Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26 Review

Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26 Review

Features - 99%
Usability - 99%
Security - 97%
Support - 93%
Pricing - 95%

97%

Excellent

This latest version extends the already powerful WinOptimizer platform and brings with it even more in-depth cleaning functionality to make what is undeniably a top-rated PC cleaning choice

ashampoo review logo - new

WinOptimizer 26

Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    Newly released as of June 2023, WinOptimizer 26 is the latest edition of the highly efficient PC cleaning, maintenance and system optimization tool from software experts, Ashampoo.

    With full support for the new Windows 11 operating system alongside numerous system cleaning and maintenance tools built right into the easy-to-use application itself, WinOptimizer becomes a very powerful all-in-one PC maintenance suite. Version 26 extends this already powerful offering and brings with it even more in-depth system analysis and cleaning performance, an uprated uninstaller module, a more powerful cleaning tuning assistance plus faster and more efficient cleaners (with improved search algorithms) across the board.

    winoptimizer 26 review - featured app view

    I last reviewed WinOptimizer (version 25) last year and, as a long-term user of this suite myself, was impressed by how powerful this tool has become in recent years and how it continues to be improved. This is especially true thanks to continually upgraded cleaning tools including the One Click Optimizer which is, without doubt, one of the most powerful and easy to use system cleaning tools I have ever come across.

    Time to install Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26 for myself and see how the latest version of this top-rated system cleaning utility performs – vamos!

    Looking for backup software?

    Are you looking for help and advice on choosing the best backup software for your PC or Mac? If so then be sure to check out our guide to choosing backup software which also contains a list of our favorite choices as tested here on BestBackupReviews.com!

    Key Features

    • (NEW) Upgraded 1-Click optimisation!
    • (NEW) Improved & super-fast cleaning algorithms!
    • (NEW) Improved app interface & reporting views
    • (NEW) Upgraded privacy & browser traces cleaning
    • (NEW) Uprated Uninstaller Manager 2
    • (NEW) Windows notification centre integration
    • Well designed, easy-to-use cleaning suite
    • Full support for Windows 11
    • Powerful scheduling & automation options
    • Game boost mode (live tuning to optimize gaming performance)
    • Powerful real-time optimisation tools
    • System analysis & benchmarking tools
    • SSD Wizard (easily optimize SSD drives)
    • Extensive web browser & cookie cleaning tools
    • Plus, many additional PC utility tools built-in
    • Single licence can be used on up to 3x PCs
    • Priced at a one-off cost of $50
    • Full 30-Day free trial available

    WinOptimizer 26 Usability

    In this section of my review, I will be installing and making use of the WinOptimizer 26 software for myself. This will include installing the software on my own device and assessing some of the main areas of this application with a focus on the range of system cleaning and performance boosting tools amongst other things.

    This work begins at the official Ashampoo website where a full 30-day free trial of WinOptimizer 26 is available for all new users to the service (note that a free to register Ashampoo account is required for making use of the trial).

    What’s new in WinOptimizer 26?

    WinOptimizer 26 brings with it many new and upgraded features over the previous version (WinOptimizer 25) which was released last year. Some notable new features, improvements and upgrades in this latest version include:

    • Fully upgraded 1-Click Optimiser – As one of the key cleaning modules found within the WinOptimizer suite, the One Click Optimizer makes PC cleaning and optimization really quick and easy. Version 26 sees this tool fully upgrade to provide even more powerful cleaning performance whilst making use of new super-fast cleaning algorithms for some of the best and deepest PC cleaning currently available.
    • Upgraded cleaning tools – In addition to the 1-Click Optimizer itself being upgraded, all of the cleaning tools found within the latest version of this suite have also been upgraded to offer better cleaning performance with new search algorithms meaning both faster cleaning and deeper cleaning is available versus what was available in previous versions.
    • Enhanced browser & privacy cleaning – WinOptimizer 26 brings with it major upgrades to the browser cleaning and privacy related modules found with the software. This includes fully upgraded cleaners with specific browser profile support (tuned for specific browsers), enhanced browser cleaning performance in the specialist Internet Cleaner tool plus enhanced support for eliminating sensitive data via the Privacy Traces Cleaner.
    • Upgraded interface & reporting – Alongside the many cleaning and performance improvements found within WinOptimizer 26 are improvements to the app interface itself as well as the views used for reporting information about the system being optimised.
    • Windows Notification Centre Integration – WinOptimizer now supports displaying messages via integrations with the Windows Notification Centre.
    • Enhanced Windows Optimisation – The new Tuning Assistant module is specifically designed to provide a bespoke cleaning and optimisation experience for Windows PCs. This works by asking a series of simple questions about how the PC in question is typically used before then suggesting a customised cleaning and optimisation plan which focuses on delivering the best results for each individual PC.
    • Enhanced Uninstallation management – Uninstall Manager 2 is now available in this latest version of WinOptimizer and brings with improvements in managing and uninstalling any existing applications already installed upon the device.

