Your Windows 11 Just Got a Free Upgrade
If you prefer, you can also listen to this information on my Podcast at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/norbert-gostischa/episodes/Your-Windows-11-Just-Got-a-Free-Upgrade-e38afqa
5 Must-Have Apps That Feel Like Magic
Who doesn't love getting something for free, especially when it makes your life easier? While your computer comes with some useful tools, these five apps are on a whole different level. They're simple, powerful, and will make you wonder how you ever got by without them.
Let's dive into these free tools that will change the way you use your PC for the better!
1 - Everything - Find Anything, Instantly
Ever spent too much time trying to find a file on your computer? Windows Search can be slow and frustrating. Everything is a tiny, free app that solves this problem instantly. It's a digital bloodhound for your files. The moment you install it, it quickly scans your entire hard drive, creating a super-fast index of every single file.
The best part? When you open the app and start typing a file name, the results appear as you type. There's no waiting. You can search for a document or picture by just one word, and it will pop up faster than you can say, "Where did I put that?" It’s a game-changer for anyone who has ever felt lost in their own digital clutter.
You can download it directly from the official developer’s website - https://www.voidtools.com/downloads/
2 - ShareX - The Ultimate Screenshot Sidekick
The built-in Snipping Tool is fine for a basic screenshot, but what if you need more? What if you want to capture a scrolling webpage, record a quick video of your screen, or create an animated GIF?
ShareX is a powerful, free app that handles virtually any screen-capturing task you can think of. It can capture a specific region, a window, or even your full screen with a simple keyboard shortcut. After you take a screenshot, ShareX offers a ton of options. It can automatically upload the image to a service, copy it to your clipboard, or open it in a built-in editor so you can quickly add notes or blur out sensitive information. It even has an optical character recognition (OCR) tool that can grab text from a screenshot. It's the Swiss Army knife of screen-capturing.
The safest and easiest way to download this is from the official Microsoft Store - https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nblggh4z1sp
3 - VLC Media Player - The Universal Player
Have you ever tried to play a video file, only to have your computer tell you, "Sorry, I can't do that"? This happens all the time with obscure video formats. The standard media players included in Windows just aren't built to handle every file.
VLC Media Player is a legend for a reason. This free app can play almost any video or audio format you can imagine, from a common MP4 to an old AVI file, with no extra codec packs or complicated settings needed. It's the universal translator for your media files.
Beyond just playing files, VLC can stream content from the web, convert media formats, and play DVDs and CDs. It's fast, lightweight, and completely free, with no ads or trackers. It simply works, and it works well, making it an essential download for any media lover.
You can get the official version directly from the VideoLAN website - https://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html
4 - 7-Zip - The Compression Champion
Compressing and extracting files is a necessary part of using a computer. Whether you’re downloading a file from the internet or sending a large folder, you need a good tool to handle the job. The built-in Windows tool is basic, and paying for a program that does this feels unnecessary.
That's where 7-Zip shines as a true hero - It’s a powerful and completely free file archiver that is a fantastic alternative to paid options. 7-Zip's greatest strength is its ability to create compressed files that are often much smaller than those created by other programs, thanks to its highly efficient 7z format.
It’s also incredibly versatile, allowing you to extract files from virtually any format you'll encounter. It integrates seamlessly with your Windows right-click menu, so you can compress or decompress a file with just a couple of clicks. It's a tool that does one job and does it perfectly, all for the compressed price of zero dollars.
You can download it directly from the official developer’s website - https://www.7-zip.org/download.html
5 - Microsoft PowerToys - The Secret Super-Suite
This one is truly special because it comes from Microsoft itself! PowerToys is a collection of small, incredibly useful utilities that adds a ton of new functionality to your PC. It's like a secret bonus pack of features that helps you be more productive.
Once installed, you can choose which "toys" you want to play with - Some of the most popular include:
FancyZones - This tool helps you arrange your open windows into custom, complex layouts with a single click.
Image Resizer - This adds a simple "Resize pictures" option to your right-click menu, letting you quickly resize one or a whole group of images.
PowerRename - A lifesaver for anyone who needs to rename a huge number of files at once using simple search-and-replace rules.
Color Picker - A handy tool for grabbing a color code from anywhere on your screen.
PowerToys is a treasure trove of little tools that solve everyday annoyances. It’s a must-have for anyone who wants to customize their workflow and gain a little bit of a productivity edge, all completely free from the source.
The safest and most reliable place to get this app is directly from Microsoft - https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/XP89DCGQ3K6VLD
Stay safe, stay secure and enjoy your new supercharged Windows 11 with these truly free apps.
(AI was used to aid in the creation of this article.)
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