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Tools
Keeping your software in order hardly requires any extra software. Everything essential is already built into the system: the list of installed apps, startup management, updates, recovery, protection and user accounts. Installing a separate “cleaner” to keep an eye on your other programs is a bit like hiring a guard to watch the guard.
Before you go looking for a maintenance program, check your settings: the option you need is most likely already there.
How this section works: we describe the kinds of built-in tools without naming systems or specific menu items. You can usually find them by searching your settings or the system's help: just type “startup apps,” “recovery” or “accounts.”
The basic toolkit, which is enough to keep track of your programs without third-party helpers.
A section of the settings that lists everything installed, usually with the install date and the space each item takes up. This is also where programs are uninstalled the standard way. It's useful to sort the list by date now and then and see what showed up without your knowledge.
A tool that shows running programs and system load, along with a list of what starts with the system. Here you can turn off automatic startup without uninstalling the program and find a process that has unexpectedly taken over your resources.
The place where the system gets fixes for itself and sometimes for some programs. Here you can see which updates are installed, which are waiting for a restart and whether there are any errors. It's worth checking if your computer has been nagging you to restart for a while.
A tool that saves the state of system files and settings and lets you roll back to it after a failed install. It usually doesn't touch personal documents and doesn't replace a backup, but it comes to the rescue when a new program or driver has messed things up.
The security features that come with the system: file scanning, a firewall and warnings about programs from unknown publishers. Keep them turned on and don't disable them because an installer or an unfamiliar guide tells you to.
The section where users and their privileges are set up. A standard account is more convenient for everyday work, and administrator rights are best confirmed separately and deliberately, when a program truly needs to change something in the system.
Step-by-step guides: how to install a program carefully, update it, review startup apps and uninstall it without leftovers. Plus our article catalog.
What to do when a program won't start, won't uninstall, keeps asking for admin rights, or when something unwanted shows up after an install.
How free, trial, open source and paid software differ, how an installer compares to a portable version, and which updates to install right away.
A glossary of terms: installer, license, open source, startup apps, administrator rights, checksum, digital signature and other everyday software words.
Risks when looking for software: fake download sites, pirated versions, installers with bundled extras and fake update notifications in your browser.
These recommendations are written in general terms as of the date they were prepared. Installer windows, menu items and the names of system tools vary and change with updates, so check your system's help and the program developer's documentation rather than relying on how things looked last time.