Windows 11 comes bundled with essential applications and tools designed to help users hit the ground running. Among the basic offerings are the Photos app, Snipping Tool, and Media Player, all of which perform adequately. However, what if some of these out-of-the-box applications are actually restricting your productivity?
These built-in apps often lack key functionalities, may operate with undesirable sluggishness, and tend to steer users towards Microsoft’s ecosystem rather than offering genuine flexibility. Fortunately, you aren’t confined to these options. There are a variety of free, lightweight substitutes that not only replace the default Windows applications but also elevate your overall user experience considerably.
6 Snipping Tool
The Built-In Screenshot Tool Falls Short
The Snipping Tool has evolved significantly, now offering features like annotations, screen recording, and even OCR capabilities to extract text from images. While these enhancements are commendable for a built-in app, it still lacks critical features that users often need.
One glaring limitation is its inability to capture scrolling screenshots—an essential function for capturing long web pages or documents. Additionally, customization options are sparse; users can’t display mouse pointers or configure precise capture dimensions to suit their workflows.
Having replaced Snipping Tool with ShareX on my PC, I found the improvement to be immense. ShareX is a free, open-source tool brimming with features often missed by the default option. It easily handles scrolling captures, offers complete control over file formats and dimensions, and allows for automation, such as cloud uploads. Plus, its extensive annotation and editing tools mean you won’t need additional apps for modifying your screenshots.
Download: ShareX (Free)
5 Clipboard History
Enhance Your Clipboard Functionality
Clipboard History is a somewhat overlooked feature in Windows. By pressing Win + V, users can access a list of recently copied items, which can even synchronize among multiple devices if logged in with a Microsoft account.
Despite its utility, this feature imposes a limit of 25 items, automatically replacing older entries when the maximum is hit, which can be inconvenient if you need to retrieve something copied earlier. Additionally, Windows clears this history upon shutdown or reboot, which is a significant drawback.
Moreover, the lack of a resizable window or a search function can make locating specific entries cumbersome. For a more robust solution, consider Ditto, an open-source clipboard manager that allows for item grouping, interface resizing, and the assignment of customizable keyboard shortcuts. This tool can be invaluable for anyone frequently managing text, images, or code.
Download: Ditto (Free)
4 Default PDF Viewer
Edit PDFs with Greater Ease
Windows defaults to Microsoft Edge for PDF viewing, where users can view documents and perform basic edits such as text highlighting and note-taking. However, it falls short of user expectations for more comprehensive PDF management.
Edge does not support essential functionalities like page rearrangement, PDF merging, or conversion to other file formats. Additionally, powerful OCR capabilities and encryption options are also missing.
PDFgear emerges as a superior alternative by providing advanced editing tools, page merging, and a modern, ad-free interface. With PDFgear, you can seamlessly fill out forms, insert images, and run OCR on scanned documents—all at no cost.
If PDFs are a regular part of your workflow, switching to PDFgear can enhance productivity and reduce reliance on unreliable online tools.
Download: PDFgear (Free)
3 Windows Search
Don’t Accept Subpar Search Performance
Windows Search is designed to be the quickest way to locate files on your computer. You hit the Windows key, type your query, and expect immediate results. Yet, reality often contradicts this expectation.
Speed and reliability issues plague the feature; slow performance and missing files are common complaints. Additionally, the service frequently favors Bing web suggestions over local searches, cluttering results with irrelevant content instead of delivering what you need.
In contrast, Everything is a lightweight and remarkably fast search alternative. It indexes your entire drive in seconds and performs real-time updates without consuming excessive system resources. Users can filter search results by file type, folder location, size, or date.
For added convenience, the Everything Toolbar add-on allows for direct access from your taskbar, making it an ideal replacement for the sluggish Windows Search.
Download: Everything (Free)
2 Photos
Photos: Trying to Be Everything, but Falling Short
The Photos app integrates a viewer, editor, and cloud syncing capabilities, featuring AI tools for background removal and quality enhancement. Despite these features, users often find it sluggish, particularly when opening high-resolution images.
Though it provides various editing tools, many users eventually seek out dedicated software for enhanced functionality and faster performance. As a multi-role application, Photos may be adequate but seldom excels in any one area.
ImageGlass offers a better experience as an image viewer, prioritizing speed and performance. Supporting over 80 file formats, it opens images almost instantly and provides an efficient browsing experience for both casual and professional users.
Additionally, ImageGlass allows for interface customization, letting users hide features they do not utilize and seamlessly integrate their preferred tools.
Download: ImageGlass (Free)
1 Media Player
The Default Media Player Lacks Capability
While Windows Media Player boasts an updated interface and basic functionalities that meet casual needs, it struggles with compatibility across modern formats. This is where VLC Media Player distinguishes itself as a top choice.
VLC is free, open-source, and capable of playing virtually any audio or video format. It features advanced playback controls, subtitle synchronization, audio filters, and the ability to handle obscure file types that other players may omit.
Despite its rich suite of features, VLC remains lightweight and quick to launch. Though its interface may lack visual appeal, for users prioritizing a quality media playback experience, VLC is the clear winner.
Download: VLC (Free)
While Windows’ built-in applications provide a basic level of functionality, their limitations often become apparent as user needs grow. Fortunately, there are numerous free alternatives that can significantly enhance your PC’s performance and usability.
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