Experienced Windows users should have a good idea of the built-in performance and maintenance tools available to them. This selection of tools is quite spread out, with some found in Settings and others slightly more hidden.
Microsoft’s new PC Manager app brings many of those maintenance and performance tools together in one place. It makes keeping your Windows PC running smoothly a lot easier.
Download and Install PC Manager
The PC Manager app, launched in late 2022, is not currently available to download from the Microsoft Store. Instead, you’ll need to download it from the PC Manager website.
At the time of writing, the app is in open beta. That means anyone can download and use the app now, but the features may change when it is officially released. It was initially made available to Windows users in China, so you might see some Chinese characters during setup. But don’t worry, the app will be in English if that is your system language.
Double-click the application icon to begin the installation. You will need to accept the End User Agreement, then click the Install button. When the installation is complete, click the Launch button.
When you run the PC Manager app, it opens as a small and neat window with two main sections: Cleanup and Security. Each tab contains several tools that can be accessed and used individually. Here’s what you get.
Boost
The Boost button is a quick way to improve performance. Clicking the button will remove the number of temporary files shown and free up some system resources.
Health Check
This takes you to a list of maintenance actions, such as Items to Cleanup and Startup Apps to Disable. You can select or deselect any of the displayed actions and click Proceed to perform them.
Storage Management
Here you’ll find two tools and two links to tools in the Windows Settings. Deep Cleanup is a more in-depth system cleaning than the Health Check, including locations such as Defender logs and the Recycle Bin. Manage Large Files gives you an easy way to find files of a chosen size and type, and then delete them if desired.
Process Management
Displays a list of processes that are running but currently unused. Some of these might be apps you want running in the background. If not, you can quickly end the unwanted processes by clicking the End button.
Startup Apps
This provides you with a quick way to disable, or enable, startup apps. You can already find a list of startup apps in Windows Settings. This is just an alternative way to access that option. The speed of your last startup is displayed on the main screen of the PC Manager.
Virus Scan
In the Security tab, you’ll find the Scan button. This initiates a quick virus scan using Microsoft Defender, even if you have another antivirus program installed. Everything is done within the PC Manager window, including reviewing the scan results.
Windows Update
You can quickly see if there are any Windows updates available here. Click through to the next page to select or deselect items in the list, and then click the Update button to install them.
Browser Protection
Here, you can view your default browser and quickly change it, making PC Manager just one of many ways to set your default browser on Windows. You can also enable a security feature that blocks the browser from being changed by malicious apps.
Pop-Up Management
This section contains a single tool to enable: a pop-up blocker. This prevents pop-up windows when you are using apps. When you enable the feature, a list of apps that feature pop-ups is displayed. You can then enable/disable pop-ups in those apps individually.
The Microsoft PC Manager App, Explained
The PC Manager app doesn’t add any new maintenance tools to Windows. Instead, it makes it easier to access several existing tools quickly. If you are tired of searching Windows for different ways to improve performance, the PC Manager app is definitely worth trying out.