By Mike Jennings
last updated
Speed up your machine with a tidy that only the best disk defragmenter tools can offer.

Don't underestimate what the best disk defragmenter tools can do for your machine – they could enhance your life. Imagine going from a laggy response to speedy, keeps-up-with-you fast computer interactions. The difference could be in a disk defrag.
Drives are bigger than ever now meaning there is more and more data to fill them, which needs working through each time you want to access certain files. By having everything defragmented, so the computer knows where to find it immediately, you can have a far smoother experience. This software, essentially, tidies up your drive so that it can run more efficiently.
Since fragmenting happens as you use your machine, this is a constant battle that needs to be carried out. That's why the best disk defragmenter tools are essential as an ongoing ally in the work of keeping your machine running optimally. It's worth noting though that this only happens on spinning hard drives, so if you have a solid state drive (SSD) you won't need this software at all. You can defrag an SSD, technically, but you're not going to see any real difference in performance and it means you're potentially overusing the drive which could lead to a shorter lifespan in the longer term.
It's also worth looking at the best repair software (opens in new tab) for your PC to get the best experience and then adding in one of the below options which represent the best of the best defragmenter tools you can get right now.
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O&O Defrag
If you want loads of features and a clean design, you can't beat O&O Defrag
Reasons to buy
+ Huge range of features Updated hard disk and SSD algorithms Straightforward design
Reasons to avoid
- A little expensive
The powerful algorithms, broad range of hard disk and SSD features and the sensible, straightforward interface make O&O Defrag the top choice. O&O’s Defrag application has been one of the most popular defrag tools for years now, and it’s no wonder – this utility is easy to use and packed with powerful settings.
The latest iteration, version 24, includes new features that make the optimization process smoother and more powerful. The underlying defrag engine has been reconfigured to support new features in Windows 10, and a new installation method picks the best settings for your PC – so you can install and start using the app without any extra configuration. There are updated methods for optimizing and extending the lifespan of SSDs too, which is important – many of us use SSDs, but many apps are still based around hard disks.
These new features are bolstered by powerful, familiar functionality. The core defrag algorithm is market-leading and has been made faster in this release, and the app has a disk cleaning tool to remove temporary and unnecessary files. It’s got automatic background and scheduled functionality, filters so you can easily find your most fragmented files, and you can access lifetime statistics so you can see exactly what space and time you’ve gained.
The app is straightforward, with clear options, quick defrag features and graphics that show you the state of your drives. Extra features can inspect individual file clusters, determine file positions and throttle system resources so you can still use your PC while the app works. You can even optimize the files required when your PC boots.
This app’s only real weakness is its lack of a free edition, but the Professional, Workstation and Server versions are affordable, with prices that range from $30 to $200 – and those latter apps give additional features for administrators who want to keep a network of PCs in top condition which go a long way to justifying the higher prices.
2. Defraggler: Best for overall PC health
Defraggler
This one will give your whole PC a decent health-check
Reasons to buy
+ Slick hard disk and SSD options Supports scheduling Includes benchmarking
Reasons to avoid
- Pro version is expensive
Defraggler’s free version is an effective tool for defragging hard drives without weighing down your system, but we’d recommend that app bundle – you get more features alongside extra tools that can manage your entire system.
Defraggler is made by a company called Piriform, and that firm is one of the most experienced when it comes to PC optimization and management – it also produces CCleaner, Recuva and Speccy, which are well-known tools for looking after your system.
Piriform’s defrag tool has a free version, which serves up all of the key options for keeping your hard disk in shape – and it can use its algorithms to keep your SSDs organised, too. It works with external drives as well as internal disks, and you can defragment specific drives and folders. It has a benchmark tool to evaluate your performance improvements, and you can analyze drives to determine whether or not you need to run any defrag processes. Scheduling is supported, but the app can’t start defragmentations when your system is idle.
Defraggler serves up straightforward charts to illustrate what’s going on with your drives. Upgrading to Piriform’s Professional edition costs a hefty $25 and nets you better support and automatic updating, and spending an affordable $30 will get you Piriform’s entire family of apps – Defraggler Professional will be included alongside CCleaner, Speccy and Recuva’s professional versions. That’s a far better deal.
