CCleaner 5.0 now available

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 26, 2014
Software, Windows software
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30

Piriform, the company behind the popular CCleaner program for Windows and Android, released a preview version of CCleaner 5.0 recently that showcased the new interface of the application.

Today, the company released the final version of CCleaner and along with it all the other changes that it did not include in the interface demo version of the application.

Good news is that the program has not been changed at its core. It is still capable of cleaning temporary files and offers a number of system management related tools on top of that such as a startup manager or Registry Cleaner.

The new "improved" graphical user interface is the most visible change of CCleaner 5.0. It is using a flat design now which resembles programs running under Windows 8 or Windows 10.

While the design of the interface has changed, the layout has not. CCleaner displays the cleaner mode right away that allows you to select the applications and locations in Windows that you want analyzed and cleaned off of temporary files.

The Registry cleaner and the Tools section is listed there as well which means that veteran users of the program don't have to change how they use the program.

Probably the most interesting new feature of the new version is support for Google Chrome plugins. These plugins, apps and extensions, can be managed in the interface under Tools > Startup > Google Chrome.

There you find options to enable, disable or delete these programs. You may be surprised how many apps are installed in the browser that you have not installed yourself.

Note that CCleaner cannot disable or delete some of the files as they are protected by the browser. This means that you can only manage apps, extensions and plugins that don't ship with Chrome.

All remaining changes made in CCleaner 5.0 are under the hood changes. Performance has been improved according to Piriform, bugs have been fixed and some internal routines have been optimized as well.

Windows 8 and newer users get optimized 64-bit builds on top of that. It is unclear however what that means as it is not explained in the changelog.

Version 5.0 is fully compatible with CCEnhancer, a third-party tool that adds hundreds of temporary file locations to CCleaner.

On another note: Piriform added Active Monitoring to CCleaner some versions ago. CCleaner runs as a background task all the time with the feature enabled. If you don't want that, disable Active Monitoring in the program options under monitoring.

You may also want to disable the autostart entry of the program just to be on the safe side.

Verdict

CCleaner 5.0 is a minor upgrade feature-wise. Yes, it introduces a new interface and Chrome plugin management but that is about it.

It is still a great, many call it the best, program of its kind for Windows.

Now You: Do you use CCleaner?

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Comments

  1. james ryan said on December 3, 2014 at 1:11 pm
    Reply

    The new UI is hideous, specially the window bar. Thankfully it’s the kind of tool that you run for a few minutes once in a while, I don’t think i could stand it otherwise.

  2. Tom Hawack said on November 28, 2014 at 3:48 pm
    Reply

    I’ve just re-installed previous CCleaner 4.19.4867.
    Latest 5.0 occasionally would stick in RAM after I had called it with the /AUTO feature, when it is supposed to exit after having cleaned. No idea what the problem is. Anyway here with Win7 I see no advantage with the new version. At least, even if it is totally secondary, I won’t have to endure the hideous version 5 GUI, even if I’d see it only for modifying settings as I proceed mainly with the /AUTO feature.

    Newer is not always better :)

  3. Col-Hectorz said on November 28, 2014 at 11:38 am
    Reply

    Hi,
    I used CCleaner for many years , never had a problem.
    Since version 5 it does not work for me.
    Firstly win 8 is ugly and look retarded why would you copy-it !
    Do they really want to kick of winXP user, 1/3 of CCleaner user ?
    If they drop me like this I will certainly look for something else, and will never come back !
    Even when I will update windows, you betrayed me once why not twice !?
    Competition is hungry and vast, why give them the opportunity to boot you out of the top row?
    I will never understand lousy customer service.
    Like a mom refusing to feed her child, it’s non-sense, it’s your future !

  4. XenoSilvano said on November 26, 2014 at 8:23 pm
    Reply

    I have been using Advanced SystemCare for general system clean-up for many years now, I have only recently over the last year have I started using CCleaner along side Advanced SystemCare.

    I find it ridiculous that Windows systems get bogged down over time due to a lack of proper maintenance, I think Windows should come with its own maintenance tools that clear-up your system automatically.

    1. Woolyss said on November 27, 2014 at 11:59 pm
      Reply

      I totally agree with you. And more and more I dislike the new Windows systems. Why on new Windows systems, all is more complex to do than on Mac and Linux distributions?

  5. Sylvio Haas said on November 26, 2014 at 6:06 pm
    Reply

    Thank you very much for your prompt and as always kind answer.

  6. Sylvio Haas said on November 26, 2014 at 2:04 pm
    Reply

    Hello, Martin – CCleaner does not recommend to disable active monitoring. Did you mean disable System monitoring? This would be OK. Please inform WHERE do I disable the autostart entry. Thank you.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on November 26, 2014 at 2:36 pm
      Reply

      You can disable it in CCleaner in the startup manager there. If you want CCleaner to run all the time in the background keep it activated but if you don’t, I suggest you disable it.

