How to Install and Configure the Microsoft PC Manager on Windows 11
There is no shortage of PC cleaner and maintenance apps for Windows. Even if you are an older Windows user, you might remember apps like AVG Tuneup or CCleaner. These apps helped you clear out unnecessary clutter and even improve the overall performance by a tiny bit.
Microsoft realized that Windows users could benefit from an official PC Manager app that could help maintain the PC. And so, the Microsoft PC Manager was born. PC Manager is an app that lets you perform 1-click system maintenance along with a bunch of useful features. Here’s how to install and set up Microsoft PC Manager on your Windows 11 PC.
What Is the Microsoft PC Manager?
Microsoft began testing a PC Manager app for Windows users in 2022. Before that, CCleaner and a few other apps ruled the PC Cleaner app segments. Microsoft always warned against the usage of third-party system management apps as they could damage the registry files. Now, we have a full-fledged official app that competes with other such apps.
At the time of writing, Microsoft PC Manager is still in the beta testing phase. The official webpage informs that the app is compatible with Windows 10 (1809 and above versions) and Windows 11 only. So, if you use Windows 8.1 or 7 (Microsoft dropped support for Windows 7), chances are that it won’t work.
The app acts as a central spot to access all the useful system management tools of Windows. Apart from that, it brings many essential tools such as health checks, memory management, pop-up management, and more. We will cover each of these tools later on in this post.
How to Install the Microsoft PC Manager on Windows 11
Firstly, you need to download the beta version of the Microsoft PC Manager app from the official website. Then you need to install it on your system. Here’s how to do it.
Make note that the app is still in a public beta. So, it could act finicky on your system. Moreover, accessing the official website is another sad story. It is unresponsive most of the time and downloading a measly 4 MB installer file can take time. We faced a server downtime issue while installing this app.
Since it needs an internet connection to download files and the website was inaccessible at that time, the installation couldn’t complete. If you face a similar situation don’t worry, just close the installation window,restart your Windows PC, and retry after a few hours.
How To Configure and Use Microsoft PC Manager
We covered the installation method in the above section. This section will highlight all the tools available in the app and how you can use them to improve your system’s performance.
Microsoft PC Manager divides the tools into two sections. The first one is Cleanup tools and the second one is Security tools. When you launch the app, it always opens up the Cleanup tools list.
1. Cleanup Tools
Boost your PC’s Performanceis basically a memory management tool that ends all the unnecessary programs and cleans up the temporary files. The app displays the total memory in use currently and the space occupied by Temp files. Click on theBoostbutton to free up the memory and clear the temp files.
You cannot use the Boost feature repeatedly, though. The app displays a message that “Your PC is already running well.” However, you’re able to use the boost feature after a few minutes.
TheHealth Checktool presents a comprehensive roundup of problems that need attention. Once you click on the feature, it finds and lists all the potential issues which include cleanup items such as browser cache, temp files, and system logs. It also lists out potential security issues and the Startup items that you’re able to disable to decrease loading time.
Click on theProceedbutton to perform all the actions listed by the Health Check tool. Then click on theDonebutton to return to the home page of the PC Manager app.
TheStorage Managementsection contains four tools that help you improve the storage device’s health and clean the junk. It showcases the current stats of the C drive (used space and total size). Below that, there are four tools.
The first one isDeep Cleanupwhich identifies all the items that you can delete to free up some space. Think of it as an advanced version of the Health check tools because it lists out Clipboard files, DirectX Shader cache, Windows upgrade logs, and Recycle Bin files. Click on theProceedbutton to perform Deep Cleanup.
TheManage large filestool helps you identify all the big files taking up space on the C drive. You can adjust the file type as well as the size you want to identify using this tool. The only drawback is that it can only identify C-drive items. Click on theView in File Explorerbutton to allow the app to list all the files in an explorer Window. You can manually move or delete these files.
The other two tools are shortcuts to system apps present on Windows. One is Storage Sense and the other opens up the Installed App list. Check out our guide onHow to Use Storage Sense on Windows 11for more information.
Process Managementlists out the top apps in use that consume the most RAM on your system. Click on theEndbutton to close a process without opening up Task Manager every time.
Like process management,Startup Appsshowcases the list of apps that slow down system startup. you’re able to disable apps from there or open Task Manager for a more comprehensive view of all startup apps.
2. Security Tools
You can scan for threats present in your system using the Scan option in the security tab. It performs a quick scan on the C drive only. Similarly, you can check and install all the available updates for Windows without leaving the Microsoft PC Manager app.
TheBrowser Protectiontool prevents malicious apps from changing the default browser. Our system has Chrome as the default browser, but the app offered subtle hints to change it to Edge. It is part of Microsoft’s strategy to compel users to switch to Edge. There’s no harm in doing that, but it all boils down to personal preference. Click onChange the default browseroption and set it to your favorite browser.
ThePop-up Managementtool prevents Windows apps from showing unnecessary pop-up windows while using the app. Click on theEnable Pop-up blocktoggle, and it will list all the apps that indulge in this activity.
A Free, Official Tool to Manage Your Windows PC
Microsoft PC Manager is an impressive tool. It frees up memory and storage and manages system security all within one app. You will notice a few hiccups because it is the beta phase. One such issue is that it doesn’t switch to dark mode on Windows. It auto-starts every time you boot up Windows, but it’s possible to disable that using the app settings.
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