3. IOBit Smart Defrag 6: Best defrag for gamers
IOBit Smart Defrag 6
If you're running a gaming rig and need an HDD clean, this is for you
Reasons to buy
+ Game-specific options Loads of features elsewhere Pro version is cheap
Reasons to avoid
- Ads included in free version Tries to install extra software
IOBit’s Smart Defrag lives up to its name, with options that allow for a huge amount of customization on an app-specific basis – handy if you’re a gamer or professional user who wants to keep certain software running at peak performance. It’s even got a Game Optimize mode that can be used to deliver a smoother and faster gaming experience.
Beyond that, Smart Defrag has an impressive slate of options – you can defrag entire drives, specific files and folders or specific apps, or defrag your system files when you boot the PC, so the computer has been optimised before you start work. Smart Defrag works with hard disks and SSDs, and it supports scheduled scans.
Handily, Smart Defrag has a free version, but be aware that you’ll have to skip past some extra apps during the installation process and deal with ads when you boot the software. This app also can’t perform defrags when your system is idling. The Pro version costs a reasonable $12 and includes new features, like disk health monitoring and specific large file defrags. This is a good defrag app, and it’s a great option for gamers.
4. Puran Defrag: Easiest to use
Puran Defrag
If you need easy, rather than feature-filled, then Puran is a perfect fit
Reasons to buy
+ Effective, usable interface Registry and scheduling tools Utilities suite available
Reasons to avoid
- No portable option More features available elsewhere
Puran Defrag is the best option if you’re not a particularly advanced PC user but if you still want an app that can keep your hard disks and SSDs in top condition.
This free tool has an impressively slick and simple interface that makes it easy to get started. Booting the tool loads up a clear list of your drives, a map of their storage setup and obvious options to analyze and defrag the disks. There are options to make the task low-priority to stop it impacting on your system’s performance, to shut down the PC after the defrag has completed and to customize the boot, defrag and disk-checking process.
There are more options if you delve into Puran’s extra tabs. There are detailed scheduling options, Registry defragmentation tools, an intelligent optimizer to increase system speed and options to exclude specific files or files at certain sizes from operations. Sadly, the app doesn’t have a portable version and can’t manually run free space defrags. And, while it’s easy to use, other apps do have more features and slicker interfaces – and offer more detail when it comes to seeing exactly what’s been defragged.
Puran Defrag’s free version is an effective tool if you don’t want something too complicated, and you can also download Puran’s free Utilities suite, which also serves up tools for disk cleaning, file recovery, gaming, disk wiping and much more.
5. Auslogics Disk Defrag: Best disk defragmenter for pro-PC users
Auslogics Disk Defrag
If you're a pro-PC user this software will give you more control
Reasons to buy
+ Very fast operation Broad range of options Works with SSDs
Reasons to avoid
- Potentially confusing interface Some features missing in free version
This app places a huge emphasis on getting your defrag operations completed quickly – Auslogics boasts that it usually takes less than ten minutes to complete operations on a standard hard disk.
This tool is ideal for those in a hurry, then, and it has a good slate of features elsewhere. It has specific routines for different kinds of drives, it can remove temporary and unneeded system files, and its operations can be scheduled and set to run when your system is idle.
Elsewhere, Auslogics can exclude files and folders from defrag runs, run analyses and quick defrag operations, provide reports on your PC’s status and even just defrag the files and applications that you use most often. There are more options deep within the app, including settings to change how the charts look, use different features for SSDs and move system files around on your hard disk – to improve boot times.
The free version is packed with features, and there aren’t many downsides – the only issue is that the interface and the broad selection of options may be confusing for less knowledgeable users. If you spend $25 on the Pro version you get loads more, including specific SSD algorithms, better disk cleanup options and free space wiping alongside better scheduling options and a license for use on three different PCs.
There are free applications out there that have more options, but Auslogics’ Pro version is packed with versatility, and the free and paid versions are both extremely fast. This is the ideal defrag tool if you have a need for speed.
