On Windows 11, the system ships with many built-in tools, but some of the best upgrades don’t come from Microsoft at all. They come from small and open-source projects that quietly solve problems better than the defaults ever have.
This list isn’t about the usual recommendations. You won’t find VLC, Files, or other apps that everyone (usually) already knows. Instead, these are lesser-known open-source tools (to regular Windows users) that genuinely improve your Windows 11 experience.

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