12 Useful Windows 11 Software You Should Try
Miscellaneous / / April 04, 2023
We will customize the appearance of the system and make it more convenient and responsive. And all this is completely free.
1. Microsoft PowerToys
PowerToys is not some kind of craft, but the creation of Microsoft itself. And this program has a large number of functions and makes working with the system much more convenient.
For example, PowerToys can customize keyboard shortcuts on your system. Do you want to switch the keyboard layout through Caps Lock, and use the F5 - F8 buttons to control the music player? The program will allow you to do this. Or perhaps you need to temporarily disable screen sleep without going into the settings? PowerToys will solve this problem with one click.
The program can automatically sort windows on the screen depending on what you are doing, rename files in bulk, show the contents of documents in side window of the "Explorer", pin the necessary applications on top of the rest, launch them through the Spotlight-style search bar from macOS - in general, nothing more transfer.
Download PowerToys →
2. RoundedTB
This program makes the edges of your taskbar round, making it look very stylish and futuristic. In addition, the application allows you to adjust the size of the taskbar and make it dynamically expand, like in macOS.
RoundedTB can be downloaded from the Microsoft App Store. And don't worry: the program does not change system files and does not affect performance.
Developer
Price: Free
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Price: Free
3. EarTrumpet
Microsoft made a beautiful sound control panel in Windows 11, but it still lacks functionality.
EarTrumpet, on the other hand, is a more powerful tool for changing the system volume, which allows you to control the sound of each running application. A useful thing if you are working at the same time, watching YouTube videos with one eye and listening in the background ambient in Spotify.
Developer
Price: Free
Download
Price: Free
4. Live Wallpaper
New wallpapers have been added to Windows 11, but they are, frankly, rather boring and boring quickly. If you want something more interesting on your desktop, try Lively Wallpaper.
It is a free and open source program that allows you to set videos, animated backgrounds, GIFs and even web pages as wallpapers. In addition, you can adjust the brightness, speed, scaling and color of the animation.
Developer
Price: Free
Download
Price: Free
5. Dynamic Theme
If animations distract from work and you want to see a static background on your desktop, the Dynamic Theme application is at your service. It automatically downloads new wallpapers, so you don't have to spend time searching for pictures on the Internet. The source for the utility is the Bing and Windows Spotloght sites, and there the caring Microsoft collects only the best pictures.
Developer
Price: Free
Download
Price: Free
6. ElevenClock
If you used two or more monitors on Windows 10, you could see the time in the lower right corner of the screen on any of them. In Windows 11, it only appears on the main display, and this is inconvenient. Microsoft promised to do everything as it was, but things are still there.
The free ElevenClock utility can return the clock to its original place, and even allows you to customize them - for example, change the color of the text and font, turn on the display of seconds and so on. The program organically fits into the interface and supports both day and night modes.
Application not found
7. Auto Dark Mode X
Windows 11 has finally added a beautiful and convenient night mode. For the first time, the dark theme appeared in the "Ten", but there it still looks alien. But the style of the new version is very good.
However, Microsoft, as always, forgot about one important little thing: the system does not know how to switch light and dark modes automatically.
Auto Dark Mode X fixes this shortcoming. With this app, themes will change depending on the time of day. First, it helps to save eyes, and secondly, it just makes Windows 11 look better.
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8. Files
In Windows 11, File Explorer has been redesigned, but it's still far from ideal. Files is a third-party application that will be a great replacement for the standard file manager.
The program looks more stylish and modern and boasts built-in tabs and a customizable sidebar. And the dark mode looks better here.
The program is available for free on the official GitHub website. You can also buy it from the Microsoft Store if you want to support developers.
Upload Files →
Developer
Price: Free
Download
Price: Free
9. QuickLook
macOS fans can't live without Finder's Quick View feature: press the spacebar and the contents of the selected file will open in front of you without running programs to edit it. Very handy to flip through your illustrations and layouts without opening bulky photoshop and Illustrator.
QuickLook adds a similar capability to Windows. Just select the desired file and hit the space bar. It is especially nice that the application can open Word documents - however, for this you need to install special plugin from the developer's site.
Developer
Price: Free
Download
Price: Free
10. Twinkle Tray
Does it ever seem strange to you that you can control the volume through the system tray, but not the brightness? Twinkle Tray will correct this injustice. After installing the program, you can change the brightness of your monitor directly from the notification area. And it will even be possible to configure several separate displays, if you have them.
Developer
Price: Free
Download
Price: Free
11. NanaZip
Everyone knows the good old archiver 7‑Zip. It has only one drawback: the application's interface looks like it came to us in a time machine from the beginning of the 2000s.
NanaZip is a fork, that is, an exact copy of 7-Zip. However, its updated look is much more in line with the shiny and glossy Windows 11. The archiver is integrated into the "Explorer", looks good and copes with its duties normally. And also it's free.
Developer
Price: Free
Download
Price: Free
12. Winaero Tweaker
In general, OS tuning applications should be treated with caution, as they can easily break the system. But Winaero Tweaker is a time-tested tool that stands out from the crowd.
The application will allow you to adjust the appearance of the system with one click so that it looks a little more like the good old "Ten". It will return the icons to taskbar to the left side of the screen, turn the context menu into a classic one, turn off too annoying telemetry, cut out annoying widgets - in general, it will make sure that Windows 11 is less embarrassing for you with all sorts of unexpected innovations.
If necessary, however, all changes can be easily rolled back. Most importantly, do not forget to create a system restore point before changing anything.
Most notably, ThisIsWin11 can stop the background install and update of all ad-supported built-in apps like WhatsApp, TikTok, Solitaire, and the like. This will improve performance a bit.
Download Winaero Tweaker →
Read also🧐
- How to increase laptop battery life on Windows 11
- 12 Windows 11 problems that are easy to fix
- How to remove the password when logging in to Windows 11