      From what I can tell, the only thing it does is check regularly to see how many temporary files can be deleted and that is about it. Not really worth running in the background all the time for that in my opinion.

      1. Sylvio Haas said on November 26, 2014 at 5:48 pm
        Reply

        Thank you so much!

  7. Maou said on November 26, 2014 at 1:54 pm
    Reply

    I really like Ccleaner but I dislike this “active monitoring”, it should be optional on installation, it’s a pain to disable this on every new installation.

    Anyway, I’ll test this new release.

    1. dwarf_t0ssr said on November 27, 2014 at 2:21 am
      Reply

      I disabled such in the last version, and installed 5.0. The setting didn’t re-enable itself.

      Pretty useless feature, imo. Just like unlocker with its taskbar icon and monitoring…

    2. Blue said on November 26, 2014 at 7:13 pm
      Reply

      It is optional in the Pro version…

    3. Tom Hawack said on November 26, 2014 at 2:21 pm
      Reply

      I think that this new version 5 has active monitoring disabled by default. Not sure though (I’ve read it elsewhere) because I updated to ver.5 with previous active monitoring disabled already by myself.

      I don’t like active monitoring whatever it be, like what they used to call (not techie enough to know if it is still a correct/used terminology), TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident). Unless strictly required and/or approved by the user. Less you have running in the background better it is, that’s my humble opinion.

      Regarding CCleaner I see strictly no true advantage to have it monitoring. Call it when you need it is enough for me.

  8. batman said on November 26, 2014 at 12:50 pm
    Reply

    gonna have to run a test and see how it compares to the truly best cleaner, privazer.

    1. Chris Granger said on November 26, 2014 at 1:16 pm
      Reply

      I use their Shellbag Analyzer & Cleaner, and while the interface is a little amateurish IMO, it seems to work well. Are there any specific areas you feel Privazer is much better than CCleaner?

  9. ekerazha said on November 26, 2014 at 12:30 pm
    Reply

    The custom window title/border is ugly (and slow when you move the window).

  10. michaelpaul said on November 26, 2014 at 11:50 am
    Reply

    As long as ccleaner remains as it has been a trusted cleaner ive been using for years .I really
    dont care how it looks as for those who
    give poor rating on looks
    oh well …
    Ccleaner is and has been the best cleaner for years as it does what it is meant to do
    unlike others that claim to do sooooo much
    that eventually you have to rein stall your windows
    THANKS NO THANKS IL STAY WITH CCLEANER

  11. Pants said on November 26, 2014 at 11:47 am
    Reply

    Interesting .. while I’m not a fan of the flat look .. no functionality has been stripped. And the extra padding is minimal I guess – at least each line item doesn’t take up excessive room.

    But, is it just me (Win7 64-bit), any attempt to scroll with the wheel mouse in Cleaner>Applications or Cleaner>Windows crashes the program. Using the scroll bar does not. If however you select an item FIRST, then the mouse wheel causes no problems. This is only happening in the Cleaner section (eg Uninstall or Startup>Firefox etc scrolling in these causes no problems because you are forced to select an item)

    1. Tom Hawack said on November 26, 2014 at 7:15 pm
      Reply

      @Pants, maybe are you using one of those applications which focuses where the mouse wheel is (sorry for the terminology!)?

      Here Win7-64b as well with CCleaner 5 Free : no problems.

      1. Pants said on November 27, 2014 at 12:25 am
        Reply

        @Blue @Tom Hawack Portable – latest – 64bit exe – absolutely no OS mouse/wheel stuff (except default logitech drivers)
        @Blue “v4.09.4471 (64bit)” ? I am using v5.00.5050. My shortcut points to the 64 exe. I never run the 32bit.

        Sent an error report as follow (narrowed stuff down more)

        Any attempt to scroll with the wheel mouse in Cleaner>Applications or Cleaner>Windows crashes the program. Using the scroll bar does not. If however you select either an item first or CLICK on the Windows tab, then the mouse wheel causes no problems.

        To replicate:
        0. load ccleaner and wait for winapp2.ini to load
        1. Select Cleaner section (should be selected by default)
        2. current display is “windows” tab, nothing in the windows list is “selected” (i.e has been clicked on by the mouse, i do not mean the checkbox status). The windows tab has a blue bar above it indicating its the current selected item
        3. click on applications tab – again, nothing is selected/focus
        4. scroll with mouse wheel
        5. ccleaner crashes

        This is only happening in the Cleaner section (eg Uninstall or Startup>Firefox etc scrolling in these causes no problems because you are forced to select an item first). Using CCleaner 5.00.5050 (64bit). No OS mouse active-window/focus-hocus-pocus software running except logitech drivers. ccleaner64.exe is run with adminstrative rights. Note winapp2.ini is large (CEnhancer with 30 of my own entries) but has not changed for months.

