu
Rather than cluttering your desktop with dozens of shortcuts to your favorite content, why not group them in a dedicated contextual menu? This is what Quick Access Popup offers, a light application that can be accessed with the click of your mouse wheel.
By default, Quick Access Popup facilitates access to the C: drive, the Program Files directory, the User profile and a few third-party applications, including your favorite browser. It is possible to modify this referencing to add new entries and remove those you deem unnecessary. The advanced settings of the application also allow the creation of keyboard shortcuts to open even more quickly the folders and files that you regularly request.
Download Quick Access Popup for Windows (Free)
Download Quick Access Popup portable for Windows(Free)
Auslogics Duplicate File Finder: detect and remove duplicate files
After years of good and loyal service, it is not always easy to put some order in all the files stored on a computer. Duplicates are a plague for users, but they are not a fatality in themselves. Among the solutions available, Auslogics Duplicate File Finder does a decent job of detecting identical documents from which you can delete unnecessary copies.
Auslogics Duplicate File Finder takes advantage of an intelligent algorithm that can identify duplicates not only by name, but also by content. This way, you can be sure that you are dealing with two or more strictly identical files. Before any operation, the selection of criteria refines the search and speeds up the process. The results are listed in the main window of the program with the possibility of browsing through them. Then you can decide which items to delete or keep.
Attention: remember to decline all additional offers proposed by the installation assistant.
Download Auslogics Duplicate File Finder for Windows (Free)
Bulk Rename Utility: rename several files at once without effort
Cleaning up your PC doesn’t just mean deleting items, it also means putting some order back into long-neglected files. Ideal for quickly renaming several items at once without any effort, Bulk Rename Utility offers a comprehensive set of tools capable of managing disks and directories containing more than 100,000 entries, at a rate of thousands of files per second. Its complete interface allows you to proceed according to many targeted criteria, taking into account the EXIF data of your images and the ID3 metadata of your audio files.
Seemingly complex, Bulk Rename Utility turns out to be easier to use than it looks, although it is entirely designed in English. For those who are afraid of the interface and are looking for a solution in French, LeRenommeur does a similar and quite satisfactory job.
Download Bulk Rename Utility 32-bit version for Windows (Free)
Download Bulk Rename Utility 64-bit version for Windows(Free)
Download Bulk Rename Utility Portable for Windows(Free)
Download LeRenommeur for Windows(Free)
Download LeRenommeur Portable for Windows(Free)
Razer Cortex Game Booster: improve PC performance for video games
With the development of increasingly resource-intensive games, it is not uncommon to experience disabling latency in the middle of a game. Razer Cortex Game Booster provides a backup solution that automates the shutdown of unnecessary services and applications running in parallel with the game, and at the same time hinders good CPU and RAM performance. By sparing you from manual optimization configurations, the software prevents you from unintentionally disabling processes that are essential to the proper functioning of your machine.
The standard recommendations of Razer Cortex Game Booster can be easily modified for those who wish to customize the program’s benefits to the maximum. There is also a defragmentation module for game files that guarantees shorter loading times. Another advantage of this optimization tool is that it starts automatically when the game is launched and restores the computer’s original settings at the end of your video game sessions.
Download Razer Cortex Game Booster for Windows (Free)
Cobian Backup: automate the backup of your data
Doubly functional, backups guarantee the security of important content while freeing up space on the hard drive. To automate the process, turn to Cobian Backup, a rather easy to use tool.
Offering different types of backups (full, incremental, differential or dummy), Cobian Backup makes a copy of your files and directories on the hard disk of your choice, an external device, another computer connected to the network or an FTP server. If it is possible to proceed manually, a scheduling option allows you to program each task according to the frequency of your choice (daily, weekly, monthly, at system startup), on the desired day of the week and at a specific time.
Download Cobian Backup for Windows (Free)
UltraDefrag: control disk defragmentation from A to Z
For those who want to control defragmentation from A to Z, UltraDefrag presents itself as a quality solution. Fast and reliable, this open source program has three interfaces: graphical, to visualize the defragmentation map, console, to schedule tasks, and native, to perform complex operations in command lines.
After launching the program, select the actions to be carried out via the dedicated tab (analyze, defrag, optimize). UltraDefrag offers you to set up many configurations, such as actions to be performed after the defragmentation process, or the launch of disk analysis at system startup. Note that users of Windows 7 and later versions benefit from a powerful tool native to Windows that saves them from using a third-party application.
Download UltraDefrag 32-bit version for Windows(Free) Download UltraDefrag 64-bit version for Windows(Free)