Four paid subscriptions, four built-in Windows replacements: that's the claim in MakeUseOf writer Pankil Shah's first-person account. He says he cancelled CCleaner, TeamViewer, Snagit and McAfee because Windows 11 now covers what he used them for. It's a fair thesis, and it holds up better in some places than others. Below, each swap is checked against Microsoft's documentation, with the caveats the original story skips.
The short version
| Paid tool | Windows 11 replacement | Where it holds up | Where it doesn't |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCleaner | Storage Sense, Windows Update, Startup apps | Routine temp-file cleanup, baseline driver delivery | Not every driver is the newest, and Storage Sense is limited to the system drive |
| TeamViewer | Quick Assist and Remote Desktop | Helping friends, reaching your own PC | The Remote Desktop host must run Pro, and Quick Assist is a Store app |
| Snagit | Snipping Tool | Screenshots, OCR, simple recording | No scrolling capture, and a lighter editor |
| McAfee | Microsoft Defender | Core antivirus protection | "All you need" depends on your needs |
CCleaner: Storage Sense and Windows Update
The author says Storage Sense, Windows Update and a pass through the startup list replaced CCleaner's cleaner, driver updater and startup optimizer. Microsoft's documentation supports the core of this, with some fine print.
Storage Sense. Microsoft describes Storage Sense as freeing space automatically by removing items such as temporary files and Recycle Bin contents. The details matter:
- To enable it, go to Settings > System > Storage and switch Storage Sense on. Then open it to choose how often it runs.
- It is off by default. Microsoft says it may switch itself on for select temporary files if your PC runs low on space, and it will notify you.
- It only works on the system drive, usually C:.
- It leaves the Downloads folder and cloud content alone unless you tell it otherwise.
- It can't run unless you're signed in and online.
- Settings are per user.
Microsoft also offers Cleanup recommendations, which sorts candidates into temporary files, large or unused files, files synced to the cloud, and unused apps. It shows the estimated space you'll save before you commit. Take care with the previous-Windows-installation entry. Deleting it removes your option to roll back, and Microsoft says that can't be undone.
Drivers. Microsoft says Windows 11 installs recommended drivers automatically. Optional driver updates are not installed automatically. To review them, go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates, tick the drivers you want, and choose Download and install. Restart afterward. If Windows Update has nothing for a device, Microsoft tells you to check the hardware maker's website. So Windows Update is a solid baseline. It isn't proof that you always have the best driver for a GPU or a niche peripheral.
Startup. The author says trimming the startup apps list was enough to cut boot times. That is his own experience, with no measurements given. It's a reasonable tip, since fewer launch-at-login apps generally means less work at sign-in, but treat it as anecdote.
TeamViewer: two tools for two jobs
The author's complaint is that TeamViewer's commercial-use detection flagged him as a business user. That is his account of events, and I haven't independently verified it. The replacement is two tools, because they solve different problems.
Quick Assist (helping someone else)
Microsoft's steps are straightforward:
- Open Quick Assist. Press Ctrl + Windows logo key + Q, or search for it in Start.
- Choose Help someone and share the 6-digit code with the person you're helping.
- Wait for them to enter the code and approve the connection and screen sharing.
- Use the laser pointer, annotation and chat tools. Select Request control if you need full control, and wait for them to allow it.
- Select Leave when you're done.
On the install story: Windows 11 version 22H2 and later pre-installs the Store-based Quick Assist app (updated through the Store); Microsoft's instructions describe installing it from the Microsoft Store only for older builds or when it's missing. On a PC managed by work or school, organizational policy may block that installation. If it fails to install, Microsoft suggests resetting the Store cache with wsreset.exe and checking for Windows updates.
Quick Assist also needs Microsoft Edge WebView2. That should already be present on Windows 11, but Microsoft lists error codes 1001 to 1004 for WebView2 initialization, load, install and update failures. One of those is caused by an Edge group policy setting.
Microsoft also warns that remote access is a favorite tool of tech-support scammers. Only let someone connect if you know and trust them, or if you contacted Microsoft Support yourself.
