We spend countless hours using computers for fun and for work, and most of the time, we're stuck using the default interface and controls.Here are 5 tools will make using Windows feel easier and faster.Command Palette Though it is historically just used for launching apps, the Start Menu can also be used to search for files, launch applications, and search the web with Bing, if you don't have that disabled.
However, with the introduction of Command Palette in PowerToys, Microsoft has taken all of those extra utilities that the Start Menu has and rolled them into something much more capable.Command Palette is an all-in-one search utility that also integrates the functionality of the Run box.It has become my go-to method for opening files and programs on Windows and navigating the Settings menu.
It can also: Do math Search the web using a search engine of your choice Install apps with WinGet Search the registry Manage Window services If it doesn't have a function you want, it also allows you to download or create new functions.It is one of the most robust new features available from Windows, and I'd be disappointed if it weren't included as a native feature in the next version of Windows.Fluent Search Searching for files and folders on Windows is notoriously slow.
Yesterday, I tried to search a 256GB NVMe SSD, and it took several minutes to come back with a result, which is agonizingly slow when you just need to find one file.Fortunately, Fluent Search solves that issue.Fluent Search is a multifunction search tool for Windows that allows you to search your PC, Bing, Google, Translate, and more automatically.
It makes finding and getting to your files much easier than integrated search.So, for example, if I searched JPG it would quickly return all the JPG files on my PC.If it found nothing after scouring my PC, then it'd present the options to search on the web, enter the term into translate, or run it in the Terminal.
If your search term is too broad and turns up too many results, you can click the small star icon in the bottom left corner to narrow down your results by size, date modified, file type, and more.It doesn't offer any search filter that Windows doesn't have natively, but it is noticeably faster and easier to use.Keyboard Manager Windows 11 has plenty of hotkeys, and most applications have a long list of their own hotkeys that you can use only with them.
However, by default, Windows has no way to change or tweak those hotkeys.You're stuck with what you have.Keyboard Manager is another open-source tool created by Microsoft that is part of the PowerToys suite.
It allows you to bind specific functions to keys, rebind hotkeys and buttons, and even create new ones.I've had great luck rebinding unused keys on my keyboard to controls related to snapping windows, which makes controlling and moving applications on my desktop much easier.If you really want to make it your own, you can use it to create new hotkeys on an app-specific basis.
I've also used it to remove a few pain points.For example, I frequently push Windows+C accidentally when I mean to push Ctrl+C to copy.Instead of copying text, I get Copilot—something I literally never want.
Instead, just disabled that shortcut entirely.I used this open-source Microsoft tool to kill every annoying Windows shortcut I found a free, open-source utility from Microsoft that lets you rebind useless keys and fix Windows' most frustrating shortcuts for good.Posts 2 By Nick Lewis Windhawk The Windows 11 Start Menu is very different from previous versions of Windows, and it is probably the single biggest change in design since it was introduced.
I've never fully adapted to the new menu, especially since it seems to be such a large waste of space relative to what it actually shows you.Every time I open it I feel like I'm fumbling around for a few seconds trying to find what I want.That is where WindHawk comes in.
Windhawk allows you to modify various elements of the Windows user interface, including the Start Menu.Windhawk features a mod that allows you to choose between around a dozen different versions of the Start Menu, including many that take direct inspiration from the Start Menu in previous versions of Windows, while others are novel.Since I started using Windhawk, I found a lot of the friction using the Start Menu has disappeared, and I've saved myself some time as a result.
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You can unsubscribe anytime.Above and beyond the Start Menu, you can download mods that change almost any aspect of the user interface.One of my favorites allows you to scroll your mouse wheel on the taskbar to change your volume.
It is certainly quicker than clicking to open the volume mixer or reaching up to the top of my keyboard to push a volume button.GlazeWM If you've ever thought that Windows' built-in snapping tools aren't up to the job of managing your windows, GlazeWM is for you.Functionally, it is a total replacement for the existing snapping tools built into Windows, and allows you to control *everything* about a window with only the press of a shortcut.
It also allows you to create workspaces, which makes it easy to group your tasks and jobs however you want.It does have a learning curve to it, but once you get the hang of it, it can be extremely fast, especially if you prefer to use only the keyboard.I'd recommend taking a look at the default shortcuts before jumping in.
Windows isn't the most flexible operating system out there, but with a little help from a few apps, you can easily customize it to make it easier to use.
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