If your search was specifically for the free download rather than just 'CCleaner,' you've likely seen the paid CCleaner Pro upsell and want to confirm a genuinely free option still exists — it does, and it's the version this page links to. The free tier covers temp file cleanup, browser cache clearing, and startup program management, which is what most people actually use CCleaner for. Real-time monitoring and automatic updates are the features reserved for Pro.
Free Tier vs. CCleaner Pro — What You're Missing
The free version requires you to open the app and run a scan manually; Pro adds scheduled automatic cleaning and real-time junk monitoring in the background.
Piriform, now part of Gen Digital, still ships the free tier as a fully functional standalone tool rather than a time-limited trial, so there's no expiry date to plan around.
Who ends up using CCleaner Free
CCleaner Free is the go-to for everyday Windows users who notice their PC accumulating temp files and cache clutter but don't need enterprise-grade maintenance.
- Users freeing up disk space by clearing browser cache and Windows temp files manually
- People trimming a bloated startup program list to speed up boot time
- Anyone doing a one-time cleanup before selling or handing off an old PC
Before you install
A couple of things worth knowing about CCleaner Free before you request the link: it covers Windows and macOS, so grab the build that matches the machine you're setting up. And on pricing, CCleaner Free has a free tier plus a paid upgrade; the free build below is the full, genuine app, not a time-limited trial. It's developed and maintained by Piriform (Gen Digital).
System requirements
- WindowsWindows 10 or 11 (64-bit); older 7/8.1 builds usually still run but no longer get official support
- macOSa recent macOS release — check the download page for the current minimum version, since Apple Silicon vs Intel builds sometimes differ
It's a lightweight tool, so there's no serious CPU/RAM/storage requirement beyond what its OS already needs to run comfortably.
Quick steps
- Download the Windows or macOS installer linked below
- Install and skip any bundled offers during setup if prompted
- Run Health Check or Custom Clean to scan and clear temp files
CCleaner Free: the honest trade-offs
- Simple one-click Health Check scan that non-technical users can run safely
- Startup manager makes it easy to see and disable slow-boot programs
- Free tier has no time limit or feature countdown, unlike many cleanup trials
- No scheduled or real-time automatic cleaning without upgrading to Pro
- Third-party download mirrors have a history of bundling unwanted offers, so care is needed
The installer here comes from Piriform's official distribution, unaltered — worth checking install screens carefully anyway since some third-party mirrors bundle extra offers.
Other System Utilities downloads people search for
Browse the full System Utilities category →
Keeping CCleaner Free up to date
CCleaner Free usually has a built-in updater or store-based auto-update (Microsoft Store / Mac App Store / Play Store, depending on platform); if you installed it manually, re-downloading the current build from the official source is the fallback. Sticking to the developer's own distribution channel — which is what this page links to — means you're never stuck on an old build with unpatched bugs just because a mirror site stopped updating its copy.
Features, install steps, alternatives and more detail live on the main CCleaner Free page.
Frequently asked questions
Does the free version expire or become a trial?
No, the free tier keeps working indefinitely; it simply lacks Pro's automatic scheduling and real-time monitoring.
Is CCleaner Free safe to run on startup programs?
Yes, but review the startup list before disabling anything — it lets you toggle entries individually rather than removing them.