6. Glarysoft Disk SpeedUp: Best free option
Glarysoft Disk SpeedUp
If you'd rather pay nothing, and put up with fewer features, Glarysoft has you covered
Reasons to buy
+ Primarily a free tool Good core functionality Automatic and scheduled defrags supported
Reasons to avoid
- Misses some advanced features Doesn’t work on removable drives
For most of us, though, Glarysoft’s free version will be more than adequate thanks to its effective design and decent functionality. It’s our top choice if you just want a free defrag tool.
Glarysoft Disk SpeedUp is the best option if you want a free, unfussy and effective defrag tool. Booting the software loads up a clear picture of your drive health and clear options for improving it – pick a drive and you can run analysis, defrag the drive, optimize the storage and choose to turn your PC off after the operations are complete.
Glarysoft’s app supports individual file and folder defrag operations, and you can run operations with different levels of priority – so you can speed things up if you want the defrags to finish quickly or slow them down if you’d like to keep working while the app does its thing. This tool can automatically start defrag processes if your system is idle, and you can choose how long it needs to be idle for before processes begin, and basic scheduling is also supported.
The fact that Disk SpeedUp is free means that some functionality is missing. It doesn’t work on removeable drives, it doesn’t integrate into Windows Explorer and it doesn’t have a duplicate file finder, and other apps offer more customization and faster operations. It does have a small advert in the corner, too, but it’s far less intrusive here than on other free tools.
Happily, though, this app has ample functionality for most mainstream defrag operations. It also forms part of Glary Utilities, which is a suite of more than twenty tools for PC optimization. A Pro version is available for $20, and it includes free technical support, commercial usage rights and enhanced optimization features – including for Disk SpeedUp.
What is defragmentation?
Put simply, defragmentation is the removal of fragmentation from a computer hard disk. That then poses another question: what is fragmentation? The files on your hard drive aren’t always stored in continuous blocks, operating systems sometimes have to stop writing a file halfway through because they encounter data they can’t delete, and have to finish writing the file elsewhere on the disk, leaving behind a little forwarding address for the rest of the data.
What this means when your PC comes to read the file back is that it takes longer than it should, as the drive head reads half the file, then follows the forwarding address to where the rest is located before finishing its read. Defragmentation restores the files to continuous blocks, so the drive head can read them in one go and doesn’t have to go hunting around in the rest of the disk.
You’ll note from all this talk of drive heads that we’re talking about spinning mechanical hard drives here, and not the newer SSDs. Solid State Drives and Flash drives are much faster, and don’t store their data in the same way as a spinning hard drive, so fragmentation isn’t a problem and defragmenting one would only contribute to them wearing out.
You can defrag external drives if you want to, especially if they’re frequently used, as it may improve performance, but the way those drives are written to - long sequences of writes for stored data, with fewer reads and rewrites - means they’re less likely to suffer from fragmentation. External hard drives are also slow when compared to their internally connected cousins, so you’re less likely to notice a drop in performance due to fragmentation. It’s much more useful if you’ve got an internal hard drive that houses an operating system, or some other data that requires lots of little writes and rewrites while the computer is active.
How does defragmentation software work?
Once you begin a defrag, there’s an analysis phase while the software works out the location of every piece of data on the disk, which data it should be stored next to, and which bits are fragmented. It may produce a map of your drive showing you the types of data.
Once you ask it to defrag, it can be quite a long process, as it’s an intensive operation that cannot be carried out on a drive with no free space. This is because the software copies the fragmented data from the places it is stored into the free space, where it reassembles it. Then it moves data around on the drive until there is a block of free space available that can hold the data. It then copies the data into this block, and deletes it from the temporary holding space. If your drive is heavily fragmented, this can take a very long time. You’ll know if it's been successful because the defrag software will tell you, and you’ll be able to see from the data map that your files are now held in continuous blocks rather than being scattered across the disk.
Many modern operating systems, such as Windows 10/11 and MacOS, defrag in the background if they think it’s necessary, sorting out fragmentation the moment it appears rather than letting it build up. Modern file systems - the rules computers use to organize their writes to the disk - are also designed to avoid fragmentation.