    Installing WinOptimizer 26

    Installing WinOptimizer 26 begins via the official Ashampoo website where a full 30-day free trial of the software can be downloaded. At a download size of just under 27MB during my own testing, this was a quick and easy download and I had the installer running on my own PC just a few moments after visiting the website.

    winoptimizer 26 review - register application

    One of the first things asked from the installer is to provide a licence key (for those who have already purchased the software) or to provide Ashampoo account details to register for the 30-day free trial. If you don’t yet have an Ashampoo account then one can be registered completely free for the purposes of enabling the full trial version.

    With registration complete, as with all Ashampoo software, the final installation process is very straightforward and simple and with just a few clicks the installer is finished and the software is ready to be used.

    winoptimizer 26 review - initial app view

    As can be seen above, once installation is complete, we can access the WinOptimizer app straight afterwards with the software ready to use right away. I will, of course, start looking at the many PC cleaning and optimisation features on offer in the upcoming sections of my review, but for now, this completes the installation of WinOptimizer 26 – a very straightforward and pleasant installation experience overall!

    NB – Remember, Ashampoo offer a full 30-day free trial of WinOptimizer 26 should you wish to try the full version of this software out for yourself!

    PC Cleaning Tools

    One of the key features of WinOptimizer 26 is, of course, the specialist set of PC cleaning tools which are included as a core part of the suite. This is a set of tools which are becoming ever more sophisticated and effective as Ashampoo continue to refine the WinOptimizer product and in this latest version have been further tuned with all new search algorithms incorporated so as they can work faster and more efficiently than ever before.

    One of the best places to start when cleaning a PC using WinOptimizer is via the “Clean” section of the app which can be found on the main left side menu as is pointed out below.

    winoptimizer 26 review - initial view of main cleaning page

    When entering the main “Clean” page (as can be seen above), one of the first tasks WinOptimizer will perform is a full scan of the system resulting in an initial report showing the main areas of the PC (Including internet cleaning, drive cleaning, privacy cleaning and registry cleaning) and how much cleaning each section might require (including an estimation of how much disk space will be recovered upon completion). Once this reporting is complete, we have the option to view the details of each of these cleaning areas via use of the “Details” button or, via each section’s “Delete” button, perform a full clean of said area using default app settings.

    winoptimizer 26 review - main cleaning page with cleaning details showing

    As can be seen above, clicking through to the details box for any of these cleaning areas will provide more details on what entries make up this section and what exactly will be cleaned / deleted as a part of the cleaning process. Should you want to fine tune the scope of the cleaning and exclude any specific sections detailed in any of these cleaning areas, then this can be done by simply unchecking said items in the details box.

    winoptimizer 26 review - main cleaning page with cleaning complete

    Finally, with any omissions accounted for, we have the ability to clean each section individually via use of the relevant “Delete” buttons or clean all sections simultaneously using the “Delete now” button found towards the bottom right of the page.

