I tried this free Windows cleanup tool to see if it'd speed up my PC - and it worked

2026-04-24 · Source: News and Advice on the World's Latest Innovations | ZDNET · Field: Technology & Digital — IT Infrastructure, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy · Depth: Novice, medium

Summary

Winhance is a free Windows utility designed to declutter, optimize, and customize Windows 11 PCs by consolidating various settings and features. The tool allows users to remove unwanted built-in and third-party applications, adjust privacy and security settings, and configure power, gaming, update, notification, and sound options. It also provides customization capabilities for the Start menu, Taskbar, and File Explorer, including options like theme changes and context menu modifications. Winhance offers recommendations for each setting and enables users to apply changes individually or in bulk, with the crucial advice to create a system restore point before making modifications. Testing on a Windows 11 PC showed slight improvements in speed, performance, and disk space after applying recommended optimizations.

Key takeaway

For IT professionals managing multiple Windows 11 deployments, Winhance offers a streamlined approach to system optimization and customization. You can efficiently remove bloatware, adjust privacy settings, and fine-tune performance parameters from a single interface, potentially reducing manual configuration time. However, always create a system restore point before applying changes to mitigate risks and ensure easy rollback if issues arise.

Key insights

Winhance centralizes Windows optimization and customization, simplifying access to hidden settings and bloatware removal.

Principles

• Consolidate settings for ease of access.
• Prioritize system restore points before major changes.

Method

Install Winhance, create a restore point, remove bloatware, optimize system settings (privacy, power, performance), and customize UI elements like the Start menu and Taskbar, applying changes carefully.

In practice

• Use Winhance to remove pre-installed Windows apps.
• Enable BitLocker and Storage Sense via Winhance.
• Customize Taskbar alignment and Start menu visibility.

Topics

• Winhance
• Windows Optimization
• Bloatware Removal
• System Customization
• Performance Tuning

Best for: IT Professional, Software Engineer

Related on AIssential

• 5 ways your Windows updates are about to get a lot less painful — Microsoft is enhancing Windows Update with greater user control over pauses, restarts, and update information.
• This is Microsoft’s plan to fix Windows 11 — Microsoft's Windows chief, Pavan Davuluri, has announced a comprehensive plan to rebuild trust and improve Windows 11 quality following user backlash over AI additions and general issues.
• A faster way to estimate AI power consumption — EnergAIzer rapidly estimates AI workload power consumption on specific hardware, improving energy efficiency planning.
• Windows 11 update adds major Start menu customization options — Windows 11 updates enhance Start menu and taskbar customization based on user feedback.
• Switching to Mac after 10 years as a Microsoft User — Persistent performance and hardware issues on Windows drove a data professional to fully adopt macOS.
• Your Windows PC has a backup tool that's secretly useful - here's what it can do — Windows 10/11 contains a deprecated, yet functional, legacy backup tool for local file and system image backups.

Open in AIssential →

Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by News and Advice on the World's Latest Innovations | ZDNET.