10 tasks to clean up your Windows computer should not be ignored

Over time, the computer will slow down. Of course, part of it is due to aging hardware, but for most people, the common cause is poor maintenance of the operating system. If you've ever installed a new Windows installation, all the accumulated garbage is cleaned up and the computer starts up faster and smoother.

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However, you do not need to perform this method to clean up your computer. Spending a little time cleaning Windows can yield the same results. Your 5-year-old laptop can never play the latest AAA games, but taking the following measures you will see tremendous improvements. Below is a checklist list of tasks to do to clean up Windows.

1. Delete unused software

The first step on the way to clean up your computer is to delete all old software that is no longer in use. If you do not regularly clean your computer, you will be amazed at the amount of unnecessary tools you have installed on your computer.

1. How to remove unused software

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To view all applications on your computer, go to Start> Settings> Apps> Apps and features . Scroll down to the list and click Uninstall for the unwanted software. However, you need to do it carefully, because you can delete system programs that lead to problems so you need to perform a Google search before proceeding.

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2. Run the antivirus program

Next, you should run antivirus software. One of the most common causes of slow computers is viruses. You can run the antivirus software scan for each application or choose Full Scan, Deep Scan or similar. Scanning will take longer, but it can be certain that it will not miss anything.

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You should use the free version of Malwarebytes because this software instead of focusing on anti-virus, its main purpose is to protect users from the latest trojans, backdoors, adware and spyware.

3. Disk Cleanup Tool

Windows 10 provides the Disk Cleanup tool. It has been a part of Windows operating system for many years, and it is still effective when cleaning unnecessary files and improving performance. To run Disk Cleanup, or type the name of the application in the Start menu or go to Control Panel> Administrative Tools> Disk Cleanup .

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Before running the scan, click Clean up system files . It allows the application to run a more comprehensive scan by checking old Windows Update files and log files. In general, you can delete all the files that Disk Cleanup finds by checking the box next to each type of result and clicking OK . However, note that when you choose to clean up the Previous Windows installation (s) using the Clean up system files option , you will not be able to revert to the previous version of Windows.

4. Defragment the hard drive

In Windows 10, the operating system runs the hard drive defragmentation function when it feels necessary. However, since we are cleaning the computer thoroughly, you should run it manually. You can find the Defragment and Optimize Drives tool by running a search or visiting Control Panel> Administrative Tools .

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To use the app, highlight the main hard drive and press Optimize in the lower right corner of the window.

5. Delete old drivers

Windows retains the old driver for backup reasons when the new driver fails to perform the desired function. However, your computer may be full of drivers from devices you stopped using years ago. . There are two easy ways to remove old drivers from your computer: use a command prompt or environment variables. See the article How to root out old Windows 10 drivers? to know how to delete old drivers.

6. Refresh the startup list

Any seasoned Windows user knows that this operating system has a slower boot time than macOS, Chrome OS and Linux. Usually, the problem is caused by the number of programs that start with Windows. Most of them are unnecessary.

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To clean up the startup list, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager . On the new window, click More Details , then select the Startup tab at the top of the screen. You should see all applications that start with Windows. To turn off an application, select the appropriate horizontal row and click Disable .

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7. Clean the AppData folder

When uninstalling the application, you will often find remnants of it scattered across the computer. One of the most popular locations is the AppData directory. By default, this folder is hidden, you can find it at C: Users [Username] AppData or by typing % AppData% in Windows search.

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In the main directory, there are three subdirectories: Local , LocalLow , and Roaming . Make sure you view all three directories to find the remaining traces of the old software. Again, don't delete anything unless you're sure it's safe. To prevent the "remnants" of programs that will be deleted in the future, you can use a removal tool like Geek Uninstaller. This application is great and this is one of the "must-have" free maintenance tools.

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8. Remove old program files

Another location where you often see traces of old application files is in the Program Files folder. On most machines, there are two Program Files directories. You can find them at C: Program Files and C: Program Files (x86) . Like the AppData folder, work through the contents of each folder carefully and delete any files and folders that are no longer in use.

9. Clean the registry

You may have heard horror stories about registry cleaning software. Even the best CCleaner is difficult to clean the registry. But it is essential to keep your registry neat. Think of it as a library: the larger the library, the more time you need to search. Similarly, the more junk in the registry, Windows will spend more time to find the necessary items.

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An easy way to do this is to start searching for regedit and press Enter . Then, access ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARE and ComputerHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftware . In each folder, slowly work with the list and delete the item that the software no longer uses.

Warning: Deleting the wrong registry entry may result in serious consequences for the system. Make sure you make a complete backup of your registry data before proceeding.

10. Delete all cache

Windows 10 is full of cache, cache is a temporary file that Windows may need a future. However, if Windows doesn't need it anymore, you can clear the cache.

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This article has provided you with 10 important steps to clean up your operating system and by doing all 10 of these ways, make sure your computer will increase performance.

See more:

1. 8 easy ways to free RAM make the machine run faster
2. Speed ​​up your computer to make your computer run faster
3. How to free up computer memory Windows 7, 8 / 8.1 and Windows 10