Frequently Asked Questions

This topic is an Eye Opener about browsers and explains you on how to use the FileCleaner software to perform the desired tasks.

If you have any further questions, please write to us at contact@filecleaner.net we will be happy to respond to your queries.

What is FileCleaner?

FileCleaner (history and online log eraser) is a free, powerful and easy-to-use privacy protection tool for removing Internet surfing, messenger and other computer activity tracks from your PC.

Using FileCleaner you can:

Erase Internet History

Erase Messenger History

• Erase Yahoo! Messenger User Profile
• Erase Yahoo! Messenger chat logs
• Erase MSN Messenger User Profile
• Erase MSN Messenger chat logs
• Erase Google Talk User Profile
• Erase Google Talk chat logs

Erase Windows History

• Empty Windows Temporary Folders (Temporary files directory)
• Clear Clipboard
• Erase Recently opened documents list
• Disable Recent documents
• Empty Recycle Bin
• Erase Windows Run History (recently run programs list)
• Erase Windows Search "Files & Folders" History
• Erase Windows Search "Computers" History
• Erase Start Menu open programs history (Windows Explorer UserAssist Data)
• Erase view preferences for desktop and windows you opened
• Erase recently open/save files list

FileCleaner erases Internet history tracks in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome and instant messenger logs from Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger & Google Talk.

Why do I need FileCleaner ?

The operating system in a computer tracks everything you are doing while using the computer or surfing the Internet. Anyone who has access to your computer can see what web sites you have visited, what images and movies you have seen, what files you downloaded, documents and files you have just opened, etc., So, to protect your privacy you should erase tracks on a regular basis but it is easy to forget about it and some tracks of computer and Internet activity can not be removed manually.

FileCleaner lets you erase different tracks of Internet activity in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome - you can erase browser history (including deleting AutoComplete forms and deleting address bar history), erase search history (Yahoo search history, Google search history, etc), erase browser cache (delete Temporary Internet files), delete stored passwords, delete cookies. FileCleaner erases the chat logs and login information stored by your instant messengers like Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger & Google Talk.

FileCleaner also erases Windows history - Temporary Folders (Temporary files directory), clipboard, Recycle Bin content and Recent documents history, Windows Run History (recently run programs list), Windows search history, Start Menu open programs history, view preferences for desktop and windows you opened, recently open/save files list, allows disable the Recently Used Documents from access without deleting the list of Recently Used Documents.

What are the system requirements for FileCleaner? 

• Windows 2000/XP/Vista 
• Microsoft .Net framework 2.0 installed, if not installed, you can download it here .

How can I install FileCleaner?

• Download the program from http://www.filecleaner.net/downloads.html
• To start installation, run Setup.exe
• Follow the on-screen instructions.

How can I uninstall FileCleaner? 

• Exit the program - select Exit from the program tray menu. 
• Run the "Add/Remove Programs" utility from Windows Control Panel, select FileCleaner string in the list of installed programs and press the Add/Remove button. 
• Follow the on-screen instructions.
  

What kinds of tracks can be cleaned using FileCleaner?

FileCleaner cleans different traces of online Internet activities such as browser history, browser cache (Temporary Internet files), cookies in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome web browsers. FileCleaner cleans the logs traces created from various messengers like, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger and Google Talk. 


FileCleaner erases Temporary Folders (Temporary files directory), clipboard, Recycle Bin content and Recent documents history, Windows Run History (recently run programs list), Windows search history, Start Menu open programs history, view preferences for desktop and windows you opened, recently open/save files list, allows disable the Recently Used Documents from access without deleting the list of Recently Used Documents.

RealTime Protect:
RealTime protect will be helping the user by clearing all the online activity log traces as and when the browser or messenger is closed. This clean up will be done automatically and hence the user need not to be worried about clearing the privacy details and it protects the system from malwares. 

What browsers are supported?
FileCleaner supports Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome

Can I set FileCleaner to erase history, erase cache, erase cookies automatically?

Yes. With FileCleaner you don't have to remember to erase browser history, delete Temporary Internet Files (cache), erase cookies, empty Windows Temporary Folders, clear clipboard, Recycle Bin, Recent Documents list. FileCleaner does it for you. You can set the program to clean the selected items automatically on a scheduled time.
Along with that, you can check the RealTime protect, this will clean the browsers and messengers instantly (as soon as you are closing the browser or instant messenger)

How can I erase history using FileCleaner?

Erasing the Traces is very simple with FileCleaner: 

• Right-click the FileCleaner tray icon and select the Run Cleaner.

