Microsoft PC Manager 3.0 adds toolbar widget, provides easy access to Windows' maintenance and optimization tools
Microsoft’s Chinese division has unveiled a major new update of its system optimization and maintenance tool with the release of Microsoft PC Manager 3.0 Beta. The app, which provides users with easy access to a wide -- and growing -- selection of built-in Windows tools, adds a new floating desktop toolbar option for even easier access to its offerings.
The new desktop toolbar is made accessible via Microsoft PC Manager’s Toolbox section, where users can both enable the feature and choose which tools to place on it for easy access.
When enabled, the toolbar appears a floating widget that remains on top of all other open windows for easy access. By default, it provides shortcuts to the tool’s one-click Boost option, which clears temporary folders from disk while also attempting to free up RAM, as well as selected Windows tools (Screenshot and Notepad) and the Microsoft Edge Quick Links feature -- a pop-up menu of links that open directly in Edge itself.
The tool can be further customized by clicking the Settings button and choosing 'Add Tools' to select any of the tools present on the Toolbox panel. Here, users can also add additional web tools including a Bing translator and currency converter, plus define their own custom links to add to the toolbar.
Version 3.0 builds on other recent releases, which have seen a plethora of new tools be added to the app over the past year during the 2.x release cycle. Most recently, version 2.9 -- released in late March -- added a new Restore Default Apps feature as well as an option to enable early access to features currently in development.
Microsoft PC Manager opens as a pop-up directly above the Taskbar notification area, and splits its offerings into five sections: Home, Protection, Storage, Apps, and Toolbox. The vast bulk of these provide convenient access to system tools already present in Windows, from Storage Sense (under Storage) to running on-demand virus scans using Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which can be triggered even if the user has switched to another security tool.
The tool also offers several automated tools, including one-click Boost and Health Check options. The former offers to quickly clear temporary folders and free up RAM, while Health Check scans the system to find further potential optimizations, including more redundant files to delete, startup apps to disable and even potential malware infections.
Microsoft PC Manager 3.0.0.2 Beta is available now as a freeware download for PCs running Windows 11 and 10 (build 1809 or later). Find out more about the tool at its home page.