    Before moving on to the next section where I will be looking at the WinOptimizer homepage analyser tool in more detail, this is a good time to point out that we have even more settings available for this set of cleaning tools which can be found via the main WinOptimizer settings menu (as can be seen below).

    winoptimizer 26 review - main cleaning page with advanced browser cleaning settings open

    As well as being able to configure many other aspects of WinOptimizer from this main settings section, we can also fine tune the cleaning settings for each of the four main cleaning tools found under the “Clean” page as well. This includes being able to specify what areas of the registry are to be included, what areas of the drive should be included or excluded as well as being able to specify which parts of any installed browsers should be included or excluded as can be seen above.

    NB – The browser profiling abilities of WinOptimizer (as can be seen just above) allow different cleaning and optimisation settings to be applied to different browsers during the same cleaning cycle. For example, we could specify that all cookies be deleted from one browser during cleaning whilst excluding cookie cleaning completely from another browser at the same time – an ideal feature for power users or anyone who works building or developing websites amongst various other uses!

    WinOptimizer Homepage

    Having seen some of the core cleaning modules which help to make up the WinOptimizer suite, we can now move on to looking at the main application homepage and some of the powerful system analysis tools contained there within. These analysis tools found on the homepage help to provide a good overall insight into the performance and cleanliness of the system as it stands as well as providing the ability to run the cleaning process after any analysis is complete.

    winoptimizer 26 review - app homepage cleaning and analysis tools

    As can be seen above, this newly improved homepage shows eight key cleaning and performance related areas of the PC, each of which being represented as a tile alongside its current state and whether it requires optimising or not. Clicking onto any of these tiles will show more details as to which parts of the PC make-up said tile and what will be cleaned when pressing on the “Optimize” button to begin the optimisation and cleaning process.

    winoptimizer 26 review - app homepage cleaning with advanced options showing

    Also available on this homepage view is a CPU usage speedometer which is great for providing an overview of how “stressed” the current PC is. Alongside this are various other system details including any installed graphics cards, the available disk space plus details on installed memory (amongst other things) which are found towards the bottom of the page.

    winoptimizer 26 review - app homepage with cpu speedometer and system details showing

    Moving on and we also have the ability to run an extended set of system analysis tools via the “Extended” page which is found just under the “System Analysis” (i.e., the homepage) entry on the main application menu.

    winoptimizer 26 review - initial view of extended cleaning page

    As can be seen above, this “Extended” page brings even more analysis and cleaning tools to compliment those found on the main System Analysis page (i.e., the app homepage). The tools on this extended page tend to be more advanced than the more generalised cleaning and optimisation tools found on the homepage and, as such, offer more specific cleaning options for times when such options might be required.

    winoptimizer 26 review - extended cleaning with advanced details showing

    As can be seen above, all of the extended tools must be manually selected before being included in the optimisation process. Clicking on the spyglass icon found at the side of each tool will show what the current analysis has found and what items will be removed if the tool is included in the next cleaning run.

    NB – As was seen in the previous section of this review, the tools making up the homepage and extended cleaning pages can also be fine-tuned using the main WinOptimizer settings menu as and when applicable to do so.

    winoptimizer 26 review - extended page after cleaning finished

    Once run, a process which is separate from the running of the homepage optimisation process and involves using the “Optimize” button on the “Extended” page itself, the result of the cleaning will be available for analysis (as can be seen above).

    NB – Remember, Ashampoo offer a full 30-day free trial of WinOptimizer 26 should you want to try these homepage and extended optimisation tools out for yourself!

    One Click Optimizer

    The One Click Optimizer is, without doubt, one of the most powerful and effective cleaning tools found within the WinOptimizer 26 software. Fully updated and improved for version 26, not only is the One Click Optimizer a powerful cleaning and optimisation tool in its own right, but one which is (as the name suggests) very easy to use requiring just a single click to get things going.

    winoptimizer 26 review - one click optimizer in all modules page

    As can be seen above, we can access the One Click Optimizer via the “All Modules” page which is found listed on the main WinOptimizer menu. We can also make use of this tool via the powerful WinOptimizer automation options (which I will be looking at a little later on), but for now, let’s have a look at the actual tool itself.

