Safety & Privacy
PCLabs reads data directly from Windows using standard system APIs — the same ones Windows itself uses. What you see is what your system is actually reporting. Some checks like CPU temperature depend on your hardware exposing that data, so results may vary by system. Nothing is guessed or estimated.
Yes, PCLabs is safe. It's a read-only diagnostics tool — it never modifies system files, installs background services, or touches your Windows registry. If Windows SmartScreen warns you on install, that's normal for newly released apps that haven't built up a reputation score yet. Click "More info" then "Run anyway." If your antivirus flags it, it's a false positive — this is common with diagnostics software that reads low-level hardware data.
PCLabs collects nothing. All data is read locally and shown only on your screen — nothing is transmitted anywhere. No analytics, no telemetry, no account. Your PC's information stays on your PC.
Most diagnostics run fine without elevated privileges. However, some hardware sensors — such as CPU voltage, fan RPM readings, and certain S.M.A.R.T. drive details — require administrator access to query via Windows APIs (WMI/IOCTL). PCLabs will prompt for elevation only when needed and will gracefully skip checks it can't access rather than crashing.
How It Works
No. PCLabs runs once, shows you results, and that's it. It doesn't run in the background, doesn't install any services, and doesn't start with Windows. Once the scan is done, it's just sitting there until you close it.
The diagnostic scanner is read-only — it identifies issues and explains them in plain language without touching your system. Pro users also get the Game Optimizer, which applies Windows-level settings changes (power plan, HAGS, visual effects, etc.) only when you explicitly click Apply. Every optimization is reversible and documented. Your game files, saves, and registry beyond those specific settings are never touched.
For most users, once a month is plenty — or any time your PC starts behaving strangely (slowdowns, crashes, unexpected throttling, high temps). There's no harm in running it more often, especially after a Windows update, a driver change, or after pushing your hardware with games or creative workloads. Think of it like a quick health check.
Compared to Other Tools
CPU-Z and HWiNFO are great if you want raw numbers and know what to do with them. PCLabs is for when you just want to know if something's wrong. Instead of a wall of sensor readings, you get a health score, a list of actual findings, and plain-English explanations of what each one means and what to do about it.
PCLabs has a free tier with full diagnostic scanning. PCLabs Pro is available for a one-time purchase of $2.99 and unlocks Junk Cleaner, Game Optimizer, Game Detection, Game Profiles, and export reports. Price increases as new features are added. See the pricing page for full details.
Not currently. PCLabs is Windows-only for now, built specifically around Windows APIs (WMI, DirectX diagnostics, Windows Update history, etc.) that don't have direct macOS equivalents. A Mac version would be a significant separate project. It's not planned for the near future, but it's not off the table either — if there's enough interest, it'll happen eventually.
Pro Features & v0.2.0
v0.2.0 ships four new Pro features: Junk Cleaner — scans 9 categories of junk files (temp files, Windows temp, update cache, crash dumps, thumbnail cache, recycle bin, and Chrome, Edge, and Firefox caches), shows you how much space each category uses, and only removes what you select. Game Optimizer — applies six Windows-level gaming optimizations (disable Xbox Game Bar, enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling, set High Performance power plan, disable fullscreen optimizations, reduce visual effects, disable Nagle algorithm). Applied changes persist across restarts and are tracked in the app. Game Detection — automatically finds installed games across 10 launchers. Game Profiles — per-game performance setting recommendations for 22 popular titles.
PCLabs detects games from: Steam, Epic Games, Xbox / Game Pass, Battle.net, EA App, Ubisoft Connect, GOG Galaxy, Riot Games, Rockstar Launcher, and Minecraft. Detection is automatic — PCLabs reads standard install paths and registry entries. No launcher login required.
v0.2.0 includes per-game tips for 22 titles: Fortnite, Apex Legends, Warzone, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, ARC Raiders, Marvel Rivals, Battlefield 2042, Battlefield V, Overwatch 2, Rainbow Six Siege, Escape from Tarkov, THE FINALS, Hunt: Showdown 1896, Splitgate, Destiny 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, Rust, Halo Infinite, Liar's Bar, Schedule I, and R.E.P.O. Each profile includes specific settings recommendations with explanations of why they matter competitively.
No. The Game Optimizer only adjusts Windows system settings — things like your power plan, GPU scheduling mode, and network adapter configuration. Your game files, save data, and in-game settings are never touched. All changes are applied at the Windows level and are fully reversible by toggling the same settings back in Windows manually.
Yes. The Junk Cleaner only targets files that Windows itself marks as temporary or safe to remove — temp folders, update caches, crash dumps, browser caches, and the recycle bin. It shows you exactly what it found, the size of each category, and waits for you to select what to clean before removing anything. Nothing is deleted automatically. Your documents, photos, game saves, and application data are never in scope.