What is Utility Software?

Utility software is system software that carries out housekeeping tasks on a computer: it maintains, manages, configures and protects the system. It is not application software, so you would not use it to write a story or play a game. Instead it works quietly in the background so the computer keeps running smoothly and efficiently.

Why a computer needs utility software

An operating system looks after memory, files and hardware, but it does not do everything. Utilities exist to carry out the extra tasks the operating system does not handle on its own, such as spotting problems and putting them right. A well-maintained machine runs smoothly and is less likely to fail in the middle of your work.

Utility software is also not the same thing as the operating system. The operating system is the main system software that runs the computer; utilities are separate tools that keep it in good order. Housekeeping is the whole point of a utility: it keeps the system tidy, working and free of problems, rather than helping you do a particular job on the computer.

Where utility software comes from

Computers often come with utility software already supplied as part of the operating system. Extra utilities can be installed separately when you need a job that the built-in tools do not cover.

The three utilities

The utilities that do this housekeeping include:

• Encryption software — scrambles data so that it cannot be understood without the correct key.
• Defragmentation software — reorganises the fragmented files on a magnetic hard disk so that the pieces of each file are stored together consecutively.
• Data compression software — reduces the size of files so that they take up less storage space.