    winoptimizer 26 review - one click optimizer view after initial analysis

    As can be seen above, the One Click Optimizer initially looks very similar the main “Clean” module we saw earlier on int this review (it has a very similar interface at least). The key difference here is that the Once Click Optimizer can be configured to run different cleaning operations versus the main “Clean” module as well as (pointed out below) be set to run automatically after the system analysis process has been completed (i.e., requiring just a single click to both analyse and clean the system).

    winoptimizer 26 review - one click optimizer advanced settings

    After the “Scan and delete automatically” option has been set (see above), the One Click Optimizer will automatically perform a scan and then the subsequent deletion of any found items automatically as soon as the module is started.

    winoptimizer 26 review - one click optimizer cleaning complete

    And with this, there isn’t too much else to say about the 1-click tool. It not only makes use of the most powerful and upgraded cleaning modules found within this latest version of WinOptimizer, but also makes doing so really easy regardless of whether the tool is run manually via the desktop application or using the scheduled cleaning service (which I will cover a little later on).

    Automatic PC Performance Optimisation

    In addition to the wide and in-depth range of system cleaning tools which are available within WinOptimizer 26, we also have available several live (automatic) optimisation tools designed to keep any PC running at its best.

    winoptimizer 26 review - initial view of automatic optimisation page

    As can be seen above, the “Automatic” page is where we can gain access to the main set of three live optimisation tools which are included within WinOptimizer. These tools consist of the Auto-Clean module, the Live-Tuner module and the Game-Booster module, all of which are designed to run automatically in the background and keep the PC in question automatically optimised (in real-time) once enabled.

    Strating off with the Auto-Clean module and we see a tool aimed at keeping any attached hard disks both clean and optimised. This is achieved by removing any web browsing traces automatically after any web browsers have been closed as well as removing any other unnecessary application files and temporary files as applicable during the process (thus also enhancing personal privacy in the process as well).

    The Live-Tuner tool is designed to improve application performance and keep the system running fast and as responsive as is possible, this is thanks to this tool working in the background and both adjusting and terminating background processes as is required to achieve this. Application launch performance can be enhanced by not only adjusting the priority of existing processes, but also terminating any new processes to save system resources when considered applicable to do so by the software itself.

    winoptimizer 26 review - automatic optimisation enabling game booster module

    Finally, the third and most powerful of these three live optimisation tools is the Game-Booster tool, a very aggressive optimisation tool which is designed to significantly boost the performance of video games by closing, adjusting or otherwise limiting any Windows background processes or services deemed unnecessary for the running of such games. Whilst this Game-Boost module is undoubtedly very powerful, it is also very intelligent and will attempt to reinstate any terminated services once any running video games have been stopped.

    NB – Remember, Ashampoo offer a full 30-day free trial of WinOptimizer 26 should you want to try these specialist live optimisation tools out for yourself!

    Other Optimisation Tools

    With the three automatic performance boosting tools seen above now covered, WinOptimizer 26 also brings with it many additional and more specialised performance boosting tools. This includes much more specific tools for certain tasks such as managing Windows services, managing background processes, optimizing internet connections plus optimizing SSD drives (amongst many other things) and these tools can be found in the “All modules” screen (as can be seen below).

    winoptimizer 26 review - optimise boot module in all modules page

    With the automatic optimisation tools aside, WinOptimizer makes available many of these additional tools via the “All Modules” page and said tools can be run, one at a time, as and when required.

    SSD Wizard:

    Whilst newer SSD drives are undoubtedly fast (much faster than their mechanical counterparts), they still often require maintenance, correct configuration and specialist optimisation in order to get the very best performance out of them.

    winoptimizer 26 review - ssd wizard in-use

    The SSD Wizard, a tool which brings together multiple settings required to optimize a device’s SSD drive, is where this specialised optimisation work begins from within WinOptimizer 26. Once opened up and the initial SSD analysis performed, selected features can be studied further and turned on or off as is required with guidance from within the tool itself (note that the “recommended settings” button which is pointed out in the previous image which will help to tune these settings as is required for the current system configuration).

