This is dating myself, but I remember when keeping a PC running was entirely a do-it-yourself affair. Before Windows 95, there was an unspoken assumption that you were technically inclined -- as a kid, I remember having to mess with IRQ settings and memory managers just to get some of my games to run properly.
Cleaning up temporary files
Keeping things free and clear
Undoubtedly, the category of third-party tool that's marketed the most aggressively is the disk cleanup utility. We all have a finite amount of hard drive space available, and on top of that, cleaning out caches is a legitimate way of boosting performance and preventing bugs.
Those apps are either redundant or scams, though, because of a feature that's been around since Windows 10: Storage Sense. This should be on by default, regularly scrubbing app and system caches, and purging any files in the Recycle Bin if they've been left there for over 30 days. For some cloud services, such as OneDrive and iCloud Drive, the feature can automatically remove local copies of files if they haven't been opened in a while. Don't worry -- you can mark individual files as permanent, and Windows 11's stock settings will only trigger this when drive space is low and files haven't been touched in a month.
You can set automatic deletions to be more or less rapid if you like, with intervals of one day, 14 days, 30 days, 60 days, or never. If you're truly brave, you can also ask Windows to automatically clean your Downloads folder, but that's probably a bad idea -- Windows often defaults to putting files there, so it's all too easy to lose something you care about. If you really need space that badly, it's wise to manually rummage through both your Downloads and Documents folders.
Malware scans
Cheap is good, it turns out
Third-party antivirus suites used to be critical, including before most people had internet access -- it was entirely possible that a game your friend shared with you on a floppy could be infected. Some people still swear by them. Certainly, you may need to step up to an advanced product in a corporate environment or one with extreme threats.
For the average person, though, Windows Security is more than good enough. On top of performing real-time scans, there are multiple firewalls, and functions that protect against threats like kernel exploits and ransomware. Almost more imporantly, Microsoft updates its malware definitions frequently -- so if you have Security active, it's extremely unlikely that you're going to be ambushed.
I will caution that you should double check which Security features are enabled, and you still need to use a secure web browser. You should also continue to be skeptical of unsolicited emails and texts. All the antivirus software in the world won't help you if you voluntarily share private info with a scammer.
SSD trims and defragmentation
By coincidence, I've hit on this point a few times recently, but it's worth repeating: do not defragment an SSD. Defrags are an essential routine for old platter-based hard drives (HDDs), since data gradually gets scattered across the disk, forcing the drive to spin more. SSDs, however, are based on memory chips. You won't see a speed boost by defragging them, and in fact you'll actually shorten their lifespans, as their cells only have a finite number of write cycles. It's the computer equivalent of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
SSDs do require something called trimming, which flags recently deleted data as "garbage" that can be overwritten. Here's the thing though -- Windows 11 not only has a built-in tool for this, but performs the task on weekly basis by default. Some people may never realize that trimming is going on, much less necessary. If you want to trigger a manual trimming session, you can search for optimize your drives in the Windows Settings app, but there's rarely any advantage to running optimization more often than is already happening.
There's absolutely no need for third-party trimming or defrag utilities. They can't optimize things any better than Windows, so the most they might offer is more complex scheduling.
Registry cleaning
A relic of a bygone age
The Registry is a database of low-level settings not just for Windows, but for installed apps. As such, any problems with it can have an outsized impact, even preventing Windows from booting properly in some situations. Before an old work laptop of mine died earlier this year, one of the steps my wife and I attempted was creating a bootable USB flash drive so we could try repairing the laptop's Registry entries. In the end, it turned out the problem was hardware-related, but it was worth a shot.
That leads me to my point here, which is that Windows 11 is pretty adept at keeping the Registry in shape under normal circumstances. Outside of that old laptop, I can't remember the last time I had to do any troubleshooting. Some third-party registry cleaners may claim that they can speed up Windows by removing empty or invalid entries, but going into 2026, any improvements are going to be marginal at best. A PC that can play 4K HDR video or render photorealistic 3D should be able to process the entire Registry before you have the time to blink.
Worse, there's a risk that third-party apps will accidentally flag valid entries for removal. If that happens, you'll break apps or Windows itself, possibly without any clue as to how to fix it. The lesson then is to leave the Registry alone unless you're using official recovery tools, or you know exactly what you're doing with manual Registry edits.
Most driver updates
With one major exception
Drivers are the software that allow ports, parts, and peripherals to interact with Windows and the rest of your computer. When your hardware is working properly, there's often no need to update them -- but when your PC starts misbehaving, a driver update may be just the ticket. You may also need to update drivers for compatibility with new hardware, or in some cases apps.
Generally speaking, Windows Update does an excellent job of detecting and installing available driver updates, although you may need to visit Settings -> Windows Update to run some of them, particularly if they require a reboot. I'd suggest checking at least once a week. There's really no need to use outside driver installers. If you want to roll back to an older driver version, it's best to just visit the appropriate manufacturer's website and download the file matched to your model and platform.
The exception to this is dedicated graphics card. GPU drivers can sometimes have a huge impact on game peformance, and you'll be guaranteed to get the newest ones as soon as they're available if you use AMD or Nvidia's proprietary apps, depending on your card. With Windows Update, you may end up waiting longer than necessary.