Free device manager for PC
Uwe-sieber is the developer for the free Device Cleanup Tool for Windows PCs. It’s compatible with Windows 8 and Windows 10. The developer licensed it for commercial use but doesn’t permit the software to be adapted or offered through download.
Every attached piece of hardware on your computer leaves an entry in ‘Device Management’. With Windows, you can remove them only one at a time, whereas Device Cleanup Tool lets you delete entries or devices not attached to your PC anymore. Other cleaning tools are Eusing Cleaner and Optimizer.
Why use Device Cleanup Tool?
Every USB device you connect to your Windows PC creates registry entries in your ‘Device Manager’. Hackers can use these entries to collect information about any hardware you have connected to your PC. Unlike Windows Device Manager, this tool allows you to remove many entries at once.
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Download and install
The utility is portable, so you can download the ZIP file and keep it handy on a flash drive. When you extract and run the file, you’ll see a simple user interface that shows you a toolbar with three options: File, Devices, Options and Help.
How to use
You have a few options under the ’File’ tab:
- Refresh
- Restart as administrator
- Create a System Restore Point
- Show Windows Device Manager or ‘Exit’
The ‘Devices’ tab lets you select everything or remove your selections.
You can choose to keep the software always on top and enable or disable the Windows theme using Options. It will also let you select the columns to display, and under ‘Devices’, you can choose how you want the entries to be shown. The Help tab shows you the ‘About’ information.
Underneath the toolbar, it displays a list of non-present items, with details such as item name, class and when it was last used. At the bottom, it will tell you how much non-present hardware you have, as well as how many you have currently selected.
From the right-click menu, you can also look at the item’s properties. Use the CTRL key and click to select your entries, then right-click and choose ‘Remove Device’. Ensure that you run the software as an administrator because restricted mode won’t let you remove any entries.
Improved security
Using the free Device Cleanup Tool will improve your PC's security as it removes entries in the Device Management. This protects sensitive information from being available to hackers. It is straightforward, making it a perfect option for novice PC users who want to clean up their PCs.