    Boot Center:

    The Boot Center module is a specialist tool which can be used to analyse and then optimise the Windows boot-up process. This optimisation works by looking at which processes are set to start automatically alongside Windows itself and then allowing for said processes to be turned on or off as might be required to increase performance.

    winoptimizer 26 review - boot center module

    As can be seen above, this tool provides a detailed analysis and breakdown of the Windows boot-up process and sheds light on any areas which might be causing delays to the process as well as various other issues. We also see (pointed out above) that the tool keeps historic records of previous boot times meaning any anomalies can easily be spotted and a baseline boot-up time for Windows more easily established.

    winoptimizer 26 review - boot center autorun entries

    As well as monitoring the performance of the boot process, the Boot Center tool also allows an in-depth look at all of the tasks and processes which are active during boot-up and, for many of these processes, provides an assessment as to the impact each one might be having upon the start-up time.

    NB – Notice in the above image that WinOptimizer will in many cases also show the number of milliseconds it is estimated each entry is delaying the boot time by as well as an overall assessment of how much impact it is having (e.g., High, Medium or Low).

    Finally, the Boot Center module will also monitor the Windows shutdown process which includes providing an analysis of the entire process in addition to recording historic times for those concerned there might be issues in such cases.

    Internet Tuner:

    The Internet Tuner is another specialist optimisation module found with WinOptimizer 26 and one which can help with improving both the speed and overall reliability of an internet connection.

    winoptimizer 26 review - internet tuner module

    As can be seen above, whilst the Internet Tuner module does allow for network settings to be tuned manually as might be required, it also features an auto-optimize function which will assist in finding the best optimised network settings automatically as and when required.

    Scheduling & Automation

    So far, we have seen some of the many powerful cleaning and optimisation tools found within WinOptimizer and how these tools can be used to help maintain a Windows PC and keep it running at its best. One of the key features of WinOptimizer 26 (and a feature which helps make this software so powerful) is the built-in scheduling and automation functionality.

    winoptimizer 26 review - automatic scheduling configuration page

    The Task Scheduler module (which can be seen in-use above) is the main module from which all automated cleaning and optimisation jobs set within WinOptimizer 26 are configured. We have the option to make use of the One Click Optimizer module for performing the specified cleaning and optimisation as well as running the set of system maintenance tools found on the home page (and, for each choice, the already pre-configured cleaning settings which will be used during the automated cleaning process as well).

    With the favoured cleaning module choice made, the schedule itself can then be set. This scheduling module includes options for setting a daily (with custom delays available, e.g., allowing runs every other day), weekly and monthly running of the job at specified times as well as the ability to schedule a one-off run at a specified date and time if this is required.

    NB – Any scheduled cleaning and optimisation tasks will not run whilst the WinOptimizer application itself is open and in-use at the scheduled run time!

    Overall, I think it is worthy of special mention how easy to configure and use this scheduling module is and, whilst making use of already configured cleaning modules such as the One Click Optimizer or the “Home Page” maintenance tool, how easy it is to simply set a schedule and then leave WinOptimizer to do its work in the background thereafter.

    Enhancing Privacy

    In addition to a good set of thorough cleaning and performance optimisation tools, Ashampoo have clearly also put a great deal of emphasis on improving user privacy within WinOptimizer 26 as well. Not only do we have available some specialist privacy enhancing tools (as we are about to see in use), but also via the deep and thorough cleaning provided by many of the tools already seen which, whilst doing their regular cleaning jobs, will also help to keep personal and PC usage data private and secure in the process.

    NB – Whilst cleaning a system of unwanted or unnecessary files will, by default, also help in maintaining user privacy, Ashampoo have also included some very powerful and specialised privacy enhancing tools within WinOptimizer 26 which can help take the privacy protection already provided even further!

    Some of the key tools found within WinOptimizer which can help in protecting privacy include the following.

    Privacy Manager Tool:

    The Privacy Manager module (as can be seen in-use below) is a powerful tool found within WinOptimizer which is capable of covering several key areas and settings within Windows which could have a detrimental effect on user privacy.

    winoptimizer 26 review - privacy manager module

    Once the Privacy manager tool is open, we will be able to view and then optimize several key settings relating to Windows. This includes Window telemetry settings, location data, the Windows Update service, the Cortana voice assistance service and the permissions of individual apps amongst various other elements of the system.

