The best part about Windows is that you’ll find dedicated applications for almost any task you can imagine. For instance, there are applications like Google Chrome for browsing the internet and Adobe Reader for managing PDF files. Likewise, I’m going to share three lesser-known Windows apps you’ll wish you had started using sooner.
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Everything Search
There are plenty of things that Microsoft needs to improve in Windows 11, one of which is its search feature. I’m not saying that the default Windows search function is incredibly bad, but you will start noticing its sluggishness when you search for a file that you urgently need and the search takes forever to load and complete. Things become even more complicated and time-consuming when you search for a file in a location that contains millions of files, such as your C drive.
No, I’m not going to suggest that you switch to Linux just because of an incompetent search function. Instead, I would recommend that you download the Everything app, which is everything you need to improve Windows search. It’s a third-party tool specifically designed to make your searches smoother and faster.
What makes Everything different from the Windows search feature is that it indexes only file and folder names, unlike the Windows search feature, which indexes both file and folder names as well as their contents. This ultimately allows the app to offer faster search results compared to Windows search. The Everything app has a few other advantages as well, such as being very lightweight, requiring very few system resources, and featuring a simple user interface. The app also has a portable version, allowing you to use it on any system with just a flash drive.
It’s quite easy to set up the Everything app. To begin, you need to download the Everything app from its official website and install it on your computer. Although you can start using the app immediately after the installation is complete, I recommend making some changes to its settings first.
To do that, open the Everything app, click the “Tools” button in the top bar, and select “Options.” Then, click “History” in the left sidebar and check the “Enable Search History” box.
The Everything app also shows hidden files and folders in its search results. If you want to exclude them, select the “Exclude” option from the left sidebar and check the “Exclude Hidden Files and Folders” box.
I would also recommend checking the “Automatically Include New Removable Volumes” box in the NTFS section to ensure that the app can search for files on the connected removable device as well. Finally, click “Apply” and “OK” to save the changes.
Now, let’s see how to use the Everything app. The basic search functionality is quite simple—open the app, type the name of the file or folder you want to search for in the top search bar, and the app will display the results. You will see the results update in real time as you type each character in the search field.
In case you want to search for a file at a specific location, for instance, the D drive, you need to type D: followed by the file name in the search field. This will help you get results more quickly. If you want to search for a file inside a folder on the D drive, you need to type D:\folder name file name.
The Everything app allows you to search for a specific file type. For instance, if you want to search for all the PDF files stored on your computer, you need to type *pdf in the search bar. The app also supports boolean operators—AND and OR. For example, if you want to search for files or folders that have either “Windows” or “11” in their name, you need to type Windows | 11 in the search. However, if you are looking for files or folders that have both “Windows” and “11” in their file name, you simply need to type Windows 11, as the app interprets the space between the two words as the AND operator.
The best thing I like about the Everything app is how easy it makes searching for files when you only remember a few letters of their name. For instance, if you want to search for a file that starts with the letter W and ends with S, you need to type w*s in the search field. The app will then display all the files and folders that start with the letter W and end with the letter S.
If you only remember the first letter of the word, which is the letter W, for instance, then you need to type W* in the search field. The app will then display all the files and folders that start with the letter W. Similarly, if you only remember the last letter, which is the letter S, for instance, then you need to type *S in the search field.
Overall, the Everything app is a great alternative to Windows Search. I would recommend going to Help > Search Syntax to learn about all the other syntax supported by the app to make searching faster and smoother.
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Winhance
Winhance is one of those apps that I recently discovered, and I wish I had come across it earlier. The app is a one-stop destination for all your Windows needs. Whether you want to install applications, uninstall bloatware or preinstalled applications, or customize your Windows 11 settings, you can do it all using Winhance.
To begin, download the app from its official website and install it on your computer. On the Software & Apps page, expand the Windows Apps & Features section to view the list of Windows apps, capabilities, and optional features. A green circle indicates the apps that are installed on your computer; a red circle indicates apps that are not installed on your device. The refresh icon signifies that the app can be reinstalled on your computer, while the red refresh icon indicates apps that cannot be reinstalled.
For instance, if you want to uninstall any app, you simply need to check the box next to its name and choose the “Remove Selected Items” option. The app also offers batch install and uninstall options, i.e., you can install or uninstall more than one app at once. Interestingly, the app even allows you to uninstall Microsoft Edge, which is something you might want to do if you prefer another browser like Google Chrome.
If you expand the External Software section, you will find a list of commonly used third-party applications divided into different subcategories. For instance, there is a customization utilities section where you will find some of the most popular customization apps like Windhawk, Rainmeter, and more. You just need to check the box next to the app you want to install and click the “Install Selected Items” option.
Now, if you switch to the Optimization page, you will find a list of the most commonly used Windows settings and performance options, each divided into different subcategories. For instance, there’s a Gaming and Performance category through which you can quickly enable or disable Game Mode. Next, there’s a Power Settings category that allows you to control your system’s power plan.
Lastly, there is a Customizations page that contains all the settings related to your Windows appearance and behavior. You can access this tab to control your Windows theme, clean the taskbar and Start menu, and manage File Explorer.
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Paint.net
If you are looking for a free photo editor, I highly recommend trying Paint.net. In fact, I consider it an upgraded version of Microsoft Paint. The app can be downloaded both from its official website and the Microsoft Store. However, it’s important to note that downloading the app from its official website is completely free, but you will have to pay $15 if you want to get it from the Microsoft Store. You won’t get any extra features in the Microsoft Store version of the app—it’s just that by paying for the app, you will be supporting its development.
The app has a very simple UI, and you will find it very similar to Microsoft Paint. You have the option to work on multiple images simultaneously. To make navigation between different images that you have added to the board for editing easier, the Paint app displays a live thumbnail of all the images.
The best part about the Paint app is that it uses the DXGI Flip Model, which ensures that the app consumes very little system energy. Furthermore, the use of the flip model allows you to get a quick launch time for the app even on a low-power system.
The Paint app comes with layers, which is a feature you usually find in expensive professional software like Adobe Photoshop. You also get full color management support, another feature primarily common in premium image manipulation applications. Furthermore, the app includes various special effects such as blurring, sharpening, distortion, and more to enhance your images.
In addition to all these, you also get features like the magic wand, clone stamp, and a text editor. Overall, Paint.net is a complete photo editing app that fulfills all your photo editing needs.
These were three obscure apps that I would highly recommend you try on your Windows computer. Each app is an expert in its own genre, and all are very easy to learn without any assistance.
