Even though I’m a Windows fan, there are certain annoyances I can’t ignore. As good as Windows 11 has gotten, it still feels a bit limited in some areas. The Start menu can be sluggish, the taskbar offers frustratingly few customization options, and default apps like File Explorer, Task Manager, and Phone Link often feel restrictive. Over time, these small annoyances really add up.
The good news is that almost all of these frustrations can be solved with the right apps. From replacing the Start menu with a faster, smarter alternative to making file sharing and device integration effortless, these tools can turn Windows from a frustrating experience into a smooth, enjoyable one.
PowerToys Run, part of Microsoft’s PowerToys suite, is easily the best replacement for the Windows Start menu. You hit Alt + Space and up pops a clean, minimalist search bar that feels a lot like macOS Spotlight. From there, you can instantly launch apps, open folders, or even execute shell commands.
Even better, if you want to navigate to a website, type // followed by the URL. Similarly, if you want to make a quick search, type ?? followed by the query, and PowerToys Run will open the results in your default browser.
The real magic, though, is in PowerToys Run’s plugin system. You can supercharge it with extras like the Winget plugin to install apps directly, the Everything plugin for lightning-fast file searches, and even a ChatGPT plugin. With the ChatGPT plugin, you can type a question right into PowerToys Run and get answers in your browser. With all of this at my fingertips, I barely touch the Start menu anymore.
File Explorer, but finally done right
Windows File Explorer gets the job done, but “functional” isn’t the same as “delightful.” Files app, on the other hand, can do everything File Explorer can and also packs in thoughtful features Microsoft never bothered to add. You get dual-pane for effortless drag-and-drop between folders, tags to keep your files organized, and built-in support for cloud services like Google Drive and iCloud.
With its column view, opening a folder displays its contents neatly in a new column beside the previous one. If you love keyboard shortcuts, the Files app has plenty built in, and you can even customize them to match your workflow.
What really sets Files apart from other File Explorer alternatives is its design. It looks polished right out of the box but also gives you plenty of ways to tweak its appearance. While the Microsoft Store lists Files at $8, you can download the installer for free straight from its official website.
Customizing the taskbar your way
Windows 11’s taskbar looks sleek, but it can feel uncomfortably restricted. You can’t resize it, adjust icon sizes, or move it to the sides like in Windows 10. Windhawk is a Windows customization mod that helps overcome these taskbar limitations.
Windhawk offers several mods for fixing everything wrong with Windows 11, but I specifically use it for the taskbar. With the Windows 11 taskbar styler, you can transform the look and feel of your taskbar entirely—make it transparent, give it a macOS-style dock appearance, or even bring back the nostalgic Windows 7 design.
It doesn’t stop there. Windhawk also lets you tweak the taskbar clock to show live system stats such as CPU, RAM, and network usage, so your taskbar becomes a handy performance monitor. And if clutter drives you crazy, its Taskbar tray system icon tweaks module makes it easy to hide unnecessary icons, like the language bar or notification icons.
Taking control of running apps and processes
Windows’ built-in Task Manager is solid, but it hasn’t evolved much beyond the basics. Task Manager DeLuxe (TMX) takes that familiar concept and supercharges it with features that power users will truly appreciate.
At first glance, it looks like Task Manager on steroids. You still get the familiar CPU, RAM, and disk activity, but it goes much deeper. You can explore running processes in a tree-style view, monitor network connections in real time, and see detailed information about each process, like how much a process has historically written or how many threads it has open in the background.
Despite all its extra power, Task Manager DeLuxe remains lightweight and responsive. There’s no installation required, and you can even run it directly from a USB stick as a portable app.
Way better than Nearby Sharing
Sharing files between devices is something we all do from time to time, but dragging out a cable feels outdated. Windows offers Nearby Sharing but it only works between Windows devices, which can be frustrating if you’re trying to send files to phones, tablets, or non-Windows computers.
LocalSend makes file transfers effortless across all your devices. I keep it installed everywhere I need it, including my Windows PC, so sharing documents, photos, or videos takes just a few clicks. The app automatically discovers other devices running LocalSend, which makes sharing files quick and painless.
It’s fast, private, and completely offline, so nothing ever leaves your local network. The best thing about LocalSend is that it isn’t limited to Windows—it works across Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and even Google TV.
It’s not as restrictive as Phone Link
Microsoft’s Phone Link has improved over the years, but I prefer KDE Connect for a few key reasons. Like Phone Link, it offers notification sync, the ability to make calls, send texts, and view photos. The difference is that KDE Connect doesn’t lock features behind a specific brand. With Phone Link, cross-device copy and paste only works on Samsung Galaxy phones. But with KDE Connect, you can use any Android phone to sync clipboard.
Another major advantage is that KDE Connect doesn’t require a Microsoft account. If you like using your PC with a local account, it works perfectly. It’s lightweight and packed with handy features. You can use your phone as a keyboard or mouse for your Windows PC, and there’s even media control, which lets you manage music or video playback directly from your phone.
Preview files without waiting for apps to load
Sometimes it’s the little conveniences that make Windows feel smooth. QuickLook is one of those. Inspired by the macOS feature of the same name, it lets you preview files instantly without opening them in their default apps. All you have to do is select a file in File Explorer and press the spacebar to preview it.
It works with almost anything you throw at it. You can peek inside PDFs, skim through Office documents, view images, listen to audio files, or even play videos without waiting for Word, Excel, Photos, or Media Player to load. It’s perfect when all you want to do is preview the contents of the file quickly without waiting for the app to load. QuickLook isn’t a replacement for any specific app, but with it, I find myself using Photos, Adobe Acrobat, and Media Player much less.
I can’t imagine ditching Windows for a different OS, but sometimes it feels like it’s holding back just enough to test your patience. These free apps have changed that for me. From PowerToys Run making the Start menu feel magical, to Files giving File Explorer a long-overdue upgrade, and Windhawk finally letting me tame the taskbar, each tool makes Windows just a bit better for me.
