Microsoft is taking on CCleaner to help your PC in a future Windows 11 update

Microsoft is reportedly working on its own utility to help maintain your PC by recommending certain settings and deleting unused files and apps to help save space for a future Windows 11 update.
According to Windows Latest, it's available on the Microsoft Store as a public beta, but the company seems to have hidden its availability for now.
Regardless, we were able to obtain a version of PC Manager and try it out for ourselves. While a third of its features refused to work, we could stop apps from running, while the 'Boost' feature was able to remove a bunch of temporary files, showing how much space it freed up. Such a clean-up job is typically handled by third-party products like CCleaner.
Microsoft Defender could be due for a big update
Microsoft's app already works well, regardless of it crashing (it's clearly unfinished) but it's fast and could eventually be a great feature for Windows 11.
It's telling that Microsoft has decided to expand its Defender suite, which was meant to rival McAfee and Norton back in the days of Windows XP. Going to the 'About' page shows Microsoft Defender, so it could arrive as a new version of the company's anti-virus suite in 2023.
So far, PC Manager is a promising start from Microsoft, which could signal that the company wants to double down on helping the user better manage their PC and delete files that are safe to remove, without them having to go deep into system folders.
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Daryl is a freelance writer and author of two books—The Making of Tomb Raider and 50 Years of Boss Fights. A third book, the follow up to ‘Tomb Raider’, comes out in 2026. Having worked at TechRadar previously as a software writer from 2021 to 2023, Daryl understands how software can benefit users, as well as having an interest in how accessibility features can benefit others.
With over a decade of experience, his work has been featured in Tom’s Guide, SUPERJUMP, Pocket Tactics, Radio Times, The Escapist, and more.