Get more from your PC

You might be surprised how anyone who gets on your PC can easily access your credit card details, activity history (including visited websites, viewed videos, and online transactions), passwords, and other data you’d rather keep private.

We recommend removing all traces of your sensitive information, which are stored in various locations on your computer. It is wise to do this on a regular basis (daily or weekly, depending on how heavily you use your PC).

The Protect tab in Auslogics BoostSpeed helps you discover all avenues through which your privacy may be compromised. A comprehensive scan identifies traces of your private data in web browsers, applications and system files. The tool then runs cleanup to prevent your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

On the left side of the tab, you will find four areas that can be scanned for privacy traces:

• Web browsers: Clear cookies that track your browsing habits.
• Applications: Secure your login details, profile data, and activity history.
• Adult websites: Clear traces of visits to adult websites on your computer. Even if you’ve never been on such sites intentionally, online ads and forced redirects could still happen.
• System files: Clean up login details, profile data, and activity history.

Check the ‘Include category’ box next to each option and then click the ‘Scan now’ button.

When the scan is complete, click the ‘Check details’ link on each option to review the information that was found. Unmark the checkbox for any item you wouldn’t want to delete to exclude it from the cleanup. When done, click the ‘Resolve all items’ button.

For your convenience, BoostSpeed Pro lets you schedule automated scans to ensure that you stay protected at all times. Click the clock icon in the bottom-right corner of the program window. In the window that opens, select ‘Protect’ under ‘Scheduler’ on the left-side pane and check the ‘Enable automatic maintenance’ box.

You can then choose how often you want to run an automated scan and also set a time for it. Click OK when you’re done.

On the right side of the Protect tab, you’ll see links to some useful tools (Windows 10/11 Protector, Free Space Wiper, and File Shredder) that provide even more options to safeguard your confidential files and shield your private information. Click on each one to find out what they do and activate them.

Now, flip the toggle to enable Browser Protection. It secures your browser against unauthorized changes and protects your data every time you surf the web.

Click the gear icon beside the header to set up the tool. Doing so opens a new tab where you can select a default browser and enable the following options:

• Home Page Advisor: Notifies you of unauthorized changes to your homepage address or search provider.
• Active Browser AntiTracker (Available in Auslogics BoostSpeed Pro): Clears your data after every web browsing session.
• DNS Protection (Available in Auslogics BoostSpeed Pro): Prevents DNS setting changes that are attempted without your authorization.

Browser Protection also lets you check for updates for your default browser.

Another good tweak that may boost your web browser is Windows registry cleanup. But please keep in mind that cleaning the registry manually can put your PC at risk, so use Registry Cleaner to make this process safe and easy.