You can open a built-in defragging app in Windows from the Start Menu, it’s called Optimize Drives, and this will scan your hard drives and tell you the percentage of fragmentation the data is suffering from. It recognizes the difference between hard drives and SSDs, and allows you to TRIM your SSDs - a sister process to defragmentation that empties all the space once taken up by deleted data and gets it ready for reuse. This again improves performance, as otherwise it would need to be done just before new data was written.
External and Portable storage defragging
In addition to ensuring your Windows machine is regularly defragged and running optimally, we also recommend defragging your external hard disk drives (HDDs). Because these drives don’t typically stay connected to your computer like the one built into your machine, they’re less likely to receive regular maintenance. If you use your external HDD frequently for saving and accessing programs and data, this is especially important to maintain.
In contrast, you do not need to run defragging software on a flash drive (also known as a jump, USB or thumb drive) or on an external SSD. These types of drives are physically different from traditional hard disk drives and don’t have to be defragmented; in fact, the process is usually damaging to them, potentially resulting in a loss of data or a ruined device.
On a side note, you can save your disk defragmenter software onto an external drive. You don’t have to save it onto the specific drive you wish to run it on. Keeping your software stored externally can be convenient in case your computer crashes, or in case you travel frequently and want to run the software on multiple computers. If the latter is true, you’ll want to make sure the software has enough licenses when you initially purchase it to be compatible.
Why you don't need to defrag Macs
When you search online for disk defrag software, you’ll see a million returns for defragging a Windows machine and few, if any, for a Mac. You may be curious why this is, but the answer is fairly simple: the file system within a Mac hard disk drive (HDD) is designed differently from one on a Windows computer. Macs actually defrag themselves automatically with built-in utilities, especially if it’s a newer version of the Mac operating system (anything after 10.2). New Mac OS versions automatically check for fragmentation every time you access a file or program.
The only point at which you should be considering defragging a standard hard disk drive on your Mac computer is when less than 10% of storage space is available. When your HDD is this full, Mac OS is commonly unable to run its usual defragmentation program automatically. However, we recommend periodically going through your hard drive to delete old or unwanted files and programs to keep as much space available as possible, or to purchase a larger HDD that better suits your storage needs.
And as we’ve stated elsewhere in this article, you should never run disk defragmenter software on a solid-state drive (SSD). These drives are built differently and don’t fragment – plus, they are designed only to handle a limited quantity of writes and defrag software can lead to SSD damage or failure.
Freeware vs. Paid defrag software: which is best?
While defragmenting is a free service built into Windows 10/11 and MacOS, there are paid-for alternatives from third party developers on offer. These generally replicate a lot of the native functions, but add more of their own, particularly in the form of SSD optimisation tools that go beyond TRIMming.
Whether you need them or not, will depend entirely on individual use cases. Most hard drives and SSDs left to the operating system’s automatic maintenance routines need no more intervention than that - SSDs are fast enough even when running garbage collection routines, and a hard drive that’s a few percent fragmented is not going to suddenly grind to a halt because of it. Keeping a little free space on your drives - around 10% or so - is important as it enables defragging routines to operate. Macs in particular have a habit of not defragging properly if the drive is too full. Pick up one of the best external hard drives and offload some documents if your drive is more than 80% full.
There are also free third party options available, but we generally advise people to stay away from these unless they’re committed to open-source software. This is because, along with the software you want, you often also download adware, unwanted browser plugins, free trials for programs you don’t want, and more besides. This not only clogs up your system, but acts as a security risk, as many of the programs’ are designed to serve advertising to your PC. Others may demand your credit card details even though they’re meant to be free, or otherwise behave badly. They’re just not worth the hassle, especially as you have a free defragger right there.
What to consider with disk defragmenter software
Ease of use
What you really want is a program you can set going, and which runs in the background, not bothering you until it announces it has finished. Some have different options for you to set, but we discovered that all of the apps on test provide comparable results if left on their default settings. Another useful feature is the display of statistics and detailed information about your drives, if you're interested in what’s going on in there.
