I tried this free Windows cleanup tool to see if it'd speed up my PC - and it worked

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Close Home Tech Services & Software I tried this free Windows cleanup tool to see if it'd speed up my PC - and it worked The free Winhance utility boasts that it can optimize and customize Windows the way you prefer. Written by Lance Whitney, ContributorContributor April 23, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. PT

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Winhance helps remove Windows bloat and unwanted apps.
• It surfaces hidden settings to optimize performance and privacy.
• It also makes Windows customization faster and easier.

Does Windows increasingly feel sluggish on your PC? The more you use it, and the more apps you install and changes you make, the more cluttered it gets, which can hamper performance. Several Windows utilities claim to be able to declutter and optimize Windows so that it will run more smoothly. One such tool is Winhance.

Also: If Microsoft really wants to fix Windows 11, it should do these four things ASAP

With Winhance, you can see all the installed programs and built-in features in one shot, and then choose the ones you want to remove. You can review and change your privacy and security settings, battery and display options, notifications, and much more. You're also able to customize and clean up the Start menu, Taskbar, and File Explorer.

To put Winhance through the paces, I tried it on a Windows 11 PC that I set up with a variety of applications and files. Here's how I used the program.

1. Install Winhance

First, head to the Winhance website to download and install the program. You can install it on your computer or to a portable USB drive if you want to run it cleanly on any PC. I opted to install it locally. 

Also: After setting up Windows 11, these 9 steps are non-negotiable for me

The developer of Winhance also recommends installing the program using an administrator account, which I did. You can do that just by right-clicking the downloaded EXE file and choosing "Run as administrator" from the menu.

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2. Create a restore point

The first time you launch Winhance, you're advised to create a restore point. That's a good idea, as you can then easily reverse any changes you make in the program by reverting to the restore point. While loading, the program also scours your system for installed apps and other information so it can recommend specific actions.

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3. Remove bloatware

The first task I tackled was to view and remove any applications I didn't need. Under Software & Apps, Winhance displays a list of built-in Windows apps and features, as well as external third-party software. You can filter the list by all common apps and software, only ones that are installed, or only ones not installed. You can then uninstall the ones you don't want and add the ones you do want.

Also: You can fix most Windows 11 issues by double checking these 4 settings first

Under the built-in category, I removed such apps as MSN Weather, Skype, Xbox, Sound Recorder, and Clipchamp. Under external software, I removed iTunes and added Paint.NET, Notepad++, and Zoom. Both processes ran quickly and smoothly.

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4. Optimize Windows

The Optimize section of Winhance is chock full of features and settings to tweak. The settings are arranged into six categories: Privacy & Security, Power, Gaming & Performance, Update, Notifications, and Sound. Selecting a specific category drills down to the individual settings. 

Also: How to clear your Windows 11 PC cache (and why you shouldn't wait to do it)

For each setting, Winhance shows you whether it's currently turned on or off, or set to a specific value. The program also offers a recommendation for each setting to help you determine whether or not you should adjust it.

Here are a few examples. Under Privacy & Security, Winhance might recommend turning on BitLocker encryption and turning off personalized ads. Under Power, the program may suggest that you enable a certain power-saving mode and disable Fast Startup to preserve the battery charge.

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The Gaming & Performance category contains recommendations to delay the startup time for certain apps and turn on Storage Sense to automatically free up disk space. In the Update category are recommendations based on whether you should get the latest updates as soon as they're available, and include driver updates along with the standard Windows updates.

5. Customize Windows

There's one more section to explore, one that lets you customize Windows. In the Customize area are options to tweak your Windows theme, Taskbar, Start menu, and File Explorer. For example, you can choose between light and dark mode, align the Taskbar to the left, remove all pinned icons from the Start menu, and turn on the classic right-click context menu in File Explorer.

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6. Adjust the settings

In the Optimize and Customize sections, you can adjust each setting manually or apply the recommended changes to all the categories or individual ones in one shot. Alternatively, you're able to change all the settings to their default values. Applying hundreds of changes at once may seem tempting, but I'd advise against it. You need to tread carefully with any program like Winhance that's capable of modifying key features and settings in Windows. And that's what I did.

Also: This hidden Windows 11 feature can help you spot battery issues early - how to find it

Using the Optimize category, I told Winhance to enable BitLocker for security, turn on Storage Sense to help free up disk space, activate a balanced power plan to prevent battery drain, include hardware drivers with Windows updates, prevent personalized ads, turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365, disable Fast Startup, and change the default DNS server to the one used by Google for faster performance. I also enabled a few other settings related specifically to Windows performance.

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Under the Customize category, I told the program to align the Taskbar to the left, show the Taskbar on all connected displays, hide the Recommended section in the Start menu, use the classic context menu in File Explorer, and add a Compress to option in the classic context menu.

After I applied all the changes, I rebooted Windows to see how it now performed. I noticed a slight improvement in speed and performance right off the bat. Telling Winhance to turn on Storage Sense certainly freed up disk space. Startup time also improved by delaying the launch of certain startup apps. The program helped me not only optimize Windows, but also customize different features.

Also: Your Windows 11 upgrade not working? Try my 5 favorite troubleshooting tricks

Yes, many of the features and options in Winhance are already accessible through the Windows Settings app. But others are not readily accessible or require a Registry tweak or other hack. That's the true power of a program like this. You can view and modify a large number of options you can't easily tweak otherwise. For that reason alone, I think Winhance is worth trying.

More how-tos

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• How to download YouTube videos for free, plus two other methods
• Wi-Fi problems? Add a wired network to your home without Ethernet cable - here's how
• Wiping a Windows laptop? Here's the safest free way to erase your personal data
• How to connect a PS4 controller to a smartphone

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