The genuine cleanmgr.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows Operating System by Microsoft Corporation. "Cleanmgr.exe" is the Microsoft Windows Operating System's Disk Cleanup Manager utility, located in "C:\Windows\System32". On 64-bit computers its 32-bit version is in "C:\Windows\SysWOW64". First introduced in Windows 98, it presents the user interface listing different types of files, each with a checkbox allowing the user to select what to erase. Each file type listed indicates a handler is present for that type, which "cleanmgr.exe" calls to do scanning or deleting. Although this "Disk Cleanup Wizard" GUI is to be deprecated in Windows 10, when the "Clean Now" button in "Storage Settings" is clicked Task Manager still shows "cleanmgr.exe" running.
CleanMgr stands for Windows Disk Space Cleanup Manager
The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may, in some cases, harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the cleanmgr.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.
Description: The original cleanmgr.exe is an important part of Windows and rarely causes problems. The cleanmgr.exe file is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 212,480 bytes (22% of all occurrences), 209,920 bytes and 6 more variants.
Cleanmgr.exe is a Windows system file. The file is a Microsoft signed file.
Therefore the technical security rating is 0% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.
If cleanmgr.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 66% dangerous. The file size is 13,179,660 bytes.
The software listens for or sends data on open ports to a LAN or the Internet. The cleanmgr.exe file is not a Windows core file. The program has no visible window. The process starts upon Windows startup (see Registry key: Run).
Cleanmgr.exe is able to monitor applications.
Important: Some malware disguises itself as cleanmgr.exe, particularly when not located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the cleanmgr.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.
Suddenly using +90% of my CPU This was all very helpful though, I feel safe ending the process now. Seaberry (further information)
cleanmgr.exe is the process for Disk Cleanup. cleanmgr.exe uses about 50% or more of my CPU when it is calculating the amount of disk space that can be recovered and when it is recovering disk space.
%windir%\system32\cleanmgr.exe
Summary: Average user rating of cleanmgr.exe:
based on 9 votes with 7 user comments.
5 users think cleanmgr.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
3 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
One user suspects danger.
One user is not sure about it.
Best practices for resolving cleanmgr issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with cleanmgr. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows' 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.
Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.
To get your computer running as fast as it did on day one, you can 8reset your PC. Your personal files will remain intact, but any programs you installed will need to be reinstalled.
To help you analyze the cleanmgr.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. A good Bantivirus software detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.
Score
User Comments
Ankur Sethi
William (further information)
anonymous
Seaberry (further information)
Summary: Average user rating of cleanmgr.exe: based on 9 votes with 7 user comments. 5 users think cleanmgr.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 3 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. One user suspects danger. One user is not sure about it.