Scheduling
Being able to defrag outside of your work hours is important if you depend on squeezing every FLOP of power out of your rig. There is a performance penalty, both in terms of processor availability and disk bandwidth, but many users will never notice it.
Other scans
Alongside defragmentation, programs may offer registry or driver scans. These are fine, but you need to know what you’re doing. Leaving them on ‘auto’ can lead to the removal or editing of something that your PC relies on to boot up, or use a critical piece of hardware. If everything is working properly, it’s often better just to leave it alone. A few registry entries hanging around from a piece of software you uninstalled are not going to harm your system, but blundering around in there when you don’t really know what you’re doing certainly can. The same goes for drivers, especially since Microsoft has moved to a new driver architecture that isolates them from the rest of the system. A bad driver can no longer lead to the blue screen of death in Windows (particularly as we move to Windows 11) and having some for hardware you no longer use isn’t a problem. They don’t take up much space. One thing driver scans are useful for, however, is identifying which drivers have updates available.
Verification
If you spend money on defragmentation software and wait while it works, having some sort of visual feedback about what it’s doing is nice, and being able to verify that everything has worked properly, and that your drive is now in tip-top condition, is even better. Almost all defrag programs provide a visual map of your drive, but if you’re using a third-party program you can open the Windows app once it’s finished and let it analyze your newly defragmented disk to verify that everything has gone to plan. If the defrag didn’t work, you should still see fragmentation, with files and parts of files spread across the disk.
Alternatively, if you frequently write files to the drive, you might see a small increase in speed from it once it’s neatly organized. The act of writing and overwriting files, however, is what sets the fragmentation process in motion, so you’re in a constant cycle of checking and defragging.
Manual vs. Scheduled
You have full control over when your disk defragmenter program runs – you can put it on a schedule or use it manually whenever you need. Both options have pros and cons, and learning the benefits and downsides to each can help you use the software the most effective and efficient way for your situation.
When you set up a schedule for the software to run, you don’t have to stress over slow performance creeping up every few months or wonder why files are taking longer to access or run. Instead, you can rest assured that your hard drive is optimized. It’s a good idea to schedule your disk defrag software to run if you want to keep your computer healthy but aren’t very tech-savvy. Most of the programs we reviewed are easy enough to use, with clearly labeled buttons. Some even have guides that walk you through the entire process.
If you are an advanced user familiar with the ins and outs of this type of software, you are better off running the program manually. That way, you don’t have to worry about the software running scans and repairs it may not need. When you run it manually, you also have more granular control over the process, and you can run it on additional external hard drives if you want.
What is Boot Time Defrag?
Boot time defrag is typically only used by advanced users who are extremely knowledgeable about computers. By definition, boot time is the time between when you hit the power button and when your computer is ready to use. During this time, your computer starts executing instructions such as loading its operating system and connecting with peripherals like the mouse and keyboard. In a matter of moments, your desktop computer – or laptop or smartphone – is ready to use. On old computers, this process took several minutes, but with newer computers, it only takes a few moments.
Some people say that using defragging software during your computer’s boot time doesn’t make a measurable improvement in performance and isn’t worth the effort. But the general thought behind running boot time software is that since those files are used often (every time you boot up your computer), they surely must experience fragmentation, and by defragging them, you can make the process faster by a few milliseconds.
If you don’t want to mess with these files or deal with the risks of doing so, there are other things you can do to speed up your computer’s boot time. The best thing you can do is to disable programs that launch at startup. Yes, it’s convenient to have all your favorite programs open every time you turn your computer on, but it takes a toll on the machine, and it’s not too difficult to open them manually as you need them. You can also set them to open automatically but at a delayed rate. In addition, you can delete desktop shortcuts, delete old files and programs, install antivirus software, and ensure your drivers are always up to date.
How to verify your defrag was successful
After spending money on a disk defragmenter program and running the software to help optimize your computer, it’s nice to have a way to verify that everything worked properly. If you have compatible software, the easiest way to verify this is by opening up the program and looking at the current map of your hard drive. This visual should show you the location of your files and how they are currently distributed. Luckily, it shouldn’t be difficult for users to understand.
