App Review -- Microsoft’s PC Manager -- Useful Tool or Just Another Gimmick?

PC Manager might be an exception:

Most applications claiming to speed up your PC do more harm than good.  PC Manager​ claims to  "Boost!" your PC.  Every time I've seen a PC "speed it up" program.  Its been bloatware that bombards you with ads.  
BUT!  PC Manager​ comes with a Pop-Up Blocker.  And it's made by Microsoft so maybe it's not a bad program.  

I spun up procmon and tested this thing out.  Some of the features were cool.  Some just flat out didn't work.  

Key Features of PC Manager

1. Pop-up Blocker - Does It Work?

PC Manager includes a pop-up blocking feature for annoying upgrade prompts.  At first setup it asks if you want to send screenshots to a central database of users to "help" stop Adware programs (the ones that do annoying popups on your desktop.  Windows is plagued with them.

This tool lets you select a window and block pop-ups from that application.

Is it effective? Couldn't tell you.  This is my PC, and I don't install Crap-Ware​.  Any product which is free but is not FOSS is crap-ware that will either push ads on you.  Or install third-party apps on your PC.  If it's giving you an add.  Then its crap-ware. 

Note that "asking for a donation" like Sweet Home 3D | A FOSS home design tool​  (it's available in the Windows store btw.  It costs $15.  Or you can go to that website and download it for free).​  Is not "giving you an ad".  

McAfee Antivirus is an example of crap-ware.  As is Avast antivirus (who got in trouble for selling data). 

2. Storage Management – Useful but Flawed

• Large File Finder: Helps locate and remove old, space-consuming files.
• • This worked really well.
    
• Duplicate File Scanner: This feature failed in my test...  couldn’t detect intentionally duplicated PDFs.
• • I was really hopeful about this one.
    
• Storage Overview: Provides insights into user files vs. system files and helps manage limited disk space.
• • Worked fast and well.
    

EPIC FAIL MICROSOFT:

3. Protection and System Fixes

• Virus Scan & Windows Update: Just shortcuts to Windows Defender and system settings.
• Taskbar Repair: Handy for resetting a messed-up taskbar.
• • But it didn't rest all of the settings...
    
• Restore Default Apps: One-click reset for default file associations (PDF readers, web browsers, etc.).
  • Warning: Resets everything to Microsoft defaults (Edge, Office).

4. Startup App Management -- Limited Functionality

• PC Manager lists startup apps but doesn't catch everything.
• Task Manager provides more accurate startup app control.
• Missed opportunity for Microsoft to include full startup app management.

5. Deep Uninstall -- Not So Deep

• Claims to remove residual files after uninstalling software.
• Testing with Microsoft Solitaire showed no evidence of deep cleanup.
• IOBit Uninstaller and similar tools still do a better job.

6. Toolbox -- Handy for people who don't like Keyboard Shortcuts!

• Quick access to built-in Windows tools:
  • Snipping Tool
  • Screen Recorder
  • Screen Reader
• These features already exist in Windows, but PC Manager centralizes them.

Does PC Manager "Boost" Your PC?

• Performance Booster feature uses minimal RAM (~46MB).
• Despite claims, there’s no real evidence it speeds up your PC.
• More of a system organizer than a performance booster.

Privacy Concerns – Is PC Manager Spying?

• Some Microsoft Store reviews claim it sends data to China.
• My own network monitoring only showed connections to Microsoft servers.