    Browser Extension Manager:

    The Browser Extension Manager module provides a quick and convenient method for viewing and managing any plugins and add-ons which might be installed across any of the mainstream web browsers installed upon a device (including Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Google’s Chrome browser).

    winoptimizer 26 review - browser extension manager

    Keeping a check on which browser plugins are installed across any of the web browsers on a PC can be a great way of helping to maintain and improve web browsing privacy. Not only does the Browser Extension Manager make spotting and uninstalling any potentially unwanted plug-ins very quick and easy, thanks to the community ratings which are also displayed against many plug-ins it can also help to quickly identify any plugins which might require further attention or removal straight away.

    File Wiper:

    The File Wiper tool, as the name suggests, provides a quick and easy method for permanently and securely deleting any personal or otherwise private files in order to make sure they can’t easily be recovered again.

    winoptimizer 26 review - file wiper module

    Not only can individual files be added to the file wiping tool by simply dragging and dropping them over the interface itself, but the tool also features several pre-configured functions for wiping various areas of the system including the Windows trash can plus the option to detect and wipe any free disk space amongst other options.

    NB – Simply deleting a file within Windows (including then deleting said file from the recycle bin) might not be enough to completely remove all traces of the file (traces which in many cases might still be recoverable). Specialist tools such the File Wiper module found in WinOptimizer 26 provide one of the safest and most reliable methods for ensuring such sensitive files are securely and properly deleted with recovery virtually impossible thereafter!

    Other Useful Tools within WinOptimizer

    With the core PC cleaning and performance optimisation tools put aside, WinOptimizer 26 also provides many other useful tools and features which can help in monitoring and managing a Windows system and help to keep it running at its best. As with many of the core tools already covered during this review, these additional (but still very useful) tools can be found within the “All modules” page which is accessible from within the main application menu as was already seen earlier on.

    NB – Below are just a few of these additional tools mentioned in just a little more detail. If you want to test out this full set of additional tools for yourself, then remember that Ashampoo do offer a fully functional 30-day free trial of WinOptimizer 26 via their official website!

    System Information:

    The System Information module provides an insight into the hardware specification of the current PC alongside any peripheral devices which might be attached to the system. Whilst not especially unique to WinOptimizer 26, this tool does make it easy to access a large amount of useful system information from within a single place.

    winoptimizer 26 review - system infomation module

    Some of the useful tabs available within the System Information module include the “Drives” tab which provides in-depth information on any disk drives attached to the device, the “Fonts” tab showing all installed and available fonts within Windows, the “Power” tab showing supported power modes and the “Network” tab providing in-depth information on the networking setup of the device (amongst various other details which are also available).

    HDD Inspector:

    The HDD Inspector module provides an easy-to-use tool for viewing the status of any attached hard drives on the system. This includes viewing the SMART self-diagnostic status which could, in certain cases, help in identifying any problems which might exist with any installed disks before they become more serious.

    winoptimizer 26 review - hdd inspector module

    In addition to providing useful information relating to device health and the SMART status of any attached disks, HDD inspector also provides many additional data points including the SATA speeds supported (e.g., SATA III) and the make, model and serial numbers of installed disks when available.

    System Benchmark:

    The System Benchmark module allows for a performance benchmark of the current system to be taken, this can be very useful when evaluating new any components or configurations which might be put in place for a PC.

    winoptimizer 26 review - benchmark center module

    As can be seen above, the System Benchmark module provides benchmarking tools for both the system itself (which is focused on measuring the performance of the CPU) in addition to also benchmarking the performance of any hard disks attached to the system.

    Context Menu Manager:

    Finally, the Context Menu Manager is another useful addition to WinOptimizer 26 which can help in removing any unwanted or excessive entries from any Windows context menus. Keeping these context menus tidy and uncluttered can not only mean they are easier to navigate, but can also help reduce the slowdown sometimes experienced when opening context menus on unoptimized systems.

    winoptimizer 26 review - context menu manager module

    As can be seen above, the Context Menu Manager (which is also available form the “All Modules” page) lists all currently enabled context menu extensions and makes removing selected extensions as simple as unchecking them on this same list.

