Optimizing and customizing the system tools in Windows 10 can greatly improve your computer’s performance, streamline daily tasks, and enhance your overall user experience. Whether you’re a beginner who wants to tweak basic settings for smoother operation or an advanced user eager to automate and personalize system tools, this guide will walk you through practical, step-by-step customization techniques. Along the way, we’ll highlight how comprehensive utilities like Glary Utilities can make these processes even easier.
What Are Windows System Tools and Why Optimize Them?
Windows 10 includes built-in tools like Task Manager, Disk Cleanup, and System Configuration (msconfig) designed to manage, monitor, and maintain your system. Customizing these tools can help you:
– Respond quickly to system slowdowns
– Remove unnecessary startup programs for faster boot times
– Schedule regular maintenance tasks
– Free up valuable disk space
– Automate repetitive maintenance routines
Let’s start with beginner-friendly customizations and then move on to more advanced tweaks.
Beginner: Easy System Tool Customizations
How Can I Customize My Startup Programs?
One of the quickest ways to optimize your PC is by managing which programs launch when Windows starts.
1. Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.
2. Click the Startup tab.
3. Review the list of programs. Right-click any program you don’t need at startup and choose Disable.
Practical Example: If you see Skype, Spotify, or Adobe Reader in the list and rarely use them on startup, disable them to speed up your boot time.
Tip for Beginners: Use Glary Utilities’ Startup Manager for a clearer, more user-friendly interface. It also gives safety ratings and suggestions for each item, reducing the risk of disabling something important.
How Do I Run Disk Cleanup for Better Performance?
Regularly clearing out system junk helps keep your system running smoothly.
1. Press Windows + S and type “Disk Cleanup.”
2. Select your system drive (usually C:).
3. Tick boxes for categories like Temporary Files, Recycle Bin, and Thumbnails.
4. Click OK, then Delete Files.
Real-World Example: After a Windows update, run Disk Cleanup to remove old update files and reclaim gigabytes of space.
Glary Utilities Alternative: Its “Disk Cleaner” module digs deeper than Windows’ built-in option, finding and safely removing leftover files that Disk Cleanup might miss.
How Do I Simplify Access to System Tools?
Create a custom folder (often called “God Mode”) for one-click access to all system tools:
1. Right-click on your Desktop, select New > Folder.
2. Name the folder: SystemTools.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
3. The folder icon will change. Double-click it for a master list of system settings and tools.
Intermediate: Personalizing System Tool Settings
How Can I Schedule Automatic Maintenance?
Windows can perform maintenance tasks like updates and disk optimization automatically.
1. Press Windows + S and type “Task Scheduler.”
2. Navigate to Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Task Scheduler.
3. Double-click “MaintenanceConfigurator” or similar tasks to review or modify their triggers and conditions.
Better Alternative: Use Glary Utilities to schedule system scans, cleanups, and repairs with its built-in scheduler. Set it to run weekly or monthly and let it handle optimization in the background.
How Can I Monitor Resources More Effectively?
Task Manager is useful, but advanced users may want more detail.
– Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), click “More details.”
– Under the Performance tab, watch CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network usage live.
– Right-click the graphs for options like viewing summary or detailed information.
Advanced users can also use Resource Monitor (type “Resource Monitor” in the Start menu) for in-depth analysis of running processes and their resource usage.
Glary Utilities’ Performance Monitor widget gives you a visual overview and one-click access to cleanup tools, making system monitoring more convenient.
Advanced: Automating and Customizing System Maintenance
How Can I Automate Complex Maintenance Tasks?
Advanced users can combine Windows’ built-in tools with third-party solutions for automated optimization.
Example: Automate Disk Cleanup with Task Scheduler
1. Open Task Scheduler and create a new basic task.
2. Set the trigger (for example, every month).
3. Set the action to Start a Program, and browse to: C:\Windows\System32\cleanmgr.exe
4. Add arguments for silent cleanup: /sagerun:1
5. Save the task.
Using Glary Utilities, you can set up automated “1-Click Maintenance” to scan and fix multiple issues (registry errors, junk files, broken shortcuts) on a schedule. This is particularly useful for users managing multiple PCs.
How Can I Customize Power User Tools?
For those who frequently use PowerShell, Command Prompt, or Windows Terminal, customize their shortcuts and settings:
– Right-click Start, select Windows Terminal (Admin).
– Use the settings menu to change default shells, color schemes, and font sizes.
– Pin your favorite tools to the Start menu or taskbar for faster access.
Summary: Making System Tool Customization Easy
By customizing and optimizing the system tools in Windows 10, you can tailor your PC’s maintenance and performance to suit your needs, whether you’re just starting or already an advanced user. Using built-in features alongside comprehensive programs like Glary Utilities makes these tasks easier, safer, and more effective.
Beginners benefit from guided interfaces and automated maintenance, while advanced users can automate and script detailed routines. Regular attention to these system tools is the key to a fast, reliable PC—so start customizing today!