10 Free Tools for Microsoft Windows

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Here are 10 free tools for Microsoft Windows that can enhance your productivity and make your computing experience even better:

Microsoft PowerToys

PowerToys is a set of utilities developed by Microsoft that provides various useful features, including a window manager, image resizer, and keyboard shortcut manager.

To install Microsoft PowerToys, you should open a Powershell command box and run the following command:

winget install Microsoft.PowerToys --source winget

How to install Microsoft PowerToys Video Walkthrough

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

WSL allows you to run Linux distributions directly on Windows, enabling you to use Linux command-line tools and run Linux applications without the need for a virtual machine.

How to install Windows Subsystem for Linux

You will first need to install the Virtual Machine Platform feature on your Windows machine. To do this, run the following command, ensure you run the command box as an administrator:

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart

Once this has been completed, you can then go ahead and install the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature. To do that, open a Powershell command box as an administrator and then run the following command:

wsl --install

The WSL will be installed and the Ubuntu distribution will be installed by default. You should restart your computer now. Once your computer has restarted, you can open a terminal window and start using Linux commands.

Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:

• Microsoft Learn: Install Linux on Windows with WSL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install
• How to install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on Windows 10: https://pureinfotech.com/install-windows-subsystem-linux-2-windows-10/
• Windows Subsystem for Linux documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is the default web browser for Windows 10 and offers a range of features, such as improved performance, built-in privacy tools, and seamless integration with other Microsoft services.

It also offers the ability to enable Internet Explorer compatibility for older or end-of-life websites, like websites that may still use Silverlight.

Paint.NET

Paint.NET is a powerful image and photo editing software that is easy to use and provides a wide range of tools and effects. It is a great alternative to Microsoft Paint.

Download

https://www.getpaint.net/download.html

VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a versatile multimedia player that supports various audio and video formats. It also offers advanced features like media conversion and streaming.

Download

https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.en_GB.html

7-Zip

7-Zip is a file archiver utility that allows you to compress and extract files from various archive formats, including ZIP, RAR, and 7z. It offers high compression ratios and supports encryption.

Download

https://www.7-zip.org/download.html

Notepad++

Notepad++ is a feature-rich text and code editor that supports multiple programming languages. It offers advanced search and replace capabilities, syntax highlighting, and plugin support.

Download

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a powerful tool for detecting and removing malware from your Windows system. It can scan your computer for threats and offers real-time protection.

Download

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download

CCleaner

CCleaner is a system optimization and cleaning tool that helps you remove unnecessary files, fix registry issues, and manage startup programs. It can help improve your system’s performance.

Download

https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download

TeamViewer

TeamViewer is a remote desktop software that allows you to access and control remote computers from anywhere. It is useful for remote support, file transfer, and online meetings.

Download

https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

Conclusion

These free tools offer a range of functionalities and can greatly enhance your Windows experience. Give them a try and see how they can make your computing tasks easier and more efficient.