PC Manager questions the company's own recommendations.
Recently, users noticed that Microsoft's PC Manager tool for optimizing and improving the performance of Windows 10 and 11 is now available in the Microsoft Store. This app promises a number of useful features and handy tools, but at the same time contains some strange elements and raises questions.
Experts examined the PC Manager application and found that one of the ways to "optimize" computer performance is to clean up the Windows Prefetch folder. This action is included in the "Deep Cleaning" option, which implies a more aggressive and effective result. This is where the problems start.
Microsoft itself does not recommend interfering with the contents of the Windows Prefetch folder, as this may lead to the opposite effect from the promised PC Manager application. Instead of speeding up your PC, clearing Windows Prefetch can slow down the launch of applications. A quick Internet search will reveal topics that are fifteen or more years old on official Microsoft forums, where moderators and qualified experts warn against manually clearing the Windows Prefetch directory. However, the PC Manager application states that these files "do not need to be saved". So what is it really, Microsoft?
In addition to offering questionable service benefits, there are also strange links. By default, the Tools section contains two affiliate links (with tracking parameters) to Chinese software sites. We are talking about the official application from Microsoft under the brand name "Microsoft Corporation", which promises to be"clean without interference".
The first link suggests some sort of PowerPoint presentation creation assistant and appears to be operated by a company called Microsoft Mobile Lianxin Internet Services Co., Ltd., which sounds like a Chinese Microsoft joint venture. The second one seems to be operated by Hainan Chuangye Star Technology Co., Ltd. and offers a PDF editor that copies the user interface and PDF editing functionality of Microsoft Word. After examining these URLs, you will notice that both contain links with referral codes, which may mean that Microsoft, or at least the author(s) of this app, receive revenue from visits or purchases made through these web pages.
While these findings do not in any way make the Microsoft PC Manager app explicitly malicious, you should still think twice before using it on your system. This story shows that even Microsoft's "optimizers" are not immune to questionable elements, so maybe we don't need all these cleaners and accelerators after all.
Recently, users noticed that Microsoft's PC Manager tool for optimizing and improving the performance of Windows 10 and 11 is now available in the Microsoft Store. This app promises a number of useful features and handy tools, but at the same time contains some strange elements and raises questions.
Experts examined the PC Manager application and found that one of the ways to "optimize" computer performance is to clean up the Windows Prefetch folder. This action is included in the "Deep Cleaning" option, which implies a more aggressive and effective result. This is where the problems start.
Microsoft itself does not recommend interfering with the contents of the Windows Prefetch folder, as this may lead to the opposite effect from the promised PC Manager application. Instead of speeding up your PC, clearing Windows Prefetch can slow down the launch of applications. A quick Internet search will reveal topics that are fifteen or more years old on official Microsoft forums, where moderators and qualified experts warn against manually clearing the Windows Prefetch directory. However, the PC Manager application states that these files "do not need to be saved". So what is it really, Microsoft?
In addition to offering questionable service benefits, there are also strange links. By default, the Tools section contains two affiliate links (with tracking parameters) to Chinese software sites. We are talking about the official application from Microsoft under the brand name "Microsoft Corporation", which promises to be"clean without interference".
The first link suggests some sort of PowerPoint presentation creation assistant and appears to be operated by a company called Microsoft Mobile Lianxin Internet Services Co., Ltd., which sounds like a Chinese Microsoft joint venture. The second one seems to be operated by Hainan Chuangye Star Technology Co., Ltd. and offers a PDF editor that copies the user interface and PDF editing functionality of Microsoft Word. After examining these URLs, you will notice that both contain links with referral codes, which may mean that Microsoft, or at least the author(s) of this app, receive revenue from visits or purchases made through these web pages.
While these findings do not in any way make the Microsoft PC Manager app explicitly malicious, you should still think twice before using it on your system. This story shows that even Microsoft's "optimizers" are not immune to questionable elements, so maybe we don't need all these cleaners and accelerators after all.
