Do NOT use Registry Cleaners

Registry cleaners are still everywhere in Windows utilities, but why? Microsoft itself has said NOT to use them.

[Randgalf]

Show don't tell. Not claiming you're wrong but can we at least get a case study of what actually happens to a system running a reg cleaner instead of just "Don't use it because it's bad"?

[DeadPixel]

I've been using CCleaner's registry cleaner on all of my PCs for about a decade now and I've never had any noticeable issues as a result. Also, I notice that whenever I uninstall any software or games, there is ALWAYS registry entries left behind. Why not get rid of these? Though, I do understand that if you have a mid-high end PC, you're not going to experience any noticeable slowdown on your PC even if you haven't cleaned the registry in years. So I do understand that cleaning the registry is really not necessary. There really is no practical benefit from doing so if you have a decent PC. I just get a bit 'OCD'-ish with my PC and it bothers me to know that there are junk files and registry entries on my PC. Even if the registry entries and junk files are NOT causing any sort of issues or decrease in PC performance, it still bothers me just knowing that they're there.

[Graygeezer]

I have to wonder how many of those legacy entries are simply abandoned in place rather than being removed rather than intentionally placed there for a current need.

[One.Zero.One]

I've been using Revo Uninstaller for more than a decade now and everything's fine. Sometimes the program itself does a good job of removing its own folders and registry entries, but there's a lot of programs that are terrible at removing itself from the system. I feel more confident when removing a closed-sourced program that I don't want anymore. I don't use system-wide cleaners like CCleaner though.

[Neko]

Man I'm so glad you said that! I've done it one time back in the day when E-machines were around. Not saying it was a an E-machine I done it on but regardless it screwed everything up. I've never done it again. What really kills me is I've been a long time user of Norton Antivirus which is fine. But now days their trying to bundle more of their stuff together and if you just have the basics. Every time you turn around when booting up or after a scan. A window pops open talking about so many Registry Errors have been found trying to get you to upgrade and pay more money for BS! So thank you for setting the record straight.

[stuartgibson]

I use CCleaner with CCenhancer at least once a week. Been doing it for years and I have never had a problem. I also make backup images of my Windows 10 & 11 boot drives every day (just in case).

[mithrillis]

I used to run CCleaner not to clean registry but as a lazy way to disable auto starting applications, because there were so many ways in Windows to autorun on boot (start menu, msconfig, registry, ...) and Windows wouldn't let you manage them at the same place. These days you can stop most apps (at least non-malicious ones) from running using the startup apps setting.

[ionamygdalon]

Thank you for making this video! I know of so many people who use them. They feel "reassured" after using them when in fact they are potentially harming the stability of their operating system.

[oldtiger]

Deleting registry entries CAN be dangerous if you don't use the programs uninstaller, but your very mistaken if you think all programs delete the registry entries that are created during that programs install. What still happens over time even in Windows 11, is all of entries that are not deleted adds to the "bloat" issue. I've used the free version of Revo Uninstaller for a few years now and I rather truly know that all registry and file remnants are truly gone, then to just "guess".

[tps]

CCleaner used to be a goto for me; in the Win 7 days, I would run into system that were very slow to load the add / remove software list, and cleaning the registry would resolve this. Also lots of applications that would leave behind a ton of registry entries when uninstalling (Intuit, I'm looking at you). While never quantified, systems would often feel noticeably more responsive after a registry clean.

While I almost never use registry cleaners in the Win 10/11 world, I also have never run into an issue using one. The fact that a fresh Windows install has entries that a registry cleaner says should be cleaned up doesn't inherently mean anything about the usefulness or safety of using the cleaner; isn't it possible for Microsoft to still have entries in a default install that are broken or no longer relevant?

I keep hearing this advice, and while I agree that their relevance has diminished and there are reasons to stay away from the current crop of registry cleaning tools, I don't think that negates their usefulness wholesale. If there is a registry entry pointing to a dll or other resource that no longer exists on the system, does it need to stay around? Especially if it causes Windows to spend unneeded cycles trying to load something that isn't there.

What I have yet to see is for someone to evaluate the changes recommended by one of these cleaners and then show how the changes are problematic to the system. So far, most of what I have seen are that they could hypothetically cause issues; which is true, but that could be said of literally every application that you install on a system.

