Best Disk Cleanup Software

Computer storage can get pretty easily cluttered by a variety of junk files. The most common of these are temporary files, more commonly referred to as temp files. Many programs generate temp files in response to file creation, which are used as backups for the files that are being worked on in case the program closes unexpectedly. Browsers also create temp files to store information like browsing history or cookies. When these programs are closed, temp files should be deleted, but that’s not always the case. Users can be left with numerous files taking up valuable disk space and slowing down processing power. These junk files can also come in the form of unintended duplicate files, from a program not saving a file properly, for example, or from unpurged program logs that track performance data from using the program. Other files that could be considered junk are those that haven’t been opened in a long time, usually a year or more.

All of these temporary, duplicate, unpurged, and unused files can bloat a computer’s hard drive. They take up storage space that doesn’t need to be taken, and they can force a computer to work more than it needs to while performing basic processes. Disk cleanup software—sometimes referred to as disk cleanup utilities—is designed specifically to find the files that bloat a computer’s hard drive(s) and remove or purge them. Effectively, a disk cleanup utility works to optimize a hard drive’s storage and callback capabilities.

Key Benefits of Disk Cleanup Software

• Decrease hard drive bloat
• Improve drive performance
• Improve process performance for virus scans and backups
• Reduce likelihood of confusion due to file duplication

Drive efficiency is key to ensure a smooth hard drive performance. Long unused files and junk files can weigh down hard drive’s searching ability and artificially bloat the amount of perceived used storage. Accidental file duplication can also contribute to this bloat, as well as create confusion around which files are the proper ones to work out of. Clearing out these files with a disk cleanup solution can free up significant storage space and remove files that would otherwise slow down process performance for large-scale processes like backups and virus or malware scans.

Disk cleanup utilities can be used by anyone with a computer. Utilities exist that can clean for any major operating system, which helps ensure all computer users can efficiently run their devices. Specifically, server admins might get extra use out of these tools due to increased demand towards server performance for overall business functions. Windows Server and Linux Server disk cleanup tools fall into a server admin’s wheelhouse.