Despite the improvements since it was released, Windows 11 still feels a bit rough around the edges—almost unfinished. It has few customization options, and several basic features that you'll find in competing operating systems are missing completely.
Those shortcomings make for a frustrating user experience. Luckily, there are some applications that make up for Windows' lackluster power user tools and customization options.
Microsoft PowerToys fixes Windows
It adds everything the operating system is missing
PowerToys is Microsoft's suite of open-source tools for Windows. In many ways, most of the tools feel like things that should natively be part of the operating system, since they solve common problems you're likely to encounter or make up for shortcomings within the operating system itself.
A handful of them have become a part of my daily routine. Without them, Windows 11 would be a much more tedious operating system to use.
FancyZone
Windows' standard window snapping is fine for basic things, but it can turn into a bit of a mess if you try setting up complex arrangements by hand. You can use FancyZones to define your own custom layouts so you can snap windows exactly where you want them. If you use an ultra-wide monitor or a multi-display setup, FancyZones is especially helpful, as the default options in Windows don't really take advantage of all that extra space.
Command Palette
The Command Palette is easily the PowerToys tool I use the most. I've almost completely replaced the Start Menu and my desktop icons with Command Palette.
All I need to do is press a shortcut ( Windows+Alt+Space), then I can launch apps, find files, do a bit of math, and more, all from within one app. Additionally, if the default options aren't enough, you can add or create more to suit your needs.
In many ways, it is a lot like Spotlight Search for macOS, though it is more flexible.
Keyboard Manager
Keyboard Manager allows you to change what keys or shortcuts do on your system. I've used it to remap annoying shortcuts —like Windows+C, which normally opens Copilot—to more helpful functions, and create a few custom shortcuts specific to my daily workflow.
If you want, Keyboard Manager can even remap shortcuts and keys on an app-by-app basis, which allows you to reuse the same shortcuts for different functions across multiple apps.
It isn't flashy, but it is extremely helpful when you need it.
Image Resizer
Image Resizer allows you to right-click an image and change the size, all without opening a dedicated photo editing app. I use it at least a few times a day.
It can also bulk resize images, which is handy if you need to resize the hundreds of photos from your phone in one operation.
Cursor locator
The cursor has an annoying tendency to blend into the background, especially if you're using Windows in light mode, or you have a multi-display setup.
Cursor Locator allows you to double-press a shortcut of your choice (Right Control by default) to highlight the location of the cursor on your screen, which saves you the trouble of moving it back and forth until you finally spot it.
It's basic, but I use it constantly.
Windhawk gives you the flexibility Windows have built-in
A user interface any way you want
Windhawk is another customization tool for Windows. Rather than add new programs, it is designed to modify how Windows works. You can install modifications that do everything from tweak the appearance of the taskbar to totally redesign the Start Menu.
If you want more control over Windows 11's user interface, Windhawk is a great place to start.
Custom taskbars and taskbar utilities
Windows 11's taskbar is painfully uncustomizable. You can't move it, right-clicking it only lets you open the Task Manager or the taskbar settings, and it has basically two appearances: light or dark.
Windhawk has a ton of mods that are aimed specifically at the taskbar. Some of them are purely cosmetic, while others add new ways to control various Windows settings.
My favorite is a mod that allows you to control your system volume by scrolling the mouse wheel while hovering over the taskbar.
The best Start Menu options
Windows 11's new Start Menu was famously divisive, and while it has improved since Windows 11 first released, many still prefer the style found in Windows 10 or Windows 7.
Once again, Windhawk is the solution. The Windows 11 Start Menu Styler mod has 26 different designs available for the Start Menu. Some of them are just basic appearance modifications, while others radically alter the layout of the icons and buttons.
Whether you want a visual tweak or a functional redesign, Windhawk gives you an enormous amount of control over how the Start Menu looks and acts.
You can make Windows yours
Between the dozens of new tools included in PowerToys and the mods found in Windhawk, Windows 11 is actually more flexible than any version of Windows before it—those options just aren't native to the operating system.
If you want to customize the appearance of Windows even further, I'd suggest checking out Rainmeter, which allows you to create totally new UI themes and widgets.
On the other hand, if you want to remove some of the features that come with Windows, I'd suggest trying out Winhance. You can even use it to make your own bloat-free Windows 11 installer ISO if you want.