[walter_lesaulnier]

Sometimes it seems like half the computers I repair were screwed up by registry cleaners, 3rd party "optimizers" and/or 3rd party anti-virus. One of the worst is driver updaters- they sometimes install beta BIOSes or don't get the proper update from the manufacturer's website. I've even had them install older drivers in place of newer ones because the list it used was outdated.

[MichaelWilliams-lrmb]

I've broken Windows before using a registry cleaner (CCleaner specifically), and this was a long time ago. I can't remember what version of Windows I was on, but it was before Windows 10. I haven't trusted them since then. I'm a Linux user these days, though.

[GYTCommnts]

CCleaner became almost spyware. On the other hand, I've been using Wise Registry Cleaner for years without any issues. If you only do the "safe entries" they propose, most of them are just temporary stuff that can be safely deleted and, in a long time, may clog your registry. I find your argument about "default intended" of Windows a contradiction while we use your AWESOME tool (THANK YOU! 💪) to clean the system and make it snappy, far from "default" or what MS intended. Wise Registry Cleaner have been helping with that too, if you know what you are doing with it, IMHO.

[ussul]

yep, I remember. Uninstalling AOL was harder then getting rid of virus. That free CD was really dangerous.

[kouavang]

I use Wise Registry Cleaner as my games couldnt find dll files and after I ran it my games(including modern warfare 2019) are able to find and launch without any dll errors on windows 10. Most programs registry dont get deleted after uninstalling and you can confirm it by visiting the registry so it just depends on if the user wants it or not. Been having Wise for 4 years and no issues with PC.

The things with those cleaners that will harm and break your system is the "system tune ups" so I would avoid using tune ups section.

[johnnyb]

i remember using regcleaner back in the day. i still have CCleaner on my system but dont use it for reg cleaning. also not for driver updating. only to remove browser or empty folders

[nivektseb]

You do understand that CCleaner is not just a registry cleaner and has other functions that are useful.
He hasn't made a strong argument for not using it other than "I don't like it". Showing examples of what it cleans but gave no clear explanation to back up his claims... I've used System Mechanic 5 up until WinXP and CCleaner from 7 up to 10. Works very fine...
Next time give us recreatable examples and issues that can occur and not random babble full of personal opinion.

[xion]

I work in IT and I think CCleaner is actually a really great program. I only use the registry cleaner for driver entries. No need to clean the entire registry. Most program uninstallers clean up after themselves pretty good nowadays. However, proprietary and specialized software DOES NOT. It's often necessary to remove the registry keys when fixing installations. So I can't fully agree with "not using registry cleaners in 2023". You've worked in IT so I'm sure you understand almost no company is completely modern with their infrastructure.

[Kneedragon]

I'd also note (with mild amusement) that Chris made a debloat tool for Windows 10, which I still use, and every subsequent version of that tool has gotten a bit more toothless, leaves more stuff alone, because taking it out will break some things for some people in some settings...
I don't use his current version, I have got an older more ruthless one, which I plan to run though this latest windows 11 install, but I haven't done it yet. The Windows 10 version does work perfectly fine on Windows 11, and it rips a heap of stuff out that the newer one leaves well enough alone.
I'm not saying everybody should run the older full strength Debloat tool ~ but I do.
If you WANT to keep and use OneDrive, then don't click the button that says to remove it. It's not all that hard ...
If you WANT to completely disable Cortana ~ click the button. If that will spoil your day ~ don't click that button ...
For MOST things ~ there is a reset button, which should restore it all to standard condition, but I'm not sure that works for everything...
Personally, I've never wanted to put GigaBytes of bloatware back into a copy of Windows ... But then I'm not a typical Windows user. My copy of Pro is a guest, in a VirtualBox, on a host of Linux Mint. it sits alongside (stop to count) 9 other guests, which are the most popular and talked about Linux installs. ~ Let's say the most talked-about ones... Just so I can say "I use Arch, actually." That's true on one level, i do have it, both several Arch installers like Manjaro and also a stone stock standard Arch install ~ just so I can say I have it. But those are not the dog-houses I live in ~
Mint is said to be a "beginner distro" ~ Ok, if you want to see it that way. That means it won't rip your hands off for placing them near the keyboard. It doesn't have as many random teeth as some of the others. And it isn't owned by Mister Shuttleworth who is trying to take over the world... And nor is it talking constantly to Microsoft.

[rwx-zach]

The only "cleaner" I use and trust is BleachBit, but that is because it specifically isn't a registry cleaner. Good for cleaning VERY VIP email servers, with a cloth or something. ;)