Windows can do a lot out of the box, but it’s far from perfect. There are small annoyances, missing features, and things that it simply doesn’t handle very well. It’s almost like there are noticeable gaps Microsoft has left behind in the operating system.

Instead of living with these shortcomings, I rely on a few third-party tools. The best part is, they are all completely free and open-source. These help me seamlessly transfer files, edit documents, save passwords, convert files, and do a lot more.

LocalSend to transfer files with any device

Cross-device file sharing that just works

It’s 2026, and somehow there’s still no native way to wirelessly send a file from a Windows PC to an iPhone or a Mac. This means you either have to rely on cloud storage or the good old cables to move files between devices. Neither of which is exactly convenient.

LocalSend is a simple open-source app that solves cross-device file sharing for good. You don’t need to create any accounts, pay for a subscription, or put up with annoying ads. As long as your Windows PC and the other device are on the same network, you can transfer files seamlessly.

LocalSend is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and even Google TV. So no matter what combination of devices you’re using, you can transfer files seamlessly. And yes, the app also lets you transfer files to multiple devices at once. LocalSend is one of those rare apps that gives you nothing to complain about.

OS

Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and Google TV

Price model

Free

File Converter to easily convert files

Right-click to convert almost any file

Honestly, converting files isn’t something most people need to do often, but when you do, you definitely don’t want to rely on those online tools. They’re unreliable, show tons of ads, and most importantly, a privacy nightmare. Windows, sadly, doesn’t offer a built-in way to convert files locally.

File Converter is a free app that can help you convert almost any file to another format. What I like about it the most is how beautifully it integrates with Windows. Once you install the app, the convert option shows up inside the context menu. This means you can select your files, right-click, and choose the file format you want. It only takes a couple of clicks, and you’re done.

Also, File Converter works entirely offline, so you don’t need an internet connection. And besides converting files, the app can also help you compress files, images, and videos in bulk.

OS

Windows

Price model

Free

File Converter adds a convert option to Windows context menu so you can easily convert audio, video, and documents to other formats.

Bitwarden to save all my passwords

A secure vault for all your passwords

Passwords are one of those things everyone uses, yet Windows doesn’t offer a proper built-in solution for managing them. Sure, most browsers already include an easy way to manage this, but they’re not as reliable as you might think.

That’s why I use Bitwarden. It’s an open-source password manager that can not only store all your logins in one place but can also sync them across every device you have. It’s also available as a portable app and a browser extension in case you don’t want to install it.

Most third-party password managers typically require a subscription, but Bitwarden offers all the essential features and security on its free tier. There’s even a paid tier with extras like a built-in authenticator, but if you just want to save passwords, the free version is enough.

OS

Cross-platform

Developer

Bitwarden

Price model

Free, Premium available

Services

Password manager, password generator, secure file sending, credential management, etc.

Sumatra PDF for editing PDFs

All the PDF tools your PC needs

PDFs are everywhere. Forms, invoices, contracts, manuals, you name it. But they’re not always for reading. Sometimes, you may also need to edit, merge, or convert them. Sure, Microsoft Word can do some of these things, but if you don’t have Office installed or just want a complete PDF solution, Sumatra PDF is a great option.

Sumatra PDF is a lightweight tool for handling PDFs on Windows. You can use it to annotate documents, fill forms, and even translate text. And it’s not just for PDFs either. It can even handle EPUB, MOBI, XPS, and comic book formats. The biggest advantage is its speed. Since it has a clean interface, Sumatra PDF runs smoothly and doesn’t distract you at all.

There are also tools like Stirling PDF and PDFsam that offer similar features. They’re all equally good and free to use.

OS

Windows

Price model

Free

Sumatra PDF is a clean, lightweight tool that brings several PDF tools to your Windows PC.

PowerToys for useful features

Unlike the above tools, which focus on solving a specific problem, PowerToys is different. It’s actually Microsoft’s own app and it offers a suite of tools to enhance your Windows experience.

One of the most useful ones is Command Palette. It’s essentially a macOS-style search tool that can easily replace the Start menu. You can use it to open apps and files, run commands, perform calculations, and even perform web searches.

PowerToys also adds powerful features to File Explorer, like spacebar previews, batch renaming, and image resizing. Then there are small but equally useful tools. Awake keeps your PC from going to sleep, Color Picker lets you grab color codes from anywhere on the screen, and Keyboard Manager is great for remapping keys. Honestly, for something so useful, it’s almost surprising that Microsoft doesn’t preinstall it on Windows.

OS

Windows

Developer

Microsoft Corporation

Pricing model

Free, Open-source

Microsoft PowerToys is a set of free Microsoft Windows utilities for power users to tune and streamline their Windows experience for greater productivity.

Windows already comes with plenty of useful apps and tools built-in. But of course, they don’t cover everything. The above apps help fill those gaps so well that I don’t have to rely on online tools or workarounds to get the job done.