CCleaner v7 Updates Discussion

[v_v]

CCleaner v 7.00.984 (06 Oct 2025)

New *** 7.x ***

==========

https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/version-history

https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/builds


go for the SLIM build

To those who might care about these matters.

I have been using the free version of CCleaner for years.  The only part that I have used has been the junk file remover (junk files, internet cache, empty recycle bin, etc).  I do not use any of the more specialized and/or advanced features.

Through version 6.39.11548 one could download a manual offline full installer.  Starting with version " CCleaner Free (v7.00.984) - Latest official release " the only option available is a "standard online installer".  This probably works but it is not something that I am interested in.

To get an offline installer one has to go to the page " https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/builds " and download the "CCleaner - Offline installer" at the bottom of the page that is listed under "Builds below are for system admins and advanced users."  This offline installer IS NOT marked with a version number NOR is it marked as "free"!  The free version at the top of the page ONLY has the small "standard online installer".

The previous version (6.39.11548) offline installer was 86,297 KB.  The newer offline installer comes in at 118,610 KB.  For comparison purposes version 5.44.6577 was only 15,615 KB!  For some this might mean that there is too much "bloatware".  This is a complaint that I have seen in several places on the internet.

There DOES NOT appear to be a "Slim Build" available for the new version 7.0.984.0.  Also there is currently NO PORTABLE version 7.0.984.0.  The portable version is currently stopped at version 6.39.11548.  I think that I saw a comment somewhere from Piriform that they are waiting to see what the demand might be for making a portable version 7.0.984.0.  Apparently the new version 7 has structural features that counteract with 'portability'.

So I have downloaded and installed version 7.0.984.0 using the "CCleaner - Offline installer".  This installer works and it makes many changes.  The program used to be listed in "Program Files" under "CCleaner"; now this folder has been deleted and the program is now listed under "Piriform".  In addition whereas the previous versions (versions 6.39.11548 and earlier) seemed to contain everything in the "Program Files" the new version 7.0.984.0 also adds folders in the root directory under "C:\Users\[NAME]\AppData\Roaming\CCleaner".

This new version has an updated interface and it seems that all of my previous settings were carried over to the new version.  However if one does update to this newer version I suggest that one should review their settings just to be sure that one's preferences remain as one wishes.  (All of my "Custom Clean" settings were carried over with the update.  However I had to change the "Updates" setting back to "manually" because the newer version had changed it to "automatically".)

Beyond the new interface appearances the program still seems to run as usual for the few simple features that I use.  I cannot speak for all of the other more advanced and specialized features.

If one does choose to update from version 6.39.11548 to version 7.0.984.0 then I suggest that one keeps a copy of the installer for the old version as a just in case.

v_v

[v_v]

EDIT to my previous post of today (October 16, 2025 11:31:27 AM).


It also appears that the new version 7.0.984.0 sets a 'run at startup' service that runs at computer boot up (per Windows Services the start-up property setting is "Automatic".)  When I tried to stop or terminate the service after closing CCleaner the service would restart itself automatically.  When I went into Windows Services and set the service start-up property to "Manual" that still did not help.  The service continued to restart every time I stopped it.

There is no control setting for this inside CCleaner itself.  In other words they do not tell you that they are doing this and they do not give you the option to turn it off.

The solution for this is to go to Windows Services and set the start-up to "Disabled" and then to stop or terminate the service.  Once the service is stopped then one can reset the start-up property to "Manual".


[Further edit]


Ahhh, so the preceding method of stopping the continual service seems to have effect of nullifying the majority of the program once the program is restarted.  Upon restarting CCleaner with the start-up property set at "Manual" the only parts of the program that are available are the "Cloud Storage Cleaner" and "Disk Analyzer" functions, neither of which I use.  In addition this nullified version of the program will only remain open for a few minutes after which it abruptly closes or crashes, and the continual service that restarts with the program remains running even after the program close/crash.  One has to manually stop this continual service.