To erase the traces securely,

• Right-click the FileCleaner tray icon and select the Run Secure Cleaner.

How can I enable the RealTime protect in FileCleaner?

• If you want to enable RealTime protect to erase browsers and messenger history automatically: Double-click the FileCleaner tray icon 
• Click the Realtime Protect button. 
• Check the RealTime Protect 
• Select the browsers and messengers you wish to be monitored/cleared realtime and click the Apply Changes button.

How can I erase AutoComplete forms?
AutoComplete is a feature that stores a list of everything you type in web pages (for example your name, e-mail address, credit card information, keywords you enter in search engines, etc). AutoComplete helps the user complete the form by suggesting possible matches - you can simply press the down arrow key and select the text without finishing typing. So anyone who has access to your computer can see a drop down list with information you've typed. Furthermore, everyone can see the information and passwords you enter in web sites using special software that allows viewing and managing this information. FileCleaner protects your privacy and clears AutoComplete forms content in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. To clear AutoComplete forms, click the "Clean" Button corresponds to the browser or Click the Clean Now button to clear all the items What do I do to erase address bar history (URL AutoComplete)? Address bar, also known as the "Location bar", is a text box used to enter a web site address in a browser. Web browsers allow users to click the down arrow to view the recently visited pages. So, the address bar history shows some of the web sites you've recently visited and anyone who has access to your computer and starts to type in the address bar will get a drop down URL list with the web sites you've visited. You may not want other people to know what web sites you have visited. To clean this, click the “Clean” button corresponds to the browser or click the Clean Now button to clear all the items.

How can I delete stored passwords?
Web browsers store passwords that you typed in web sites forms. While the auto-complete feature may be helpful for some things, it can also seriously compromise your security and privacy, because anyone who has access to your computer can use stored passwords to get access to the corresponding web sites or use special software to retrieve web site passwords stored as autocomplete data. To clean this, click the “Clean” button corresponds to the browser or click the Clean Now button to clear all the items.

How do I erase history in Internet Explorer manually?
To erase history in Internet Explorer:
• Go to Tools and select Internet Options.
• The Internet Options dialog window will appear.
On the General tab, click "Clear history".
• Click "OK" to erase history.

In Internet Explorer even if you erase history manually, index.dat file stores information where you have been online. This file can't be deleted manually as it is used by Windows all the time. In FileCleaner "Clearing browser history" option for Internet Explorer is combined with deleting index.dat file content.

Does FileCleaner erase Internet Explorer tracks?
Yes. Using FileCleaner you can:
• Erase Internet Explorer History
• Erase Internet Explorer cache (delete Temporary Internet Files in Internet Explorer)
• Delete index.dat files content
• Erase Internet Explorer Cookies

Can I erase Internet history immediately?
Yes. Click the "Clean Now" button or right-click FileCleaner tray menu and select "Run Cleaner” item, will clear all the selected items.

What is index.dat file?
Index.dat files are cache files used by Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer saves information about web pages you visit: full address of web site/page and time of visiting in few different index.dat files. Index.dat file can't be deleted manually as it is used by Windows all the time.

FileCleaner allows you to delete the content of index.dat files along with history, cache and cookies.

How can I delete the index.dat files using FileCleaner?
There are three index.dat files used by Internet Explorer. They are system files and can't be deleted manually as they are used by Windows all the time. Index.dat files store information which can show where you have been online. FileCleaner lets you easily delete the content of cache, history and cookies index.dat files.

What are cookies?
Web sites can store short pieces of information on your computer called "cookies". Cookies are created in order to recognize users when they return to a website to offer customized content to the certain user. However, cookies can threat to your privacy as they can store sensitive information like your name and password on protected login pages, preferences, account information and choices you have made on the site. So, even if you clean browser history, cookies like a map will show your surfing preferences, habits, passwords, etc. Even if the cookies don't contain such information they clearly show that you visited the sites from which they came. Using FileCleaner you can delete cookies in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome web browsers. FileCleaner deletes not only the cookie files but also the cookie records from the index.dat files.

How can I erase cookies in Mozilla Firefox manually?
To erase cookies in Mozilla Firefox: 

• Open the Tools menu. 
• Select Options. 
• Select the Privacy to open sub-menu. 
• Click the View cookies item. 
• Select one or more cookies you want to remove and click "Remove Cookie".
  
  Clicking "Remove All Cookies" will delete all cookies.

How can I erase cookies in Google Chrome manually?
To erase cookies in Google Chrome:
• Open the Customize and Control Google Chrome menu.
• Select Clear Browsing Data.
• Check the desired items to be cleaned
• Click the Clear Browsing Data