Windows 10 maintenance, what to do

Over time, systems evolve, computers change and, consequently, the way we work on them and do maintenance changes as well. Anyone coming from past versions of Windows knows how difficult it is to keep the system always optimized and fast; Fortunately, Microsoft has made numerous changes from the point of view of security, updates, file management and recovery to its system, so as to make some apps unnecessary once indispensable.
For example, a PC no longer formats itself today but can be “reset” with a total reset that brings Windows back to its original state. Another example is related to device drivers, which today update automatically and which, barring exceptions, almost no longer need to be installed manually.
In this article we will show you the major changes in the care and maintenance of Windows 10, with a summary of the important operations and those that you no longer need to do.

READ ALSO: Optimize your Windows PC: best free automatic programs

How to perform maintenance on Windows 10

In the following chapters we will show you all the main maintenance and security operations that it was necessary to carry out manually on Windows but which now, on Windows 10, can also be ignored because they are managed automatically.

Windows Updates

Microsoft has imposed an automatic system of updates in Windows 10: in fact it cannot be shut down completely but only postponed, with the aim of keeping all computers as updated as possible.
This certainly improves the security of the system, even if it has created some discontent due to the theoretical impossibility of not being able to ignore an update that can only be deferred.
Windows Update is now fully automatic and brings updates of new features, security, drivers, fixes and definitions for the internal antivirus.
To learn more, we refer you to reading our guide on how Windows Update works in Windows 10 and how to block updates.

Antivirus

In Windows 10 the antivirus is already present in it and is called Windows Defender. It is an antivirus that can detect a large number of threats, so that you are always protected even in the case of heavy infections. In another article we have explored the topic Antivirus for Windows 10: just Windows Defender?

Clean up unnecessary files and free up disk space

Windows 10 has added a handy function to know what’s on the disk, to understand which files occupy it so as to delete them if they are not needed.
To use it just go to Settings -> System and then on Archiving to see the space used by the Windows folders and to explore the weight of the files and the space occupied; in the same screen we can also activate the memory sensor, which will automatically free the disk when it runs low, deleting useless files and very large cache files.
This can also be done with a third party app like CCleaner; if you don’t like it we can always install the program Treesize to search for recent files, large files and disk space check in Windows.

Backup and restore

With Windows 10, the backup is integrated into the system and there is no need to use an external program.
Unless specific needs, we can activate the integrated backup by taking us to Settings -> Update and security -> Backup, choose an external drive or a IN THE and enable full backup of personal files. With this option active Windows manages everything automatically and, in case of problems, will allow you to restore the saved data quickly.
Furthermore, in case you do not have a backup and in the case of a serious problem we will no longer have to format the computer and reinstall Windows 10 because just use the reset option present in Settings -> Update & Security -> Reset -> Reset your PC.
Following this operation Windows will return as new and just installed, with no more programs and files above.
For all the recovery details we recommend that you read the guide how to repair and reset Windows 10 in any negative eventuality, even if the PC no longer starts up. In the same article it is also explained how to create a recovery unit, to always keep ready in case of problems.
An important thing to do is turn on system protection in Windows 10 to create restore points and undo changes if you make mistakes.

Software Updates

In Windows 10, applications installed from the Microsoft Store update themselves; however, this does not apply to normal programs installed normally (via .exe or via .msi), which will always be re-downloaded if a new version comes out.
As already seen, we can overcome the problem by using gods automatic tools to manage program updates, among which Sumo (which in the article is the last on the list) is one of the most valid.

Check the programs that start automatically

With Windows 10 we can control every program that starts automatically from the task manager, very simple and clear: just right click on the taskbar at the bottom, select Activity management, unlock the advanced view by clicking on More details and finally taking us to the card Start.
To learn more we can also read ours Windows 10 task manager guide.

Check the memory and disk usage of the processes

Thanks to an enhanced task manager it is much easier than in the past to control processes and their impact on computer performance.
Also in the guide seen in the previous chapter is explained how to monitor the use of memory and CPU and also which processes use the disk the most by slowing down the PC.

Uninstall unnecessary programs

The removal of programs in Windows 10 has not changed and has all the defects of the previous versions: from this point of view Microsoft still has a lot to work on.
Anyone who wants to uninstall programs without leaving traces can therefore use a uninstaller program such as IOBit Uninstaller, which when it removes a program deletes any file without leaving traces of it.

Optimize the download speed of updates

With the old versions of Windows it was not uncommon to see the whole Internet line clogged during system updates: in fact we could no longer surf!
Thankfully on Windows 10 it was introduced Delivery optimization, which allows you to download updates with freely settable bandwidth limits (for example 80% of the download and 20% of the upload) and to download updates also from other PCs with Windows 10 present on the same LAN network and already updated.
To adjust this option just go to Settings -> Update & Security -> Delivery Optimization, activate the present switch and adjust the band limiters by voice Advanced options.

Optimize SSD automatically

With the spread of SSDs, it is no longer necessary to defragment the system, but the new disks need to be periodically optimized to keep them always fast by carrying out an operation called TRIM.
Windows 10 allows you to optimize SSDs automatically by opening the dedicated tool: it can be opened by opening the Start menu and searching Defragment and optimize drives. In the small window we press on Analyze e Optimize on every single partition or disk present; to schedule this operation, instead, click on Change settings at the bottom and choose to schedule the operation every week.

Conclusions

Microsoft has tried to make Windows 10 as secure and as easy as possible so that even without touching anything (as most non-experts do) the computer should remain stable and free from slowdown issues. Of course, however, some things you need to know how to do and the above should always be remembered whatever PC you use!

If we want to use tools dedicated to cleaning Windows 10, we recommend that you read our guides Complete disk cleanup on Windows of unnecessary files e Best free PC cleaners to delete junk files (Windows).