Windows 10: Is CCleaner safe or effective?

I have been using CCleaner for a while now. However recently I have heard that it is not safe or effective.

:)

 

CCleaner Safe?

I love to use CCleaner to remove temporary files and cookies but is the registry cleaner acctually safe to use? Would I be best off avoiding using it?

 

CCleaner

> Is it safe to install ccleaner on my pc?

Depends...

Piriform (the maker of CCleaner etc) was bought by Avast in July 2017 and there was this nasty incident...

• Avast Clarifies Details Surrounding CCleaner Malware Incident
• Update to the CCleaner 5.33.6162 Security Incident

All CCleaner versions are bundling Avast AV and/or various Google products such as Google Chrome, a Google toolbar and possibly other products....

Microsoft Community has seen quite a few of related threads.

Recently more and more threads are popping up in the Piriform/CCleaner forum which hint at even more questionable methods...

Here are a few recent example threads:

• Problem with installer bundle offer? By
  
  nukecad, yesterday at 01:33

• Providers of CCleaner
  are forcing installation of Avast Antivirus By
  ecbritz, yesterday at 09:33

• CCleaner v5.38 installing Avast Free Antivirus
  By
  SMalik, Thursday at 05:37

IMO, CCleaner is not unproblematic and has to be treated carefully.

I, personally, would not recommend CCleaner to inexperienced and/or not so tech-savvy persons...

Suggestion to inform yourself before installing CCleaner (or any other product) and to always, always keep your eyes wide open during installation (watch out for any bundled softwares etc etc).

You also might want to read this article (in case you don't use an ad blocker: ignore all advertisements):

https://www.howtogeek.com/172820/beginner-geek-what-does-ccleaner-do-and-should-you-use-it/

WRT to CCleaner on Windows 10:

According to
this post Windows 10 blocks older versions: "CC v5.27 and older, (or somewhere around there) are no longer deemed safe by MS and automatically blocked when starting."

HTH,

Julia

 

Is CCleaner safe to use?

While CCleaner is safe and useful for removing unused, temporary, junk and privacy related files (cache and cookies) for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Thunderbird, Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, I
do not recommend using the built-in registry cleaner unless you have a good understanding of the registry. However, CCleaner's registry feature is and requires a separate user action from the Cleaner so it cannot be used at the same
time.

• Why you should not use Registry Cleaners and Optimization Tools

Be sure to read Microsoft's support policy for the use of registry cleaning utilities in that topic...Microsoft does not support the use of registry cleaners.