The Windows operating system does not regularly clean up obsolete or no longer needed registry entries. Registry cleaners take matters into their own hands.
The basic task of a registry cleaner is to find unnecessary registry entries and remove them. For example, registry entries left behind by software that has been deleted. And it's not just software, pretty much anything you do on your computer creates an entry in the Windows registry. If you're interested in learning more, here's a detailed article on Windows Registry Basics.
There are plenty of Windows 10 registry cleaners out there on the internet, flaunting their abilities and bragging about being the best. However, some can do more harm than good, which we'll cover at the end of this article.
Keep in mind that using a registry cleaner will not do wonders for your computer or improve your computer's performance. They will only erase unwanted or outdated registry entries. That's out of the way, here are some of the best free registry cleaners for your Windows 10 PC -
Also Read: Top 10 Best Free Data Recovery Software of 2016
Best Free Registry Cleaners
Note: Be sure to back up all your data before interfering with the Windows 10 registry. It is important to note that Microsoft does not use registry cleaners.
Here is a list of the 10 best free registry cleaners for Microsoft Windows:
1. CCleaner
This Piriform product is probably the best free IT optimization software I have used in years. CCleaner's built-in registry cleaner does most of the work. Its neat and clean interface adds to the ease of access offered by the registry cleaner. It asks if you want to back up the registry before making any changes. CCleaner is also available in a paid version but the freeware version would suffice.
CCleaner Professional, the paid version, provides automatic browser cleanup, real-time monitoring and priority support. If these options seem advantageous to you, you can get the paid version. Overall, CClearner is one of the best free registry cleaners for desktop users.
Price - Free / $ 19.95
2. Wise Registry Cleaner
If I take the visual appearance into account, I would definitely give Wise Cleaner an extra point compared to CCleaner. But it's not just about a visually appealing user interface, a Windows 10 registry cleaner has to prove how well it handles your registry entries.
It includes two modes: Fast Scan and Deep Scan. One thing I like about Wise Cleaner is the categorized display of detected errors, unlike CCleaner which displays errors in the form of an Excel sheet. It automatically backs up your registry. You can also run the Wise registry cleaner from the command line. It also has a registry defragmentation option.
Price - Free / $ 35
3. Auslogics Registry Cleaner
This best free registry cleaner from Auslogics offers categorized view in list form. You can check the ones you want to correct. The interface of Auslogics registry cleaner is simple and clean, but not as visually appealing as that of Wise Cleaner. One notable feature is that it also displays the severity of the registry error encountered.
It also automatically backs up registry changes made during the repair process. If you want to prevent the registry from being saved, click Settings, and then click Save changes. You can go to the Rescue Center to undo the changes made by the Auslogics registry cleaner.
Price - Free / $ 8.95
4. Repairing the Glarysoft registry
Registry Repair from Glarysoft is also a great free registry cleaner for Windows 10. It will automatically start the registry scan process as soon as you open the tool. It also offers automatic registry backup before making any changes to Windows registry preventing your system from any tragic event. You can click Action to restore previous repairs made through Glarysoft Registry Repair.
Price - Free
5. Free SlimCleaner
The free version of the SlimCleaner registry cleaner offers great features. Its cleaning utility provides a one stop solution for all kinds of cleaning rituals for your machine. But it also adds a bit of difficulty. For example, if you only need to clean the registry, you will need to uncheck all the checkboxes present in all the other tabs. On the bright side, you only have to do this once, because Windows 10 registry cleaner remembers the settings afterward.
Price - Free / $ 19.97
6. Easy cleaner
This little program was created by a Finn named Toni Helenius. Easy Cleaner has minimalist graphics options other than the registry cleaner. The visual aspect of the software hasn't been updated much since its launch in 2005. It also allows you to find duplicate files and clean up shortcuts that point to nowhere.
Price - Free / $ 35
7. Argente Registry Cleaner
In my testing, Argente Utilities free registry cleaner took longer to scan than any other registry cleaner. It includes a wizard-based interface that allows you to choose scan categories either manually or automatically.
The interface is not very attractive. You can undo the changes made to the registry and it also offers an automatic cleaning option which will take care of your registry without any interference. It is also available in a portable version. On the download page, you can choose Argente utilities or registry cleaner only.
Price - Free
8. Eusing Free Registry Cleaner
The first thing you will notice about this registry cleaner is its name. It is quite different. The somewhat ugly tool only offers a registry cleanup and repair option. It also has an option to restore changes made to the registry if something goes wrong.
Price - Free
9. WinUtilties Registry Cleaner
It is part of the WinUtilities suite developed by YL Software. Like the other free registry cleaners on the list, it also offers creating restore points before making any changes to the registry. There is a separate registry cleaner called "ScanMyReg" by the company which is available as paid software.
Price - Free / $ 18.71
10. JetClean
BlueSprig's registry cleaner has managed to gain popularity. It offers quick 1-click cleaning and also has a "Windows Clean" option. One notable feature of JetClean is that you can create a portable version of the software. You can use the Portable option in the Tools tab.
Price - Free
These are the 10 best free registry cleaners. Please note that this is free software. Therefore, their installation process may include inviting other adware. If you have anything to add, let us know in the comments below.
Is a registry cleaner necessary?
One of the biggest myths about registry cleaners is that they give PC performance improvement. While it may sound like it in some cases, it is mostly an illusion. As Malwarebytes Rightly said, this is a computer version of the placebo effect.
A registry cleaner cleans up all unwanted entries, but it doesn't have a substantial effect on performance. The harmless cleaning is certainly not worth the risk of installing a free registry cleaner that may contain malware.
Also read: 17 Tips & Tricks To Speed Up Windows 10 And Make It Faster