Microsoft’s PC Manager makes it a lot easier to clean and speed up your Windows PCs. The app is now available for all via Microsoft Store.
Microsoft developed its CCleaner alternative in the form of an app called PC Manager back in 2022 to help users free up system resources. But believe it or not, it’s taken the company two more years since then to finally make the app available for all via the Microsoft Store.
The PC Manager app was previously available in Public Beta and for users in select regions. That has changed recently, as everyone can download and install the app on their 64-bit PCs as long as they’re running Windows 10, version 19042.0 or higher, as reported by Windows Latest. While it remains unclear why the company took so much time to make it widely available, the latest version of the PC Manager app has more features and a revamped design that allows for better navigation.
Hands-on with Microsoft PC Manager app
Welcome screen
Upon installing and launching the Microsoft PC Manager from the Microsoft Store, you’ll first see the welcome screen. Don’t ignore it, as you’ll find the option to deny the permission to launch the app on startup. Before clicking Start, make sure you uncheck the Start automatically when sign in to Windows checkbox if you don’t want your PC to open the app automatically every time it’s turned on.
Home screen
The Home section includes options to run a health check for your PC and recommends what to remove from your system, which typically includes cache files, System logs, Temporary files, and anything that’s not essential and yet eats up the space. That’s not all, you also get options to perform a Deep cleanup, disable startup apps, and quit apps currently running.
Protection
The PC Manager app is not just about freeing up your PC’s resources. In addition to that, you can also check for Windows updates, run a security scan, repair the taskbar, manage pop-up windows in apps, and reset default apps, all from the System protection page in the PC Manager app. However, it’s worth noting that the app cannot independently scan for viruses. Instead, it’ll open the Windows Security app, which comes pre-installed with all Windows 11 PCs, to perform the scanning.
Storage
The Storage page in the PC Manager can also come in handy when you need to view files of different sizes in File Explorer. The file sizes are categorized into specific ranges, offering you the flexibility to select the size ranges of files you want the app to view in File Explorer. From documents to audio, it can show you different types of files with the size range you selected.
App management
The App management page doesn’t offer anything that you won’t find elsewhere in the app. It shows the number of processes your PC is currently running, the option to end them, and apps that open at startup. It also includes shortcuts to the Settings app’s Installed apps page and the Microsoft Store.
Toolbox
The Home screen, Storage, and Protection sections are useful for managing your PCs. But the Toolbox section has some features you wouldn’t expect from an app that is designed to free up system resources. It gives you shortcuts to some useful Windows tools, including Screenshot, Recorder, Calculator, Captions, Screenshot folder, and Notepad. Clicking on these tools will open the respective apps or folders to show you relevant files or let you perform certain actions. You’ll also find Currency converter, Bing Translator, and links you added as shortcuts in Edge. Additionally, the section has the option to add links you wish to open with just a click.
Moreover, you can launch a toolbar on the desktop from the Toolbox page. All you have to do is enable the Show toolbar on the desktop toggle. The toolbar gives you a one-click solution to boost your PC, take screenshots, open Notepad and links you added as shortcuts in Edge, and take you to the app’s Settings page, from where you can change the language and see which version of the app you’re running.
Cleaning and speeding up Windows PCs takes some effort as you have to spend time manually doing many of the things that PC Manager does in a matter of seconds. However, do remember that the PC Manager app isn’t a silver bullet that can fix everything wrong with your PC. Maybe your PC hardware is years old, and if that’s the case, you’ll be better off building a new PC with the latest pieces of hardware or purchasing one of the best Windows laptop computers.