If the defragmentation was successful, you should see your files all together in a singular area of your hard drive. If the defragmentation was not successful, you will likely see files scattered across the entire disk. Here, you should be able to view original and newly-moved data, ensuring it’s all on the ideal part of your computer’s hard drive.
Another way to check if your defragmentation worked, although not quite as definitive of an answer as opening up the software, is to see if the overall performance of your computer has improved since you ran your most recent defrag. If things seem to be running faster and more smoothly, and it feels like you can access and open files more quickly, it could mean that your defrag was successful.
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Mike Jennings
Mike Jennings has been a tech journalist for more than thirteen years, and he covers a wide range of topics, from gaming laptops and graphics cards to consumer software, business machines and high-end desktops. He’s written for PC Pro, TechRadar, Wired, Stuff, TrustedReviews, Custom PC, IT Pro, and many more outlets. He lives in the UK and is interested in gaming, writing and motorsport.
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FAQs
Best disk defragmenter tools 2023? ›
Select the search bar on the taskbar and enter defrag. Select Defragment and Optimize Drives. Select the disk drive you want to optimize. Select the Optimize button.
Does Windows 10 have a defrag program? ›Select the search bar on the taskbar and enter defrag. Select Defragment and Optimize Drives. Select the disk drive you want to optimize. Select the Optimize button.
Is disk defrag still a thing? ›Newer versions of Windows include the defragmentation process as part of their “Optimize disk” process, so even though they don't refer to the software in the same way, the process still exists.
Is O&O defrag safe? ›O&O Defrag uses 100% Microsoft Windows API's to move and rearrange data and files. Thus performing defragmentation processes with the software is as safe as running the Windows system itself and for example moving a file with the Windows explorer.
Is Defraggler better than Windows defrag? ›Note: Regardless of what type of defrag you perform, Defraggler will report all fragmentation, while Windows Disk Defragmenter and other various utilities will not report on fragmentation that cannot be defragged.
What is the difference between Defraggler defrag and quick defrag? ›Defraggler has two different modes for defragmentation: regular defrag and Quick Defrag. Quick Defrag is faster, but the results aren't as optimal as with a regular defrag. Quick Defrag works faster by skipping over files that have certain properties.
How often should I defrag Windows 10? ›Defragment at Least Once per Month
As a general rule, any time your disk is more than 10 percent fragmented, you should defrag it. In Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7, you can schedule defragmentation to happen as often as necessary.
Disk Defragmenter might take from several minutes to a few hours to finish, depending on the size and degree of fragmentation of your hard disk. You can still use your computer during the defragmentation process.
What type of drive should you not defrag? ›The answer is short and simple — do not defrag a solid state drive. At best it won't do anything, at worst it does nothing for your performance and you will use up write cycles. If you have done it a few times, it isn't going to cause you much trouble or harm your SSD.
What are the disadvantages of disk defragmentation? ›Power Loss. Your computer is relocating data on the hard drive by erasing it and rewriting it during a system defragmentation. If the computer loses power during a defragmentation process, it can leave parts of files incompletely erased or rewritten. This causes the files to be corrupted and they may not be recoverable ...
Do modern computers need defragmenting? ›
Defragmenting is important to keep your hard drive healthy and your computer up to speed. Learn how to manually defrag your Windows computer. Most computers have in-built systems to defragment your hard drive on a regular basis.
What is the difference between PerfectDisk and Diskeeper? ›Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Disk Defragmenter focuses only on areas with data. Diskeeper deliberately chooses to save processing time by not defragmenting free space. PerfectDisk tackles both but takes significantly more time as it unifies free space and consolidates files.
Is DymaxIO worth it? ›Our verdict. DymaxIO is an excellent disk-defragmentation utility. Not only does effectively defragment hard drives, it works in an active, automatic manner to keep system performance optimized at all times.
Is disk Optimization the same as defrag? ›HD "Optimization" and "Defragmentation" is the same thing. The windows file system is "lazy", designed to minimize "write head" movement. This was a design choice/requirement from when HD's were much slower than current ones.
