About CCleaner
Nowadays, many Windows users depend on CCleaner to declutter their systems. CCleaner is a widely used tool for cleaning junk files that can remove unwanted files left behind by uninstalled applications, system caches, browsing history, log files, and problematic registry entries, among others.
By default, it launches automatically when Windows starts. Although it’s a well-known utility and the premium version of CCleaner offers excellent features, it has become progressively more intrusive regarding its integration into the system. If you only use the application sporadically, having it set to start automatically each time you boot Windows may be inconvenient.
Follow the step-by-step methods below to learn how to stop CCleaner from starting automatically on Windows.
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How to Stop CCleaner from Launching
Way 1. Disable Auto-Startup Within CCleaner
To fix CCleaner automatically launching on Windows, navigate to the program’s Options panel and turn off settings related to monitoring, scheduling, and updates. Here’s the way to do it:
Step 1. Open the CCleaner app.
Step 2. In the lower-right corner of the CCleaner window, select Options. When the Options panel appears, choose Smart Cleaning from the sidebar and disable the checkbox next to Enable Smart Cleaning.

Step 3. Continue exploring the other categories on the sidebar and disable additional settings that cause CCleaner to start up during system startup:
- Go to Updates, uncheck the boxes labeled Keep CCleaner updated automatically and Send notifications when there is a new version of CCleaner.
- In the Cleaning Schedule section, turn off the switch next to Current cleaning preferences.
- Under Privacy, uncheck the options for Help improve this app and our other products by sharing app-usage data with us, See possible upgrades and offers for our other products by sharing app-usage data with us, and See offers for 3rd-party products by sharing app-usage data with us.
Way 2. Disable CCleaner as a Startup Program in Task Manager
After turning off the auto-launch options in CCleaner mentioned above, you can also prevent CCleaner from starting up automatically using the Task Manager. Here’s what you need to do:
Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to access the Task Manager.
Step 2. Navigate to the Startup tab.
Step 3. Select CCleaner from the list and click on Disable.
Way 3. Disable CCleaner as a Startup Program in Windows Settings
Additionally, you can check whether the CCleaner program is a startup app in Settings. If yes, just toggle it off.
Step 1. Press Win + I to open the Windows Settings.
Step 2. Go to Apps > Startup.
Step 3. If CCleaner is listed, set its switch to Off.
Further Step: Recover Files Deleted by CCleaner(If Necessary)
What steps should you take if CCleaner deletes files from your computer? First, stop using the software and refrain from using your computer or storage devices. Next, seek a professional data recovery tool like MiniTool Power Data Recovery to execute CCleaner file recovery right away.
This recovery software offers users robust tools to address challenging data loss situations. Additionally, it is significantly more secure and can accurately scan both existing and deleted files.
Now, download and install this free data recovery software to recover files deleted by CCleaner.
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Step 1. Launch the recovery software to enter the main interface. By default, you will locate the Logical Drives section. Locate the target partition where deleted files are stored and click the Scan button to start scanning for lost files.

Step 2. Wait for the full scanning process to complete. Once it’s done, use the Path, Type, Filter, and Search features to locate wanted files.
Step 3. Double-click to preview files. Next, check the boxes for the desired files and click the Save button. In the pop-up window, choose a different location to store the recovered files and click OK.
In Summary
This guide talks about how to stop CCleaner from launching and provides a professional data recovery tool to recover files deleted by CCleaner. Hope everything goes good for you.
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