GoKawiilLance Whitney/ZDNET
Windows often seems like one of those small islands where layers and layers of garbage get dumped. From the get-go, your new Windows PC typically comes with junky applications and bloatware that can slow down or clutter your system. Over time, the more apps you install and uninstall and the more files you add, the greater the impact on both disk space and performance. Well, here's a free utility that can come to your rescue.
Freely available for Windows 11 and 10, Fluent Cleaner promises to rid your system of temp files, junk files, old Registry entries, and other stuff that take up space and slow down Windows. The tool analyzes all the extra and unnecessary items across several categories.
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Based on the results, you can remove everything in one shot. But you should first review the analysis to see exactly what would be deleted. You can also run an analysis on one category at a time. In the end, you should find your system less cluttered and possibly a bit faster.
Free Windows utilities often raise a few red flags. Some try to add their own bloatware or extra apps as the developers hope to monetize their efforts. Many require a full installation in which they fill your hard drive with their own folders, files, and Registry entries. Others claim to be Registry cleaners but have little or no real impact on your PC. Some even attempt to track and monitor your use.
In contrast, the developer of Fluent Cleaner promises no annoying toolbars, no extra partner apps, and no telemetry. Plus, you don't need to install the program; just run the .exe file to launch it. Think of the software as a modern and clean version of CCleaner.
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"FluentCleaner targets things that are unambiguously junk: cache files, temp data, leftover logs," the developer says on the GitHub page. "It deliberately avoids the feature creep that turned CCleaner from a focused utility into bloatware with a VPN upsell on every launch."
The only word of warning is to be careful when you remove items based on the analysis. You want to make sure the utility doesn't remove things you actually need. But that rule goes for any utility that aims to clean up Windows.
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