Why is Defraggler so slow? ›If the free disk space is not enough for Defraggler to defrag the computer, you may encounter the Defraggler slow issue. In this case, you can free up the disk space to fix the Defraggler slow issue.
How good is Defraggler? ›I use Defraggler for all of my computers that I want to actually have a nicely defragmented hard drive. It takes some time, but it is so worth it for the results! I use it before I take an image of a machine and it works like magic over what the Windows one offers.
Should you use Defraggler on SSD? ›We don't recommend using Defraggler's defrag function on SSDs: The defrag functions of Defraggler should not be used on solid-state drives since they may shorten the lifespan of these drives or even damage them outright while also having no impact on the drive's performance.
Should I defrag daily? ›Generally, you want to regularly defragment a mechanical Hard Disk Drive and avoid defragmenting a Solid State Disk Drive. Defragmentation can improve data access performance for HDDs that store information on disk platters, whereas it can cause SSDs that use flash memory to wear out faster.
What is Defraggler and do I need it? ›Defraggler is a quick, safe way to speed up your PC. Defraggler speeds up your computer by placing all the parts of a file on the same section of the hard drive. When Windows goes to access that file, it only has to look in one area of the drive, which speeds things up.
Does defrag reduce lifespan? ›The idea behind that statement is that since you are rewriting files to the disk when you defragment, you are putting more wear and tear on the hard drive than necessary, thus shortening its lifespan. This is simply not true. Since the hard drive is mechanical, it will naturally gain some wear and tear over time.
What happens if you defrag too much? ›
Technically Yes. By defragmenting multiple times, you're putting wear and tear of the hard drive.
When should I stop defragmenting? ›It is best to let it complete the entire defragmenting process. If you stop using the defragmenting program, the disk will become more fragmented over time. Disk defragmenting programs usually have a built-in scheduling feature so you can schedule it to run periodically in the background to keep the disk defragmented.
Does Windows automatically defrag SSD? ›As a result, it will maximize the read and write performance on a hard drive, achieving twice or even better performance. Although, it often happens among hard disk drives (HDDs). Windows still defragments an SSD automatically to prevent the file system from reaching its maximum tolerance of fragments.
What to do before defragmenting computer? ›Prepare Your Computer for Defragmentation
Make sure the hard drive is healthy. Use CHKDSK to scan and fix the drive. Close any currently open programs, including virus scanners and other programs with icons in the system tray (on the right side of the taskbar). Make sure your computer has a constant source of power.
Regularly running the Disk Defragmenter utility improves system performance. When the computer saves files, it fragments the files into pieces and saves the pieces in various locations on the hard drive. Windows takes longer to access files because it requires additional disk drive reads to find the pieces.
Is 0% fragmented good? ›If everything is running smoothly, your HDD should read OK (0% fragmented) under Current Status. For those with an SSD, the current status will just say "OK" with a note about when the TRIM command was last run.
How long does it take to defrag a 1TB hard drive? ›The larger the hard disk, the longer it takes the computer to defrag. And the more data you store a long time the defrag needs. Usually, on a 500GB disk, high-end hardware takes an hour to 90 minutes; a 1TB hard drive that has not been defragged during a long time might even take several hours.
Does auto defrag slow my computer down? ›Defragging, also known as disk defragmentation, can cause problems because it is a process of rearranging the data on a hard drive or computer system. The hard drive is so large that the data it needs to store can become scattered, causing a decrease in the speed and efficiency of the hard drive.
How do I know when defrag is done? ›You will know if the defragging process is finished when the running progress report stops and the entry in the Current Status column becomes “OK.” Enclosed in parentheses beside “OK” is the percentage of defragmentation (0% if your hard drive is not too full).
What is the lifespan of a SSD? ›SSDs Have a Long Lifespan
Since SSDs don't have moving parts, they're very reliable. In fact, most SSDs can last over five years, while the most durable units exceed ten years. However, how long your SSD will last depends on how often you write data into it, and you could use that to estimate the lifespan.
Why SSD should not be defragmented? ›
SSDs don't organize or write their data in the same way hard drives do. Instead of writing information in a fragmented sequence on magnetic plates, SSDs write data in sequence on electrically charged platters. The data on an SSD is not fragmented, rendering defragmentation useless.
