Remove Personal Info with Advanced PC Cleanup

This guide shows you how to use Advanced PC Cleanup to remove traces of your personal information—browsing history, cached files, saved form data, and temporary files—from your Windows computer. You’ll learn the exact steps to run a privacy-focused scan, review what gets deleted, and avoid common mistakes that can remove something you need.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows PC (Windows 10 or Windows 11 recommended)
• Advanced PC Cleanup installed (the free version works for basic privacy cleaning)
• Administrator access to the computer (needed to clean system-level temp files)
• Closed browser windows (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.) so files aren’t locked

Step-by-Step

1. Close all browsers and applications. Before you start, save your work and exit every open program. Files that are in use cannot be removed, so the scan will skip them, leaving personal data behind.
2. Launch Advanced PC Cleanup. Double-click the desktop icon or search for it in the Start menu. If prompted by User Account Control, click “Yes” to allow it to run with full permissions.
3. Go to the “Privacy” or “Cleaner” tab. The exact label varies by version—look for a shield icon, a broom icon, or text that says “Privacy Sweep” or “Junk Cleaner.” Click it to open the cleaning module.
4. Run a full scan. Click the large “Scan” or “Start Scan” button. The scan may take 1–5 minutes depending on your hard drive size and how many files you have. Do not open other programs during the scan.
5. Review the results by category. After the scan, you’ll see a list like “Browsing History,” “Cookies,” “Cache Files,” “Recent Documents,” and “Temporary Files.” Each category shows how much space it occupies. Click each category to see the individual items—this is where you confirm what contains personal info.
6. Uncheck anything you want to keep. For example, if you want to stay logged into your email, uncheck “Cookies” or “Login Data.” If you have a large download you still need, uncheck “Downloads.” The tool will only delete what is checked.
7. Click “Clean” or “Remove.” Confirm the action if a dialog box appears. The cleaning process may take a few minutes. Do not force-close the program while it’s working.
8. Restart your computer. Some temporary files are only fully cleared after a reboot. Restarting also clears the RAM cache, which may contain snippets of your session.
9. Verify the results. After restarting, open your browser and check that your history is empty and that the files you wanted gone are no longer in File Explorer (check the Temp folder by typing %temp% in the address bar).

Common Mistakes

• Deleting all cookies. Cookies store login sessions and site preferences. Removing all of them means you’ll have to log back into every website. If you want to keep logins, uncheck the cookie category.
• Cleaning while programs are open. Any file in use is skipped. If your browser is open, its history files are locked and won’t be removed, so the clean appears successful but your data remains.
• Not reviewing the list before clicking Clean. The tool may flag a file you need, like a partially downloaded PDF or a saved game. Always expand the categories and look before deleting.
• Assuming “Privacy” means everything. Advanced PC Cleanup’s privacy sweep targets browser and app traces, but it does not erase your personal documents, photos, or emails. For those, you need a dedicated file shredder or manual deletion.
• Running the cleaner daily. Cleaning too often can slow down your system because it rebuilds cache files constantly. Once a week is enough for most users.

Tips

• Use the “Scheduled Clean” feature. If your version has it, set a weekly automatic clean on a day you’re not using the computer heavily.
• Clean browser-specific data manually too. For extra privacy, open your browser’s settings and clear “Browsing History,” “Download History,” and “Form Data” there as well. This covers items the cleaner might miss.
• Check the “Recent Files” list. Windows keeps a list of recently opened documents. Advanced PC Cleanup can clear this, but you can also right-click the Start button and go to Settings > Privacy > Activity History to disable tracking entirely.
• Back up before a deep clean. If you’re using the “System Cleaner” or “Registry Cleaner” feature, create a system restore point first. This lets you undo changes if something breaks.
• Combine with a VPN for true privacy. Cleaning local files only protects your computer. Your internet activity is still visible to your ISP unless you use a VPN.

Troubleshooting

The scan finds nothing. This usually means you’re already clean, or the tool lacks permission. Run it as administrator by right-clicking the icon and selecting “Run as administrator.” Also check that you haven’t excluded folders in the tool’s settings.

The clean button is greyed out. Nothing is selected for deletion. Go back to the results list and check at least one category or item.

My browser history is still there after cleaning. The browser was likely open during the clean. Close it, then re-run the privacy sweep. If it persists, manually clear history in the browser’s own settings.

The program freezes or crashes during cleaning. This can happen if a file is locked by a background process. Restart the computer, then run the cleaner again. If it crashes repeatedly, uninstall and reinstall the software.

I accidentally deleted a file I needed. Check the Recycle Bin first—some versions of the tool send deleted items there. If it’s not there, you may need a file recovery program, but act quickly because overwritten data cannot be recovered.

The tool asks for a paid upgrade to clean certain items. The free version typically covers basic browser history and temp files. If you see a lock icon on “Advanced Privacy” items, those require the paid version. You can still manually delete those files via Windows Settings > Privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this remove my saved passwords? No, not by default. Saved passwords are stored in the browser’s password manager, which is a separate file from history and cache. The cleaner does not target it unless you specifically check a “Passwords” category, which most versions don’t include for security reasons.

Does cleaning improve my computer’s speed? It can help if your drive is nearly full or if you have gigabytes of temp files. For most users, the performance gain is modest, but it does free up storage space.

Is it safe to clean the registry? The registry cleaner in Advanced PC Cleanup is generally safe for removing invalid entries, but it’s optional. If you’re cautious, skip it—registry cleaning rarely improves performance and carries a small risk of breaking an app.

How often should I run a privacy clean? Once a week is a good balance. If you share your computer with others, run it daily. If you’re the only user, every two weeks is fine.

Can I undo a clean? No, the tool permanently deletes files. That’s why reviewing the list before clicking Clean is essential. Some versions offer a backup folder for deleted items, but don’t rely on it.

Does this work on Mac? No, Advanced PC Cleanup is a Windows-only application. Mac users have similar tools like CleanMyMac, but this guide does not apply.

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