QuackTack

Once enabled, press Windows Key + V to view or repeat your recent clips.

The built-in Windows file search feature is slow. This tool locates files and folders by filename much more quickly.

Use uBlock Origin on Chrome or Firefox to block most ads and malicious scripts on any webpage. This can be disabled per-site if you want to support their creators.

Whatever your preferred volume is, it should be about 40% of your volume setting. That way, you have room to adjust your volume up or down, and any new sounds will start close to where you want them. You can adjust this and other audio settings like bass and tone with an audio equalizer. EqualizerAPO is lightweight and simple.

When you delete a file, you can often still recover it with software like Recuva. This will only work if the deletion was recent and files are still prone to corruption, but it’s useful to have on hand.

Quickly find, install, and update drivers for your computer with a tool like Snappy Driver Installer. These updates include performance and security improvements, and fix potential bugs. If the tool doesn’t find everything, search your computer manufacturer’s website for specific drivers.

Quickly copy, save, or edit anything you screenshot.

Windows will automatically update and reboot your PC at a default time. Set your active hours so you know when it will happen. You can also set notifications and pause pending updates here.

The dark theme is easier on your eyes.

Ninite lets you download and install the most updated version of useful software all at once. You’ll see some of that software on this page, so keep it on-hand once you’ve decided what you need.

Verify that Windows Defender is enabled. It’s ranked one of the best AntiVirus apps by av-test.org, and is already built in to Windows. When you suspect you already have malware, run Malwarebytes manually. Use other highly-rated software if you prefer, but only run one real-time service at a time.

Set DuckDuckGo to your default browser extension. It returns what you search for, not what the algorithm thinks you truly want. This enables you to learn, iterate, and improve your searching methods over time. You can always redirect to Google by typing “!g” in a DuckDuckGo search for cases when Google returns better results.

Use a Linux environment natively on Windows, with a shell and useful command-line tools like grep and OpenSSL.

Use CrystalDiskInfo to check the health of your hard drives or SSDs. It’s configured with thresholds to tell you if any metric is concerning, like temperature and bad sectors.

Lots of software configures itself to start automatically when you log in. You can disable automatic startups that you don’t want.

Disable the annoying popup whenever you accidentally press the Shift key too quickly.

Select your preferred default programs for all common file types. You might want some new ones after reading this page, so keep this in mind once you’ve decided what you need.

There are 3 unique “standby” modes in Windows: sleep, hibernate, and turn off display. Knowing which mode your computer falls into is unintuitive, so manually set these to your preference.

If you have a Nvidia graphics card, updating its drivers significantly improves performance. If you don’t mind a large program, Nvidia Geforce Experience to manage driver updates. Otherwise, drivers can be downloaded on their website.

Keep a window pinned on top when you want to keep an eye on it while doing other tasks, or when you want to copy information from one window to another without resizing. AutoHotKey does this the best, but you can also use a tool with a visual “pin”.

WinDirStat displays a sub-tree view with disk use percentage for your folders and draws a graphic. Helps you understand what’s using your storage and where you can clean it up.

dupeGuru scans your files and identifies duplicates based on their content and filename patterns, which you can delete or reorganize in bulk.

Night Light shifts the colors on your screen warmer, which is easier on the eyes. It can be scheduled for any time.

You can create separate views of your desktop with their own sets of windows, which is especially convenient if you ever share your screen or want to organize multiple projects.

Most computer manufacturers offer support programs that let you manage your warranty, get hardware support, and use manufacturer-specific features.

7-Zip lets you compress files and folders just like Windows’ built-in function, but with a high compression ratio and the ability to add password protection. Simple, lightweight, and integrates with Windows Explorer.

When you encounter an issue with your PC, always start looking for a resolution with DuckDuckGo and Google. Search by your error message if you have one, or look for a guide for what you’re trying to do and you’ll find your answer 95% of the time. If you’re having issues with a specific product, you can always track down the provider of that product for support.

Set the scaling of the taskbar and apps to your preference, and arrange your monitors to precisely match their physical setup if you have more than one.

Set your notifications however you prefer so you don’t receive any that are unwanted.

VLC is the best app for viewing video or playing music for most users. It performs better than Windows Media Player; it’s simple, well updated, and feature rich. If you’re more advanced, use MPV for more customization.

Plex lets you stream videos to your other devices or your friend’s devices. This includes phones, smart TVs, streaming sticks, and web browsers.

When you're stepping away from your computer but don't want your computer to go to sleep or a session to time out from inactivity, run Caffeine.

Keep browser tabs clean with a tool that saves them into sessions that you can close and come back to later. You can also automatically save sessions so they aren’t lost after an unexpected reboot or crash.

If you ever use a terminal, use a tool to manage console windows, console sizes, console profiles, keybindings, and fonts. Windows Terminal comes directly from Microsoft, but there are lots of good 3rd-party options.

The most efficient and easiest way to create a virtual machine on your computer. Useful to test anything that you wouldn’t want on your primary workstation, or any time you need a temporary machine.

Microsoft’s Powershell tool works great for simple scripting and one-liners. Learn the short-hand and quickly script or automate tasks. Integrates nicely with Windows products like Excel.

There are certain times when you want your files in an easily shareable location. Dropbox, Onedrive, and Google Drive all conveniently integrate with File Explorer.

For image editing beyond basic scaling and cropping, use GIMP or Photopea. They function a lot like Photoshop and they’re widely used, so chances are you can find a guide for anything specific you need to do.

PCs come preloaded with apps, many of which you probably don’t need. Only remove apps if you know what they are and what they do so you don’t remove anything you need.

The best browsers receive frequent security updates, are feature-rich, and have sizable extension support. Use Firefox, Chrome, or Edge.

Your start menu comes pre-loaded with applications that you probably don’t want or need. These can be uninstalled or unpinned by right clicking, and Start Menu ads can be turned off in Settings.

If you're familiar with regular expressions, use a browser addon that lets you search text on a page with them, which is convenient for searching large pages for specific patterns.

If you learn well with flashcards, you can use a tool to manage them and incorporate videos and markup.

When you need to fill out or sign a PDF document, the best option is Adobe Acrobat. You can do this entirely online if you are comfortable uploading your documents to Adobe servers. Simple, safe way to add a valid digital signature.

OBS is the best tool for recording videos of your screen and live streaming.

VoiceMeeter enables you to mix and match audio sources from or to other audio devices or applications. You can record audio for videos or manage multiple microphones or headsets. It’s also a good tool for adjusting how your microphone sounds. More advanced versions are available on their website.

If you have multiple monitors, you can use Dual Monitor Tools to set multiple wallpapers, swap screens, launch preset applications, and restrict your cursor.

Handbrake lets you choose from a list of device presets to optimize video files for the device you want to view them on. Works with modern formats and is well updated.

Package Managers enable you to install and upgrade apps from the command line. They also manage software dependencies and versions, which is convenient.