Further it appears that even when changing the start-up setting in Windows Services back to "Automatic" the majority of the CCleaner program remains nullified.  Thus it might require a reboot of the computer to get the fully functioning progarm back.

But I will not be re-booting to test this.  I have had enough.  It appears that the continual service has to be set to automatic and has to be running for CCleaner to function properly.  I do not care for CCleaner to be running continually in the background even when the program is closed.  To not have the option to turn this off is enough for me to reject this update.  CCleaner 7.0.984.0 will be uninstalled and I will reinstall version 6.39.11548 that worked just fine.

During the uninstall process I was given the option to "repair" the installation.  I did this and the repair did restore the complete functionality of the program---all of the nullified portions of the program reappeared and became fully functioning.  Also the continually ongoing service was once again automatically set to "automatic" and it remains running after the program is closed.

Both the repair and uninstallation processes seem to take forever, about 10 minutes or so.  During the uninstall the Piriform folder is removed from "Program Files" but the "CCleaner" folder remained in "C:\Users\[NAME]\AppData\Roaming\CCleaner" and had to be removed manually.

I reinstalled CCleaner 6.39.11548, however I had to redo all of my customizations and "Options" settings.  I had saved and restored a backup of the entire 6.39.11548 program folder from "Program Files" but this did not restore my old settings.  Maybe there were certain specific ".ini" files that I should have saved but did not know about.  At any rate restoring my old settings only took a minute or two.

So now I have tried CCleaner 7.0.984.0, found it unattractive and problematic for my purposes, and uninstalled it.  I have re-installed CCleaner 6.39.11548 and it is working as before.  I will stick with this latter version until it no longer functions successfully.

[More than 4 hours of my life wasted away! (Sigh)]

v_v

[ky331]

v_v,
Sorry to hear about all your negative experience (and waste of time) with CC v7.   I was simply posting to acknowledge the existence of this newest version... and I subsequently linked to a (seemingly positive) article in PCWorld.
To be blunt, I'm still running the rather old v6.02 on my Win10/11 systems.  I never felt any compelling need to update... the old one seems to still be doing the job.   Maybe it's time to stop routinely listing the newer updates, and just leave well-enough alone --- those who wish to seek out newer updates can always do so on their own.

[winchester73]

I liked CCleaner back when it was owned by Piriform.  Avast has taken it in a different direction and I've stopped using it.

[MikeW]

I still use an older version. Don't like or need the latest offering.

I don't think update posts are needed as the program gives a warning when updates are available.

[plodr]

ky331, although I haven't updated CCleaner in years, I do appreciate you mentioning when it has been updated. Since I run Win 7, and don't run CCleaner too often, I saw no need to continually update it.

[ky331]

There are arguments both for and against continuing to post updates here.   For the time being, I think I will continue to post them.   However, the caveat is:   I am not (necessarily) accepting/testing all these updates myself, meaning that users who OPT to do so are (potentially) proceeding at their own risk, should the update be so radically different [or even unstable].   The fact that this was a "major" update, from v6.x to v7, should have suggested people proceed with caution.

[winchester73]

Makes a lot of sense !

I'm going to split this discussion out into a different thread so as to keep the update posts 'clean'

[Forlorn]

I appreciate the update posts. They serve as a nice reminder since I have auto-update disabled. I'm also very grateful for the warning about version 7 that was posted here.

For those of you who opt to skip the update and continue using version 6, checkout the note in CCleaner's update section (see atch.) You might eventually be forced to upgrade.

[ky331]

Hopefully it won't come to that:   FORCED updates, without (i.e., against) user consent, are not tolerable.   IF they do so, it might be time to completely uninstall the program.

[winchester73]

I suppose you could disable CCleaner via Windows task scheduler, or set your firewall to block the CCleaner and CCUpdate executables ... then you'd see this after a year:




. but that seems like a lot of work to prevent a forced update.  There are alternatives ...