    WinOptimizer Security & Privacy

    Whilst PC cleaning and optimisation are both key roles within WinOptimizer 26, the application also features several important tools which can help in boosting the security and privacy of a Windows PC.

    This begins with some of the advanced deep cleaning tools such as advanced browser cleaning and secure file deletion which combine to help ensure any personal or sensitive data is safely removed form a device as and when this is required. Other security related functionality is extended by various other specialist tools and features including ADS (alternate data streams) management, secure file shredding plus the ability to apply strong file encryption as and when necessary to do so.

    winoptimizer 26 review - file encryption functionality in-use

    One of the most important and useful security related tools included within WinOptimizer 26 is the File manipulator tool. This is a tool which, amongst various other features, provides powerful file encryption functionality with the ability to apply strong encryption to any files via the application of a user specified password. Also included within the tool is a section for decrypting any previously encrypted files as well as other file manipulation tools for splitting and merging files for easier storage on removable media such as CDs/DVDs etc.

    Ashampoo Support

    Ashampoo have a very useful help and support portal available via their official website which features product documentation for WinOptimizer 26. Alongside this core product documentation is also a comprehensive FAQ section which should be capable of handling most problems which might be encountered.

    Should you still need to get in touch with a support representative from Ashampoo, you can also submit support tickets directly online via this same portal.

    WinOptimizer 26 Pricing

    Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26 is priced at a one-off cost of $50 for a single, perpetual licence which allows for use on up to 3 individual PCs! Users of previous versions of WinOptimizer can also upgrade to this latest version for just $15! – Check out the official Ashampoo software store for more details on either option.

    NB – Also be sure to also check out the official Ashampoo deals page to find regular special offers across all Ashampoo software including WinOptimizer 26!

    WinOptimizer 26 FAQs

    No, WinOptimizer 26 is priced at $50 for a perpetual licence covering use on up to 3 individual PCs. A limited free version of the WinOptimizer software is also available from Ashampoo and can be downloaded from the official Ashampoo website.

    Yes, WinOptimizer 26 is currently my favourite PC cleaning and maintenance application. It is a suite of tools which not only provides powerful cleaning and performance optimisation for Windows devices, but one which also provides functionality to help enhance privacy, device security and video game performance amongst many other useful features.

    One of the most powerful features of WinOptimizer 26 is its ability to clean and boost the performance of a PC both automatically and in real-time. These cleaning features are provided via both the live optimisation tools (including the very powerful Game-Booster tool) and also the strong scheduling engine which supports running the One Click Optimizer module on a fixed schedule as and when it is required.

    Yes, this latest version of WinOptimizer is 100% compatible and tested as working with Windows 11!

    WinOptimizer is a specialist tool which focuses on providing a deep and extensive clean of a Windows PC. Not only does this cleaning go much deeper than is the case with many comparable cleaners, but with many other features included it can also help in enhancing user privacy and improving system performance alongside many other related features.

    WinOptimizer 26 Alternatives

    In this section of my review, I will be looking at some good alternatives to Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26. This includes similar system cleaning and maintenance tools with a clear focus on keeping a Windows PC clean, optimized and always running at its best.

    Remember, any ratings and opinions given below reflect my own personal views and should be treated only as a guide! When purchasing any form of PC cleaning and maintenance software, always be sure to carefully check the details of the offering out for yourself first and try and to make use of any free trials, whenever possible, to help ensure the solution is right before committing to a purchase.

    1) Iolo System Mechanic

    System Mechanic is a highly rated system cleaning and maintenance tool which features numerous PC cleaning tools, privacy enhancing features, device security tools plus the ability keep a Windows PC optimised in real-time thanks to some very powerful system optimisation features.

    winoptimizer 26 review - iolo system mechanic alternative

    Available in three different versions (these are Standard, Pro and Ultimate), System mechanic will at a minimum provide a comprehensive set of deep cleaning and optimisation tools including the highly functional “All-in-One” cleaning tool which takes care of many deep PC cleaning tasks all by itself. Moving on to higher versions of System Mechanic (Pro and Ultimate) and we see additional tools available including the secure drive wiping tool in the Pro version (Drive Scrubber) plus a powerful set of anti-virus tools included in the Ultimate Defence version amongst various other specialist maintenance and cleaning functionality.