Remote Desktop (reaching your own PC)
The requirement that decides whether this works for you: the PC you're connecting to must run Windows Pro. The device you connect from can run any Windows edition or another operating system. Setup on the host is short:
- Go to Settings > System > About and confirm the edition is Pro.
- Go to Settings > System > Remote Desktop and turn it on, then select Confirm.
- Note the PC name shown on that page.
To connect, use Remote Desktop Connection on Windows, Windows App on macOS or iOS, or the Remote Desktop app on Android. On every client you enter the PC name and sign in. A Home-edition desktop can't be the target, which makes this a conditional swap, not a universal one.
Snagit: Snipping Tool has grown up
Microsoft's documentation lists a respectable feature set:
- Freeform, rectangle, window and full-screen snips.
- Video snips. Press Windows key + Shift + R, or choose Record, then New, pick an area and start.
- Pen, highlighter, shapes, eraser, crop and undo/redo.
- Delayed capture of 1 to 5 seconds.
- Text actions, which uses OCR to copy text out of a snip. Microsoft says recognition runs locally on the device, and Quick redact can mask email addresses or phone numbers it detects.
- Edit with Paint, and Edit in Clipchamp for video snips.
Windows key + Shift + S opens the capture overlay for still images. A couple of extras, Perfect screenshot and Color picker, are limited to Copilot+ PCs.
What Microsoft's page doesn't list is scrolling capture. The author himself says Snagit still wins there, along with its more feature-rich editor. If you document software for a living, those gaps may justify the roughly $40 a year he cites. That price is his figure, not one I verified. If your screenshots are mostly grab, mark up and paste, the free tool is plausibly enough.
McAfee: Defender is capable, but "all you need" is a judgment call
Microsoft Defender Antivirus ships with Windows 11, and Windows Security exposes protection settings, updates and ransomware controls such as Controlled folder access. That feature blocks untrusted apps from changing files in protected folders. Microsoft notes that anything you add to the allowed list gets access to those folders, so be careful with exceptions.
Independent lab data supports the author's broader point. AV-TEST's Windows 11 consumer results show Defender and McAfee both scoring well. According to AV-TEST's write-up of its March/April 2026 round, Microsoft's tool earned the maximum 18 points and the Top Product label. That same round lists McAfee among the products that detected every sample. A secondary comparison site reports that in the May–June 2026 cycle McAfee scored 18 out of 18 and Defender 17.5, with Defender losing half a point on performance while keeping full marks for protection and usability. I'd treat that as a third-party summary, but it fits the picture. Defender is now a peer of the paid suites, not a poor relation.
That supports a narrower claim than the author's "just as capable as the paid tools." Labs test default-settings malware defense on specific versions during specific windows, and results change from round to round. They say nothing about extras like password managers or VPNs, which the author acknowledges vendors bundle. If you want those, the subscription may still make sense. If you only want a solid antivirus, an extra paid layer is hard to justify. His $50 a year figure applies to his own McAfee offer and shouldn't be read as a market price.
Who should actually cancel?
- Cancel CCleaner if you only wanted temp cleanup and driver nudges. Turn on Storage Sense and check Optional updates monthly.
- Cancel TeamViewer if your remote needs are family tech support and reaching a Pro-edition PC you own. Keep it if you need cross-platform support sessions, unattended access to Home-edition machines, or managed IT workflows.
- Cancel Snagit if you rarely need scrolling capture or advanced editing.
- Cancel McAfee if you'd be paying only for antivirus and you keep Windows updated.
Bottom line
The original story's best insight is task-based, not brand-based. Windows 11 includes real tools for cleanup, remote help, capture and malware defense, and for many home users they're enough. But the Pro-edition requirement for Remote Desktop, Quick Assist's Store dependency, Snipping Tool's missing scrolling capture and Windows Update's limits on driver coverage all mean "free" comes with conditions. Check those conditions against your own habits before you cancel anything.
Correction (October 22, 2026): an earlier version of this article wrongly corrected the original story's claim that Quick Assist is pre-installed. Microsoft states the Quick Assist Store app is pre-installed on Windows 11, version 22H2 and later; installing it from the Microsoft Store is only needed for older builds or when the app is missing.