Is trim better than defrag for SSD? ›SSDs do not have moving read/write heads and do not need traditional defragmentation. Use of the TRIM command helps to optimize the capacity of an SSD by allowing garbage collection and background processes to ignore the invalid or obsolete data. The end result is faster data writes and reduced drive wear.
Why is a computer more efficient after defragmentation? ›Disk Defragmenter consolidates the fragments to one location on the disk drive. As a result, Windows accesses files faster, and new files are less likely to be fragmented.
Does Windows 11 need to be defragmented? ›Defragmenting and optimizing your drive can improve the performance of your Windows 11 PC.
What does defragmenting get rid of? ›Over time, adding and deleting files from a hard drive can make the data scattered, especially if it's running low on storage space. Defragmentation organizes the individual files, resulting in improved hard drive speed. Unused space is freed. Any unused space on a hard drive can be maximized by defragmentation.
Is Diskeeper worth it? ›Diskeeper, with its scheduling and behind-the-scenes operation, is useful for anyone who wants to make disk defragmenting a no-brainer. For those willing to put up with occasional computer downtime, the free Microsoft utility is an acceptable solution.
What is the price of diskeeper? ›Pricing for Diskeeper starts at $49.95/perpetual license.
What is the latest version of Diskeeper? ›...
Diskeeper.
Screenshot of Diskeeper 2010 Pro Premier | |
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Developer(s) | Condusiv Technologies |
Final release | 2020 (20.0.1302) (March 23, 2020) [±] |
DymaxIO is fast data software that installs on Windows systems (no reboot required) and runs automatically in the background with near-zero overhead to the server.
Should I defrag my C drive? ›If you don't regularly defrag your hard drive, your computer may run slowly and/or may take a long time to start up after you turn it on. If a hard drive is too fragmented, your computer may freeze up or not start at all.
Does an SSD need to be optimized? ›
You shouldn't optimize or defrag your SSDs, as it does nothing for the drive's performance. On the contrary, it can decrease your SSDs lifespan.
Is 0% defragmented good? ›If everything is running smoothly, your HDD should read OK (0% fragmented) under Current Status. For those with an SSD, the current status will just say "OK" with a note about when the TRIM command was last run.
How often should I run Defraggler? ›If you're a normal user (meaning you use your computer for occasional web browsing, email, games, and the like), defragmenting once a month should be fine. If you're a heavy user, meaning you use the PC eight hours a day for work, you should do it more often, approximately once every two weeks.
How much does Defraggler cost? ›Pricing for Defraggler starts at $11 per year.
Why does an SSD not need to be defragmented? ›SSDs don't organize or write their data in the same way hard drives do. Instead of writing information in a fragmented sequence on magnetic plates, SSDs write data in sequence on electrically charged platters. The data on an SSD is not fragmented, rendering defragmentation useless.
At what percent should you defrag? ›Once Windows is finished analyzing the disk, you can check the percentage of fragmentation on the disk in the Last Run column. If the number is above 10%, you should defragment the disk.
Do many experts say to never defragment a SSD? ›The reason there's no point defragmenting an SSD is that there's no seek time or rotational latency. Instead, SSDs access flash memory (NAND) at much higher speeds, typically less than 50us—that's 50 microseconds, or compared to a typical hard drive with a 15ms average access time, about 300 times faster.
What not to do with SSD? ›- Don't Defragment Your SSD. Unlike magnetic drives, fragmentation isn't going to hurt your SSD's speed. ...
- Do Check That Auto-Defrag is Disabled. Defragging your SSD is not only unnecessary, but it could shorten the life of your SSD. ...
- Don't Use for Archived Files. ...
- Do Enable TRIM. ...
- Don't Use Old Operating Systems.
- Avoid Extreme Temperatures. SSDs are more resistant than HDDs when it comes to hot and cold. ...
- Avoid Power Outages. ...
- Don't Completely Fill Your SSD With Data. ...
- Protect Your SSD for Optimal Performance.