CCleaner does not actually speed up Android phones

[Ink]

On the CCleaner for Android website, Piriform claims it can speed up your smartphone by:

"Speed up your phone
In a single click, safely remove the junk that accumulates on your phone, slowing it down. CCleaner can delete application cache, browser history, clipboard content, old call logs and more."​

Piriform then go on to say:

"Reclaim storage space
CCleaner allows you to quickly and easily remove installed applications on your device freeing up valuable storage space."​

However, isn't freeing up storage the same as deleting, and isn't keeping a cache used to help loads sites and apps faster. That means CCleaner for Android does quite the opposite and nowhere it is mentioned on How they Speed up Android phones, only deletion.

While I do not have proof, it's hard to believe deleting files = performance boost.

Share your views below and preferably not about Windows version.

Do you use CCleaner for Android (not Windows!!) and if so, have you experienced a real physical improvement in performance after use? What were the most noticeable differences?

 

[Marko :)]

If you take a look at Google Play, you'll see that every cleaner says how it speeds up and boosts performance. That's just marketing.

Yes, I'm using CCleaner but only to free some space. I didn't experience any improvement in performance (nor slowdowns) and tbh I didn't expect it.

 

[brod56]

Agree with Marko. In fact every cleaner promises to speed up Android, but none actually does. I just use CCleaner to free some space and it works pretty well.

 

[Arequire]

Cleaners themselves are actually pointless and a drain on battery despite what they claim. You can clear the cache manually from the storage section in settings (and clean out old apps/media files/browsing history/call logs, etc. yourself) and their claim that they speed up your phone is generally based on their ability to shutdown running apps to free up RAM. The problem is twofold: Android already frees up spare RAM automatically when apps aren't being used (it's done this and the majority of running apps that cleaners shutdown relaunch on their own in the background. Shutting down and having them startup again over and over consumes more battery than just leaving them running in the background.

 

[Rolo]

No, I don't use it for Android...or any other cleaner. (I do swear by CCleaner for Windows, however.)

I have ample storage, so I don't need to "clean up space". Since Gingerbread, Android does a good job with memory management, so "memory cleaners"/task killers are working against the OS.

I have an htc 10 with about 300 apps installed. I use AdAway, Titanium Backup, and TWRP recovery. TWRP is necessary for clearing caches without doing a full factory data reset, among other things (backups, root, Xposed)...

 

[DJ Panda]

I am currently in a situation with some cleaning. One of the games I have slows down after downloading DLC I have. ( A lot of it.) The DLC downloads if one of its features is selected. I always make a data backup of the save file, but I end up using some "Clean Master" app only thing that works. I used to use CCleaner for Android not bad but Clean Master seems to do better.

 

[Winter Soldier]

Thanks for sharing, I use CCleaner on my Android device but I've unflagged the box to terminate the app processes because indeed, it is essentially useless to kill the processes.
Usually CCleaner locates hundreds of megabytes of app cache.
That's useful.

 

[Rolo]

Usually CCleaner locates hundreds of megabytes of app cache.
That's useful.

You can format /cache from a custom recovery (e.g. TWRP) and clear ART/Dalvik caches.

"Clean Master"

I've used that app before...best in its class, I'd say.

When I had it, it would always run and nag about cleaning stuff. I put a lot of effort to outgrow my OCD stuff and didn't want my phone pushing me off the wagon.

 

[roger_m]

Cleaning the cache cache can increase performance if your phone is low on internal storage space. That is probably the main instance where it can actually increase performance. Likewise, freeing RAM by closing apps can improve performance when there is little free RAM. Also closing apps can improve peformance if there are apps running in the background which are using CPU time.

While Android does do a fairly good job of managing RAM, it is far from perfect. When I purchased my Meizu M2, 18 months ago, it ran smoothly most of the time, but sometimes when I had been using a lot of apps, it would slow down. I found an option in the power settings of included security app (which is an antivirus, power manager and junk cleaner) to close background apps after three minutes. Enabling this, fixed the slowdowns. The more RAM you Android device has, the less use there will be to clean the RAM. Also, some device will handle memory management better then others, dependong on how well optimised Android is on that device.

