Install CCleaner: In 4 steps to the tidy computer

Why install CCleaner? The answer: everyone, absolutely everyone, who uses a Windows PC knows this phenomenon: if the computer is new or the operating system has just been installed, the thing purrs like a kitten: the system starts up quickly, programs open at lightning speed, videos don't stutter , and the PC easily masters several open windows and programs. But after just a few months, the picture changes: the formerly extremely fast computer is increasingly running out of breath. A PC cleaner is required here. The CCleaner program really cleans up your computer. How this works and you can install the CCleaner? In four easy steps.

Step 1: Install CCleaner

You can find out how you can use the full version of CCleaner Professional for one year for 1 euro instead of 24.95 euros in the article on the CCleaner campaign. Install the CCleaner program on your PC as follows:

1) Start the downloaded program by double-clicking it. In the window that opens, change the language in the top right corner to Deutsch (German) and then click Install in the middle.

2) Uncheck the box next to Show release information and then click Start CCleaner.

3) DO NOT click Start My Trial, click Activate Now below it.

4) In the window that will open, enter the activation key (in the format XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX) that you received and then click Activate.

5) In the next step, enter the name associated with the unlock code and click Activate again.

Step 2: Basic cleaning with CCleaner

The easiest and fastest mode that CCleaner offers after installation is the basic cleaning. In the program this is called “Health Check”:

1) The first time you launch CCleaner, it says "It's time for a health check". If necessary, close programs that are still open, such as the Internet browser. After that, click Start.

2) Unless a basic clean has been recently performed, a screen will appear detailing what can be removed from your PC. From there, click Fix problems.

3) Cleaning your PC may take some time. Exactly how long depends on how much unnecessary data you have on your PC.

4) After cleaning, you can see how much was actually cleaned, optimized or deleted in the bottom pane. Basic cleaning removes trackers, removes junk data and optimizes program starts.

Step 3: Use CCleaner's advanced cleaning

When you install CCleaner, the advanced cleaning mode is preset. For example, the software removes data garbage that programs such as Chrome or Firefox accumulate while surfing. That is how it goes:

1) From the Home screen, click Advanced Cleanup on the left panel. The following display appears:

2) If this ad appears in the right corner, remove it by clicking the X in the top right corner.

3) Then click Analyze again in the large main window at the bottom left. After that, a list of unnecessary files appears as in this example. Now click on Start Cleaner on the right.

4) In the small window that opens, click Continue. If you don't want to see this message again in the future, check the box next to "Do not show this message again".

5) After the advanced clean is complete, a summary of the deleted data and files will appear, like this:

Step 4: CCleaner cleans the registry

The Windows registry saves settings that programs make during installation. However, because old and useless entries are not removed, this database keeps getting bigger – and more cumbersome. CCleaner can also fix this after installation. How to clear out the registry file with the PC-Cleaner:

1) From the Start screen, click Registry on the left bar. The following display appears:

2) If there is an ad like step 2 in the third section in the right corner, remove it by clicking the X in the top right corner.

3) Then, again in the large main window, click Scan for errors in the bottom left. After that, a list of unnecessary, invalid or old registry entries will appear as in the example below. At the bottom right, click Review selected issues.

4) Click Yes in the following small window and click Save in the next one.

5) After clicking Fix selected errors in the subsequent window, all unnecessary registry entries will be deleted. The result looks something like this:

Install CCleaner and use even more functions

Most PC users use CCleaner primarily to remove junk data. But the PC-Cleaner can do much more. Here is an overview of the additional features available to you when you install CCleaner:

CCleaner can read the version numbers of installed programs, check whether there are newer versions and initiate the update process collectively. The latest program versions can be installed in one go.

CCleaner can search for and delete duplicates on all hard drives. Duplicate image, music or video files are often created unnoticed when editing or when you use cloud storage for photos, film and music, but keep moving files back and forth. Advantage: Deleting duplicate files can free up an enormous amount of memory.

When simply deleting files, only the entries in the table of contents are usually deleted, but not the data itself. Windows then simply no longer finds the deleted data, but it can be restored. Secure erase means overwriting existing data with random numbers - and CCleaner can do that too.

New program function “Driver update”: CCleaner recently offered the option of automatic driver updates. Drivers are programs that control communication between individual hardware components. Although this update function is practical, it is not always without risk, which is why its use is only recommended for very experienced users.