CCleaner is one of the known tools for optimization. With this single software, we can free up space, remove our online tracks, and many more. CCleaner is no different than most applications and freeware out there when it comes to bugs, and there are instances where CCleaner shows peculiar behavior. In this article, we will talk about solutions to that behavior. So, if CCleaner is not installing, uninstalling, opening, or working or having any other issue, this guide is for you.
How do I fix CCleaner not opening?
If CCleaner is not opening, then is a concern for some of its users, and this is generally due to corrupted caches and background tasks interfering with the software. Restart your PC, and then see if it is now opening or not; else follow these suggestions.
Fix CCleaner not Installing, Uninstalling, Opening, or Working
If CCleaner is not Installing, uninstalling, opening, or working on your Windows 11/10 PC, we can execute the solutions mentioned below:
- Restart the computer
- Clear the temporary files folder cache
- Completely uninstall Cleaner
- Temporarily disable your 3rd-party security software
- Check whether the Windows Installer engine is working
- Run CCleaner with administrative privileges
- Update CCleaner
- Install, Uninstall or Open CCleaner in Clean Boot State
- Uninstall a program via Registry.
We have offered various solutions. See which of them apply in your case and then execute those solutions only. The solutions depend on the problem you are facing with CCleaner.
1] Restart the computer
Before looking up some hard solutions, start by restarting the PC. Doing so clears the current state of the computer, and software that may be causing the problem. It also helps solve Internet or Network problems and everything starts fresh, therefore, do the same and then try installing, uninstalling or opening the app again.
2] Clear the temporary files folder cache
Use Disk Cleanup to clear all the temporary files on your PC. Then download the installed again from the official ccleaner.com website, preferably to a different location, and then try to install it.
3] Completely uninstall Cleaner
If CCleaner does not open or work on your Windows computer, we suggest you completely uninstall it. It would be best if you can use a 3rd-party uninstaller software to completely uninstall the software and remove its remnants.
If you do not want to do this, uninstall it via the Settings app or Control Panel as usual. Then go to its installation folder which is C:\Program Files\CCleaner by default and delete this folder. Once this is done restart your computer and try to install it and see. If it installs properly, then check if it opens or works normally.
4] Temporarily disable your 3rd-party security software
Windows Security is well integrated with the Windows OS, however, third-party security software may give issues. Temporarily disable your 3rd-party antivirus & firewall software and see if it allows you to install or open CCleaner.
You could also take steps to allow CCleaner through Windows Firewall and check if the issue is resolved.
5] Check whether the Windows Installer engine is working
At the command prompt, type MSIExec, and then press Enter. If the MSI engine is working, you will see a Windows Installer popup; else you will see an error message.
If it is not working, then at the command prompt, type the following, and then press Enter after each line:
MSIExec /unregister
MSIExec /regserver
6] Run CCleaner with administrative privileges
If you cannot install CCleaner, we suggest running the installer file as an administrator and then checking if it gets installed this time or not. You can right-click on the installation setup file and select Run as administrator.
If you cannot launch CCleaner, configure its Properties to make it open with administrative privileges always. To do so, right-click on the CCleaner and select Properties. Go to the Compatibility tab and tick the box next to Run this program as administrator.
7] Update CCleaner
If you cannot uninstall CCleaner, we recommend you update the app. To do the same, go to the bottom right-hand corner of the CCleaner window, and click on the ‘Check for updates‘ link. It redirects us to its official site and will send a notification if updates are available. Install the update if any is available, and then try to uninstall CCleaner.
Read: Cannot install or uninstall programs in Windows
8] Install, Uninstall or Open CCleaner in Clean Boot State
A lot of the time, we cannot detect the underlying problem causing such issues, and in such scenarios, carrying out operations in Clean Boot State is recommended.
Clean Boot State will only allow necessary Windows services making sure that there are no conflicting applications and services. So, go ahead and boot into Clean Boot State and then install or uninstall the app. You can also see if it opens or works properly now, If all is well, then you need to manually identify the process that is causing this issue.
9] Uninstall a program via Registry
If the program’s entry is missing in the Control Panel, Settings or the Uninstaller is not available, or these ways do not work for some reason, you can also use the Windows Registry. This post will show you how to uninstall programs using Registry
Also Read: How to disable Active Monitoring in CCleaner Free
How do I uninstall CCleaner Browser?
To uninstall CCleaner Browser, close all the CCleaner instances, right-click on the Start Menu, and select the Apps and Features or Installed Apps option. Click on CCleaner, and then on the Uninstall button. Select the Uninstall option and when prompted by the User Account Control dialog, select the Yes button.