I don't use CCleaner on my phone (or any of my PCs). SD Maid finds more junk than CCleaner and just about all other cleanning apps. I have the Pro version. If your device is rooted, it will clean even more junk. I also use Power Clean occasionally. Also, my phone's included cleaner app automatically does a cleanup from time to time. I've used tens of different cleaning apps, and often there's not a lot of difference between them, but SD Maid and Power Cleaner do stand out.

If you have a rooted device, Root Cleaner can clean the Dalvik Cache. This can free up a lot of space. But once the cleaned apps are used again, then the space will start to be used again.

 

[Ink]

Appreciate your input. For high-end devices with plenty of storage and memory, CCleaner isn't effective?

 

[roger_m]

Appreciate your input. For high-end devices with plenty of storage and memory, CCleaner isn't effective?

Probably not. If your phone was running slowly, then it wouldn't hurt to try it or SD Maid. But, if your phone is running fine, then there's no point really.

 

[Rolo]

Cleaning the cache cache can increase performance if your phone is low on internal storage space. .

It will diminish performance since apps won't be using cached data. If you're that low on space, you need to uninstall apps or remove media (pictures, music, et. al.) or use external storage, if that's an option.

If you have a rooted device, Root Cleaner can clean the Dalvik Cache. This can free up a lot of space. But once the cleaned apps are used again, then the space will start to be used again.

The Dalvik cache will be immediately rebuilt (That's what's happening during the "Optimizing app __ of ___" message). The purpose of clearing it is when it is borked from app updates--clearing both caches is the first thing I do when something isn't acting right (force closes/crashes, app not working).

For your RAM slowdowns, you may want to give Greenify a try; I've used that in the past with good results.

 

[WinXPert]

I use cleaners (Clean junk from ShareIt not CCleaner) on my Android. Got a low end phone so I need some cleaning every once in a while.

No, I don't use it for Android...or any other cleaner. (I do swear by CCleaner for Windows, however.)

ditto

 

[roger_m]

It will diminish performance since apps won't be using cached data. If you're that low on space, you need to uninstall apps or remove media (pictures, music, et. al.) or use external storage, if that's an option.

It can increase performance if space is low. But, you are right that is better to try and uninstall apps or move data to free up space without cleaning the cache. With my current phone, apps can't be moved to the SD Card, other by rooting the phone and using an app such as Link2SD.

For your RAM slowdowns, you may want to give Greenify a try; I've used that in the past with good results.

I've used in in the past as well, and it is an excellent app. I don't have any signifcant issues with RAM slowdowns at the moment, as the built in security app on my phone is fairly aggressive about closing background apps, unless I whitelist them.

 

[McLovin]

If you have Android 7.1.1 (unsure on the name) CCleaner won't clean the cached apps. You have to physically do that yourself. Now I don't this a problem for us techies but when it comes to normal users it might be a far above their head. Only reason I have CCleaner on my phone, is like most have said is to clear space on my phone. Nothing else.

 

[Deletedmessiah]

Android system is different from Windows system. Most of the things in cleaners are just marketing. I still use ccleaner for cleaning cache, thumbnails, empty folders and clipboards. Thats about it. Other options aren't ticked. Killing processes and Ram actually does more harm than good.
Clean master is really bad in my experience. Rather than improving battery life, it made battery drain much faster. And all those nasty permissions, ads, data collection. Really bad app.

 

[amir 957]

Just use it for free some space

 

[Deleted member 178]

There is no way to properly clean non-rooted phones , you need to get it rooted, then use a root-capable software , like SD Maid.

 

[Ink]

There is no way to properly clean non-rooted phones , you need to get it rooted, then use a root-capable software , like SD Maid.

Even if rooted, there isn't a need to constantly clear an Android device, because you already have everything you don't need deleted.

On non-root, Uninstalling Apps, Clearing Data for Disabled apps and Clear Cache can be performed on Android to save space anyway, it doesn't make your device faster.

I remember now my Xperia M4 only had 8GB internal space (4GB for OS) and using CCleaner didn't help. The hardware was low-end and there was no increase in performance.

 

[Andytay70]

The only issue i have with android is when you uninstall a program google pesters you to update!