X

Windows 10 problem solvers: My must-have utilities (and many are free)

Sometimes, Windows can be very frustrating. These are my 15 go-to tools for eliminating annoyances.
By David Gewirtz, Senior Contributing Editor
windows-tools-and-utilities.jpg
1 of 16 ZDNet

Overcome annoyances and solve problems

Windows 10 comes with plenty of awesome built-in apps, but sometimes... I want more. When I need to support multiple keyboards, modify images in bulk, customize my keyboard, uninstall stubborn apps, uncompress pretty much everything, or play nearly every media format -- there's a tool in this collection that will come to my rescue.

synergy-mouse-and-keyboard-sharing-software-2017-02-22-17-05-15.jpg
2 of 16 Symless

Share a mouse and keyboard across computers

If you have more than one machine on your desk, you know it's a pain to have multiple keyboards and mice. Synergy is a virtual KVM that works across PCs, Macs, and Linux boxes. It's $19, but worth it.

spacedesk2017-02-22-17-09-29.jpg
3 of 16 datronicsoft

Turn your tablet into an external monitor

It's well known that more screen real estate increases productivity. Given we all have tablets lying around, why not use them as an extra screen for your laptop? That's what Spacedesk is does for you, for free.

resize-2.png
4 of 16 Reasoft

Automatically modify images in bulk

If have any kind of bulk image converting tasks, Reaconverter is the tool to use. You can create simple scripts and droplets that will transform entire folders nearly instantly. There's a free version.

3scrnshot.jpg
5 of 16 Softonic

Customize keyboard behavior at the nano-level

KeyTweak looks old because it's been around for a long time. But it still works and it's free. If you need to surgically alter your keyboard, this is the tool for you. Not for newbies.

pcdc-2-d129042923fc81ca07365939d5213bc6.png
6 of 16 PC Decrapifier

Eliminate excess software

It's hard to believe, but PCs still come loaded with crap. PC Decrapifier has been with us for years and is still a go-to tool to clean the crap from your machine. It's a free download.

mysticthumbs4.png
7 of 16 MysticCoder

Display image thumbnails instead of generic icons

The Windows desktop and File Explorer show thumbnails for some file formats, but not all. If you want to see (and customize) thumbnails for many more formats, MysticThumbs is your friend. $30. Just one snag: it has a problem displaying thumbnails from shares.

banner-img2.jpg
8 of 16 VS Revo Group

Uninstall stubborn apps

At almost $40, this isn't cheap. But if you want to cleanly remove applications from your Windows install, Revo Uninstaller Pro can save you a lot of time, and even save you from having to do a fresh install... for a while.

2.jpg
9 of 16 RH Computing

Switch to the right network

For those who remember NetProfileSwitch, Mobile Net Switch is a tool that's been updated for Windows 10. As you move from network to network, it adjusts your PC's network configuration automatically. About $30.

iuu8shc.png
10 of 16 Piriform

Find out what's in your computer

If you've ever needed to know your machine's configuration (say, to find the right drivers), Speccy is the go-to product. There's a free version that should do for most needs.

recover-keys-2017-02-22-16-46-29.jpg
11 of 16 One Up LTD

Find keys for installed products

If you want to reinstall your system, it's often necessary to re-register with the appropriate product key. If you can't find your original order, the $30 Recover Keys can help.

windirstat.png
12 of 16 Wikipedia

Find what's clogging your storage

Why is my drive suddenly full? Ever have that happen to you? With WinDirStat, you can see all your files at a glance and easily see the clusters of files that are taking up way too much space. Oh, yeah. It's totally free.

quickassist.png
13 of 16 Microsoft

Avoid driving 3 hours to fix Mom's computer

Back in the day, there was Windows Remote Assistant. Today, Windows 10 supports Quick Assist, which will help you fix machines remotely. If both of you don't run Windows 10, consider TeamViewer -- there's a free version.

7-zip.png
14 of 16 7-Zip

Uncompress pretty much everything

So someone just sent you a file compressed with some odd format. Consider 7-Zip your go-to tool. It can uncompress 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP, WIM, AR, ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, CramFS, DMG, EXT, FAT, GPT, HFS, IHEX, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, QCOW2, RAR, RPM, SquashFS, UDF, UEFI, VDI, VHD, VMDK, WIM, XAR and Z files.

Price: Free.

cone-video-large.png
15 of 16 VideoLAN

Play nearly every media format

Affectionately known as "the cone," VLC will play nearly any media format you can think of (and many you can't). Plus, it's free. You can't beat that!

renamer.png
16 of 16 Denis Kozlov

Batch rename files with custom rules

I can't tell you how many times ReNamer has come in handy. It has complex rules, so you can batch rename files and customize them at the same time. It's been around for a long time, there's a pro version, but the free version should meet most needs.

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
Holiday lights in Central Park background

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes

21 Photos
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
Wooden lodge in pine forest with heavy snow reflection on Lake O'hara at Yoho national park

Related Galleries

Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting

21 Photos
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
3D Rendering Christmas interior

Related Galleries

Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes

21 Photos
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
img-8825

Related Galleries

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza

26 Photos
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
img-9792-2

Related Galleries

A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex

22 Photos
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
shutterstock-1024665187.jpg

Related Galleries

Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

8 Photos
Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'
Full of promises!

Related Galleries

Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'

8 Photos