CCleaner for Windows – Still a Reliable Maintenance Tool in 2025?

CCleaner for Windows
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I wanted to open up a discussion about CCleaner for Windows — a tool many of us have used over the years to clean junk files, manage startup programs, and keep systems running smoothly.

I’ve been using CCleaner on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines, primarily for temp file cleanup and registry maintenance. While Windows has improved its built-in tools (like Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup), I still find CCleaner useful for tasks like browser cache clearing across multiple browsers, managing startup entries, and securely deleting files.

That said, there’s been some controversy in the past regarding privacy and automatic updates. I’m curious:

  • Are you still using CCleaner regularly?
  • Do you rely on the free version or the paid version?
  • Have you found better or safer alternatives for system optimization?

Let’s share our experiences — it might help others decide whether to stick with it or move on to something else.

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You should never use CCleaner for registry cleaning or driver updates — these features can do more harm than good. It’s generally safe to use it for cleaning temporary files, but even that isn’t really necessary anymore.

Since CCleaner was acquired by Avast, the software has become bloated with ads and unnecessary components. The days when it was a clean, lightweight, and truly useful tool are long gone.