Has CCleaner Actually Helped You Fix Performance Issues Recently?

I’m curious, has CCleaner (or similar tools) actually saved your system from real performance problems recently?

I used to use CCleaner years ago as part of my routine maintenance: clearing junk files, disabling startup programs, doing the occasional registry cleanup. But now with Windows 10/11 having built-in tools (like Storage Sense, Task Manager’s startup tab, etc.), I’m wondering if CCleaner is still pulling its weight — or if it’s just leftover habit.

Especially with all the concerns around:

  • The 2017 malware incident

  • The bundling of other apps (like Avast)

  • The aggressive upgrade prompts in the free version

I’ve gotten a bit cautious about installing it again. Still, I’ve seen people say it has helped them fix performance slowdowns — especially on older machines or systems with years of clutter.

So, honest question to the community:

  • Has CCleaner actually helped you resolve any slowdowns, storage issues, or weird system behavior lately?

  • Or have you moved on to native tools or other alternatives?

I’d love to hear what’s working (or not working) for others in 2025.