CCleaner

CCleaner (/ˈsiːˌkliːnər/; originally meaning "Crap Cleaner"),^[7] developed by Piriform Software, is a utility used to clean potentially unwanted files and invalid Windows Registry entries from a computer. It is one of the longest-established system cleaners, first launched in 2004.^[8] It was originally developed for Microsoft Windows only,^[9] but in 2012, a macOS version was released. An Android version was released in 2014, and an iOS version was released nine years later.^[10]

CCleaner can delete potentially unwanted files left by certain programs, including Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Safari, Windows Media Player, eMule, Google Toolbar, Netscape, Microsoft Office, Nero, Adobe Acrobat, McAfee, Adobe Flash Player, Sun Java, WinRAR, WinAce, WinZip and GIMP^[11] along with browsing history, cookies, recycle bin, memory dumps, file fragments, log files, system caches, application data, autocomplete form history, and various other data.^[12] The program includes a registry cleaner to locate and correct problems in the Windows registry, such as missing references to shared DLLs, unused registration entries for file extensions, and missing references to application paths.^[11] CCleaner 2.27 and later can wipe the MFT free space of a drive, or the entire drive.

CCleaner can uninstall programs or modify the list of programs that execute on startup.^[13] Since version 2.19, CCleaner can delete Windows System Restore points. CCleaner can also automatically update installed programs and computer drivers.^[14][15]

Piriform also distributes a web browser called CCleaner Browser, included as an optional add-on included within the CCleaner installer. The browser, built on Google's free and open-source project Chromium, includes built-in ad blocking and anti-tracking features. The browser is only available for Microsoft Windows.^[16][17] The browser is identical to Avast Secure Browser, which is also owned by Piriform's parent company, Gen Digital.^[18]

CCleaner was first launched in 2004 for Microsoft Windows.^[8] It remained a Windows-only utility until 2012. On 2 June 2011, Piriform announced a public beta test program for CCleaner for Mac.^[19] The Mac version graduated to the test stage on 30 January 2012.^[20]

A commercial Network Edition was also introduced. Piriform released CCleaner for Android in 2014.^[21] Nine years later, the app was released for iOS via the Apple App Store.^[10]

On 6 October 2025, with the release of CCleaner 7 for Windows, it received a major UI overhaul, featuring a more modern interface, a universal dark mode, and support for ARM64 architecture.^[22]

CNET editors gave the application a rating of 5/5 stars, calling it a 'must-have tool'. It was awarded Editor's Choice Award in April 2009 by CNET.^[23] In 2016 Piriform announced 2 billion CCleaner downloads worldwide.^[24] In January 2014 it had been the most popular software on FileHippo for more than a year, and had a 5-star editor's rating on Softpedia.^[25] CCleaner has been reviewed by Chip.de,^[26]TechRadar,^[27]PC Magazine^[28] and TechRepublic.^[29]

After Piriform was acquired by Avast, in September 2017, CCleaner 5.33 was compromised by the incorporation of the Floxif trojan horse into the distributed program that could install a backdoor, enabling remote access to 2.27 million^[36] machines which had installed CCleaner.^[37][38] Avast claimed that the malware was already in CCleaner version 5.33, prior to the purchase of Piriform. Forty of the infected machines received a second-stage payload that appears to have targeted technology companies Samsung, Sony, Asus, Intel, VMWare, O2, Singtel, Gauselmann, Dyn, Chunghwa and Fujitsu.^[39][40] On 13 September, Piriform released CCleaner 5.34 and CCleaner Cloud 1.07.3191, without the malicious code.^[41]

On 21 October 2019, Avast disclosed a second security breach during which attackers tried again to insert malware inside CCleaner releases. The attempt was unsuccessful.^[42]

• BleachBit
• Malware
• Utility software

• Sitio web oficial
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