    Other notable features of System Mechanic include a good set of automation features for ensuring devices stay clean and optimised with the minimal need for user intervention, access to a password manager application (in the Ultimate Defence version) plus a well laid out user interface which makes finding the right tool for the job both quick and simple.

    Iolo System Mechanic is priced from $49.95 per Year for the Standard edition with the Pro edition priced at $69.95 per Year and the Ultimate Defence edition priced at $79.95 per Year. A 30-day free trial is also available across the entire range via the official Iolo System Mechanic website.

    2) CCleaner Professional

    CCleaner is well-known as a leading cleaning and optimisation tool, one which has been a “go to” cleaning application for many PC users’ in either its highly functional free-to-use edition or the Professional edition with enhanced functionality available.

    winoptimizer 26 review - ccleaner alternative

    One of the biggest features of CCleaner is how powerful the software is when it comes to core cleaning tasks plus the number of different cleaning and optimisation functions it can perform either manually or via automatic scheduling (a feature which is only available in the Professional version). Adding to this core cleaning and optimisation functionality in recent versions of the tool are many powerful features including registry cleaning tools, Windows boot time optimisation tools plus the new “Smart Cleaning” tools which help to take the deep cleaning of a PC to a whole new level!

    Other useful features of the Professional version of CCleaner include a driver updater tool for helping keep Windows drivers continuously up to date, a 1-Click software updating module plus a PC health check analysis tool amongst many other similar components.

    CCleaner is available in a free-to-use edition alongside a professional edition which includes various automation and real-time cleaning functions over and above the free edition (amongst various other additional features) and is priced from just $24.95 per year for a single PC or $39.95 for 3x PCs. More information on both editions of CCleaner is available via the official CCleaner website.

    3) Glary Utilities Pro

    Glary Utilities Pro is a comprehensive PC cleaning and performance optimisation suite, one which provides use of 20+ powerful cleaning and maintenance tools which together combine to help keep a PC running at its best with very little user effort required.

    winoptimizer 26 review - glarysoft utilities pro alternative

    Once installed, one of the most powerful and useful modules found within Glary Utilities Pro is the 1-Click Maintenance tool, a tool which provides powerful deep cleaning and performance optimisation functionality with the minimal of effort required to initially configure and run. Other notable utilities included within the suite are the Windows registry repair tools, file encryption and disk cleaning tools, a device driver manager for helping to keep drivers up to date plus the Windows start-up manager (for optimising boot times) amongst many others.

    Priced at just $39.95 per Year for a single licence which covers use on up to three PCs, Glary Utilities Pro is not only very powerful, but also very competitively priced for such a useful tool! A limited free version of the tool is also available via the official Glarysoft website!

    Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26 Review Summary

    Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26 is a very powerful piece of Windows PC cleaning and performance optimisation software. It is a tool for which, whilst making my review, it has become clear that Ashampoo clearly values greatly given that they continue to refine and improve what is on offer which results in the leading cleaning software we see today.

    Featuring fully upgraded cleaning and optimisation tools in this latest version, including fully upgraded cleaning algorithms which are now faster and more powerful than ever before, WinOptimizer’s ability to keep a Windows PC clean and running well really is second to none. Other new features including the upgraded 1-Click Optimizer, enhanced privacy protection and browser cleaning, Windows notification centre integration plus integration of the new Uninstall Manager 2 all help to make this a great all round cleaning suite overall.

    All-in-all, an excellent tool which keeps getting better, is very fairly priced and will bring genuinely noticeable performance boosting results to the vast majority of Windows PC users who are not yet using such cleaning software – Great work Ashampoo!

    Looking for backup software?

    Are you looking for help and advice on choosing the best backup software for your PC or Mac? If so then be sure to check out our guide to choosing backup software which also contains a list of our favorite choices as tested here on BestBackupReviews.com!

    Scroll to Top