Piriform released CCleaner 5.50 in late November 2018 with something users had been asking for: control over how CCleaner updates itself. The release added an Updates options screen that lets you stop automatic updates from installing.
Why CCleaner users wanted this
In September 2018, users were upset to find that CCleaner had updated itself to version 5.46 even when they had unchecked the option to check for updates. Piriform said it had done this for legal reasons: “Since the release of v5.46 we have updated some users to this version to meet legal requirements and give users more autonomy and transparency over their privacy settings.” CCleaner 5.50 gave that control back to users.
The two types of CCleaner updates
The new screen splits updates into two kinds:
- Important Updates. In Piriform’s words, these “contain stability or performance updates that keep CCleaner working safely and smoothly on your machine in the event of a change outside our control”. A browser update might move files around, and without the latest cleaning rules CCleaner could corrupt a browser profile. Piriform also said it might push an Important Update if your copy is very out of date. They are installed automatically by default, and Piriform recommends leaving that on. They happen much less often than normal updates.
- Product updates. These are frequent updates with new cleaning rules and features. In the free version they are installed manually. Paid users can let CCleaner install them automatically.
How to control CCleaner updates
- Install CCleaner 5.50 or later. After the upgrade, CCleaner prompts you to review your update settings.
- Open Options and select Updates.
- To stop Important Updates installing on their own, turn off the automatic install option for them.
- Paid users can choose whether product updates install automatically or wait for manual installation.
If you turn Important Updates off, check for updates now and then yourself. An outdated cleaner working on a recently updated browser is exactly the case Piriform’s warning describes.
Free vs paid update options
The difference between editions matters here. Free users choose only whether Important Updates install on their own. Feature and cleaning-rule updates always need a manual install in the free version. Paid users get the extra option to have product updates installed automatically. Either way, CCleaner shows the new settings screen after the 5.50 upgrade, so nobody has to dig through the options to find it.
Do you still need CCleaner?
Windows now has its own cleanup tools. Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup remove temporary files without third-party software. Our guide on deleting temporary files on Windows 11 shows how. If you prefer an all-in-one tool, our comparison of PC optimizer software looks at CCleaner and its rivals.
