ce magazine january 2020 issue

So what has happened over time is that our list of registry cleaners has become primarily a list
of system cleaners, adding many more features than they had ten years prior.
If you want to skip right on to our favorite, check out the 100% freeware CCleaner program that
lets you do lots of system cleaning with just a couple clicks of your mouse.
CCleaner, in particular, is a full suite that includes lots of features in addition to registry
cleaning. It lets you clear your private web browser data like the history and saved passwords,
delete temporary program and operating system data, disable programs that startup with
Windows, find duplicate files, wipe an entire hard drive, manage browser plugins, see what's
filling up all the space on your hard drive, and more.
If you're instead looking for a PC cleaner that checks for viruses and other malware,
see our list of the best free spyware removal tools or install a dedicated antivirus program from
our Best Free Antivirus Software list to always be on the watch for malware threats.
Important Note About Other Free PC & Registry Cleaner Lists
jdillontoole / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images
There are certainly other lists of free PC and computer cleaner programs out there but many of
them include cleaner tools that, at some point during their download or use, charge you
something.
The scanning may be free but when you get to the cleaning part, you're prompted for a credit
card number. Worse yet, sometimes only the "download" is free but actually using the program
is not. It's all semantics — and it's not very ethical.
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