        Issue only started with v.5.00.5050 portable. Note: I update ccleaner on every stable release.

        Note: have playing with tons of order of events (eg clicking into other sections such as tools and back again to the cleaner section, clicking on applications tab, etc. The ONLY thing that stops the crash is to either select a list item (in windows or applications tab) or to click the windows tab (even if it is already the one shown)

    2. Blue said on November 26, 2014 at 7:07 pm
      Reply

      It’s just you…. maybe it’s the version you’re using, or some setting of yours which is not a typical installation. What version are you using? I’m using Windows 7-64b as well, but I paired it up with CCleaner Professional v4.09.4471 (64bit). Maybe you’re using a 32b version?

      As for mouse, I’m using the Logitech G402 Hyperion – program-able mouse with their Logitech Gaming Software version 8.55 to program the on-board memory for custom key control.

  12. Tom Hawack said on November 26, 2014 at 10:42 am
    Reply

    The new “improved” graphical user interface is the most visible change of CCleaner 5.0
    “Improved”, indeed. A tool’s GUI has never been a major issue when the aim is to be skilled technically rather than sexy.

    The point with CCleaner 5 is that it is neither sexy nor elegant: it is hideous, at least on Windows7/5th Avenue when Park Avenue/Windows8-10 users seem to find pretty eyes to the beast :)

    Aesthetics since several years has never counted as much in the satisfaction users have of a computer application, of a Web service. I even read here and there users poorly rating a software on the sole basis of its design and interface. I’ll try to avoid that behavior and remember that CCleaner is not aimed to be elected Miss WWW but to bring dedicated tools for the browser. And that it performs very well.

  13. Tony said on November 26, 2014 at 10:31 am
    Reply

    Ccleaner may keep the old interface for many years from now on and it’ll still be the best program for cleaning Windows.
    But it surprises me how much time it took Piriform to comply with the Windows 8/10 design. It’s great, but… why now?

    1. Bob Sireno said on November 27, 2014 at 12:11 am
      Reply

      Why now? Possibly because Windows 8.x is up to 18% installed base and still increasing. Since Windows 10 will continue the flat look, ccleaner 5 will fit in. However, it looks cartoonish and inelegant on Windows 7 and older PC’s. I’d stay with version 4.19 on pre-Win 8 OS’s. Personal taste.

  14. jimbo said on November 26, 2014 at 10:10 am
    Reply

    Use for controlling Firefox cookies, saving any that I have a login for and purging the volumous rest. Pity Firefox can’t do that. Tried Cookie Monster and Self Destructing Cookies but this seems to be the most simple, if a little bit of a chore.

    1. Pants said on November 26, 2014 at 11:30 am
      Reply

      Cookie Controller ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cookie-controller/ )

      – Clear out all the FF cookies you don’t want eg via CCleaner
      – Set default setting to : cookies denied
      – As you visit sites that you want cookies (eg sites you log into etc), select “cookies allowed for ” or “<cookies allowed for only as first party”. I allow some 20 odd cookies this way (eg on Ars Technica and eztv so the site theme I like is auto loaded, or twitter or facebook or dropbox for auto signing in).
      – Other sites that you may want cookies as session only – visit that site and select “cookies allowed for this session” – I think I allow some 10 or 20 sites to do this for various reasons, eg my bank cookie does not log me in or contain anything uber secret but I need it for the site to work)

      Now you need never have to clean out cookies again – as you have a default (block all) and some exceptions (allow, allow for session).

      –couple of extra cookie tools–
      CookieExFilter ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cookieexfilter/ )
      Allows you to filter cookies under Options>Privacy>Exceptions

      Cookies Manager + ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cookies-manager-plus/ )
      Allows to see what is stored in each cookie, and to edit/delete them

  15. RossN said on November 26, 2014 at 9:57 am
    Reply

    I’ve used CCleaner for many years. Some people say the registry ‘cleaning’ option is dangerous, but I’ve never struck a problem myself. I know one person who did, but that was about 10 years ago.

    I do currently have one ‘non-registry’ problem though. Version 4.9 is wiping out some files I need for MYOB AccountRight. To fix this I just run the .msi installer again. I will have to use a “divide and conquer” strategy to see which of the ‘junk’ files is not actually ‘junk’.
    So next time I’ll just check the first 50% of files to be deleted; and keep refining that approach to narrow down the problematic option.
    I’m aggressive with my file ‘cleanout’ as I only have a 40GB boot drive.

    1. Mike J said on November 26, 2014 at 3:23 pm
      Reply

      I used to use other registry cleaners but often noticed things went missing from Windows & stopped. I also have had no negative consequences with the CCleaner tool, but I do back up the registry.

  16. streger said on November 26, 2014 at 8:47 am
    Reply

    Google Chrome extension management exists since CCleaner 3.25.1872.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on November 26, 2014 at 9:13 am
      Reply

      Probably improved.

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