If you’ve already begun to do some digging, however, you may have come across some articles that take a rather unkind view of the whole field of tune-up and optimization tools. They will argue that Windows already has everything you might need to keep your computer running in top gear. Do the naysayers have the upper hand in this argument? Not exactly.
In this article, we’d like to point out why we think it is a good idea for most people to purchase aftermarket tune-up protection even if some of the tools can be found within the Windows operating system itself.
1. Windows Doesn’t Contain All The Tuneup Tools You Might Need
The first thing to point out is that Windows 10 doesn’t contain all the tools you might require in order to tune up the operating system.
Here’s what’s typically missing:
Junk Removal
Almost every aftermarket clean up tool has a junk remover whose sole focus is to identify excess files on the computer and delete this allowing users to free up space. Now, some Windows programs—like web browsers—have tools that are able to identify unneeded files and safety delete them. However, this is clearly on a per-program basis. The sources that a dedicated junk removal tool can look into on a Windows 10 system go far beyond just the temporary internet files and caches that might clutter up a typical operating system. In addition to those, a junk remover would focus on:
- Leftover files from previously installed programs that have since been removed
- Caches from other programs on the system
Window Registry Cleaner
The Windows Registry is an important part of the Windows 10 operating system containing a number of files that modify core components of the computer. Unfortunately, just like the rest of the operating system, this too can become loaded with outdated modification files that are clogging up the Registry for no good reason. Because the Windows Registry is organized in a hierarchical fashion, these can also make it more difficult to identify Registry files that actually need to be edited. Windows 10 does not contain any tool specifically for cleaning or optimizing the Windows Registry. Again, this is a standard component of virtually all cleanup tools on the market.
2. Third Party Tools Are Easier to Access
You could try to replicate the experience that a typical PC tune-up provides by accessing various parts of your Windows system. For instance you could:
- Periodically defragment your disk
- Access your internet browser’s privacy settings page every few weeks and make sure that the history and cache are deleted in order to free up space
- Go through the Windows registry periodically in order to clean up unnecessary registry edits or those left over from programs that have since been uninstalled
- Manually review the programs that have automatic startup permission
Sound like a lot of work?
You bet it is! Besides needing to know where all these utilities can be accessed from your Windows 10 computer you’d ideally also have to repeat this process every few weeks to derive maximum performance benefit from these optimizations. Which brings us to:
Third Party Tools Can Be Automated
Even if you’re the type that doesn’t mind going through a lengthy manual cleanup process every few weeks, do you think you’re going to remember to do that indefinitely? What about when you’re on vacation? An additional benefit of using a dedicated cleanup tool is that the process can be automated—and the set it and forget it approach is the best way to never forget about a recurrent tech job!
This actually has 2 benefits. Firstly, many of the solutions on the market support a one-click tune-up functionality. This allows users to execute a cascade of functionalities with one single click. Secondly, the tasks can be scheduled. Users simply need to determine how frequently they want the cleanup process to run and it will happen automatically in the background. What happens if the computer is turned off? Most tools support the ability to run the backup whenever it is turned back on—so a job is never missed.
The Top 3 Cleanup Tools
Now that we’ve seen why we might want to install a third party cleanup solution even though some of the same tools might be accessible from within Windows 10, let’s look at 3 of the best tools on the market: Reimage, Restoto and Norton.
Restoro
Restoro is an advanced system repair tool for Windows that uses a patented technology to increase the security of the system, prevent users from accessing dangerous websites, and restore the system to near its original performance benchmarks. Unlike many cleanup tools, Restoro has the ability to actually draw down from a repair database in order to fix any errors in the system that it finds. This includes optimizing the Registry, ensuring that hardware is running the latest supported drivers, and preventing the PC from crashing and freezing at annoying intervals.
Key Features:
- Repairs system from database
- Prevents users from accessing dangerous sites
- Increases overall system performance
Reimage
Reimage is a tool for both Windows and Mac that uses patented repair technology to bring old hardware back to modern day standards. For Windows users that have become too well acquainted with the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) screen the program can scan for and identify critical non-recoverable errors that often result in premature system crashes. Damaged DLL and freezing computer protection are also offered.
Key Features:
- Windows and Mac protection
- Restores compromised system settings
- Flags and repairs virus damaged to tune-up performance
Norton
Norton PC Cleaner is part of the Norton Utilities Program. It includes a far ranging suite of optimization tools designed to speed up a PC’s function. The automated PC care suite gets to work even when the computer is idle. The secure document destroyer also helps prevent privacy risks on the local system. Finally, the program can automatically optimize high resource demand apps to provide a smoother user experience.
Key Features:
- Automated feature suite
- Secure document removal
- High resource demand optimizer
Invest in a Dedicated Tool
Even though Windows 10 has a few tools that can help keep the system in good running order, it still makes a lot of sense to source a dedicated tool for the job. These provide more features than Windows has built into it and also makes it a lot easier for your average user to interface with them. Automation and cleanup scheduling are further benefits. Choose from 1 of our 3 recommended tools and enjoy better PC performance.
