Download UltraDefrag for Windows PC v7.1.4 for Windows PC

UltraDefrag 7.1.4 is the last free, open-source release of the Windows disk defragmenter, with boot-time defrag of locked files and the MFT, filters and full...

Features

• Boot-time defragmentation processes files that are locked while Windows is running, including the MFT, page file and registry hives.
• It offers quick and full optimisation modes plus defragmentation of single files or folders, not just whole volumes.
• Filters by file size, fragment count, name and path, together with an execution time limit, make scheduled maintenance runs practical.
• This 7.1.4 build is completely free and open source, with no adverts, bundles or feature-locked paid tier inside the program.
• The installer is only about 2.4 MB and includes graphical, console and boot-time components for GUI or scripted use.

Considerations

• The free open-source line is unmaintained since version 7.1.4 in 2020, so there are no Windows 11-era fixes or interface updates.
• Defragmenting an SSD or NVMe drive gives no performance benefit and adds unnecessary write wear, making the tool pointless on most modern PCs.
• The split with the paid version 16 sold on the vendor's website confuses many users into expecting free updates that do not exist.

Get ultradefrag-7.1.4.bin.amd64.exe (about 2.4 MB) from the stable-release folder of the official SourceForge project. This is the free open-source build, not the paid edition sold on the vendor's website.

Double-click the installer, choose your language and components (GUI, console and boot-time modules) and complete setup. Administrator rights are required because the boot-time component integrates with Windows startup.

Open UltraDefrag, select a hard drive volume and run an analysis first. Choose Defragment for a light pass, one of the optimisation modes for a full reorder, or enable the boot-time scan and reboot to process locked system files.

Is UltraDefrag for Windows PC free and open source?

Yes. UltraDefrag for Windows PC is completely free and open-source software. You can download and use it at no cost, and its source code is publicly available.

Why should you never defrag an SSD?

SSDs have no moving heads, so file fragmentation does not slow them down the way it does a spinning disk — and a defragmentation pass only adds unnecessary write wear. UltraDefrag is built for traditional hard drives, which is where defragmenting still pays off.

Does Windows 11 need defragging?

Only if it still has a traditional hard drive. Windows runs its own automatic optimisation on a schedule, which defragments HDDs and services SSDs differently, so most users need nothing extra. A dedicated tool like UltraDefrag earns its place when you want control — individual files and folders, filters, and a boot-time scan of files Windows normally keeps locked.

What is the best defrag tool for Windows 11?

UltraDefrag is a capable free, open-source option for hard drives: quick and full optimisation passes, defragmentation of single files or folders, filters by size, fragment count, name or path, and a signature boot-time scan that can process the MFT, page file and registry hives. The version listed here, 7.1.4, is the final release of the free open-source line.

Does defragging a hard drive make it faster?

On a traditional hard drive, yes — heavily fragmented files force the drive's heads to jump around to read them, and defragmenting pulls the pieces back together so reads become sequential again. On an SSD there is no such penalty, so defragging gains nothing.

How often should you run a disk defragmenter?

For a typical home hard drive, checking every month or two is plenty, and Windows' built-in automatic optimisation already covers most people. Run a manual pass with a tool like UltraDefrag when a drive feels slow or shows high fragmentation, and use its optional time limit if you schedule longer full optimisations.