Windows 11 is full of tools that are just good enough to avoid replacing, but not good enough to actually enjoy using. Search is slow, File Explorer is dated, Task Manager lacks depth, and the Start menu is full of things nobody asked for.
So instead of settling for the average experience, I replaced them all. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done that, and safe to say, my PC feels like a different beast.
Everything makes Windows Search painfully slow
A search tool that doesn’t make you wait
If there are two things that can make or break your search experience, they are speed and accuracy. Windows Search, sadly, struggles with both. It’s neither the quickest at finding files and folders nor is it the most accurate.
Everything is a free, open-source third-party app that solves this for me. What makes it different is that it doesn’t index file content like Windows Search. It simply indexes file names and folder structures by reading the Master File Table directly, which barely takes any time. This also allows it to find stuff quickly.
Of course, finding a file on a PC isn’t always as simple as typing its name and hoping for the best. Everything has an answer here too. There are enough filters and sorting options to narrow things down. And if those aren’t enough, there’s also the Advanced Search tool, which gives you more flexibility.
My favorite thing about it is that you can even pin it to the taskbar. Once you’ve done this, using it doesn’t feel much different from using the Windows Search menu.
Files is the File Explorer Microsoft should’ve built
The upgrade File Explorer never got
File Explorer has a lot of good things going for it, but it’s missing several useful features. And while there’s no shortage of third-party file managers, I like Files the most.
It’s easily the best-looking file manager app for Windows and you can customize it with built-in themes. But it’s not all about the looks. It’s also packed with features. You get a dual-pane view for browsing two different directories side by side. There’s a macOS-style column view, where double-clicking a folder opens its contents in a column next to it. This is especially useful when navigating deep, nested folder structures.
Another handy feature is tags. You can assign your files tags like work, personal, important, temporary, and so on. And when you need those files, you simply have to click the relevant tag in the left pane, and it brings them all up. Then there’s the small stuff that seals the deal. The Files app can show folder sizes, has customizable keyboard shortcuts, and even includes a compact mode, which turns into a small, always-on-top floating window.
Task Manager is good, but AppControl feels better
Task Manager, but with a memory
Task Manager isn’t something most people think about replacing, because it just works. But as someone who loves monitoring performance, I don’t like how Task Manager doesn’t keep any record of the past. You can see the real-time CPU usage, disk activity, memory consumption, and network usage, but there’s no way to tell if an app was running wild moments ago and suddenly went back to normal.
AppControl solves this problem. It shows the same real-time stats as Task Manager while also maintaining a three-day performance history. You can head to its Activity tab to check CPU, GPU, RAM or Disk usage at any specific time.
Once you find the app that’s misbehaving, AppControl lets you kill it right away. It even gives you the Disable option in the same menu, which stops the app or process from running entirely.
AppControl has an Event tab too, which works much like Event Viewer, but it’s way easier to use. Everything is laid out in simple terms so you can easily understand what’s going on. Heck, you can even hook it up with Claude and start asking questions about what you’re seeing.
Command Palette is smarter than the Start menu
Proof that Microsoft can make good tools
Windows Start Menu is one of those things that has gotten worse with time. There’s just too much to ignore, from the Recommended section and Phone Link sidebar to Search Highlights and even those web searches that always open in Edge with Bing. Sure, you can disable most of these things, but the app menu itself isn’t any good either.
Ironically, I’ve replaced the Start menu with one of Microsoft’s own tools. Command Palette is a part of Microsoft PowerToys, and it’s all about speed and convenience. It’s a compact, macOS-style launcher that can be moved anywhere on screen. The bigger deal is what it can do beyond simply opening apps and finding files. It can run specific commands, do basic calculations, search for open apps, and download new apps without opening the Store.
And if all of this wasn’t already enough, it also supports extensions. There are plenty of useful ones that add extra functionality, like creating a quick note, controlling media playback, launching Steam games, or checking a detailed weather forecast, all without leaving the Command Palette window.