The 10 free Windows utilities most people miss are Greenshot for screenshots, Notepad++ for text and code, Vivaldi for a privacy-focused browser, VirtualBox for virtual machines, Revo Uninstaller for removing stubborn software, O&O ShutUp10++ for privacy controls, Rufus for bootable USB drives, FastStone Image Viewer to replace Windows Photos, Nilesoft Shell for a custom right-click menu, and ProtonPass or Bitwarden for password management. Each one solves a specific frustration on Windows 10 and Windows 11 without costing a cent.
Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 30, 2026
Key Takeaways
- All 10 tools are free, actively maintained in 2026, and run on Windows 10 22H2 and every supported Windows 11 build.
- Five of these — Greenshot, Notepad++, Rufus, VirtualBox, and Nilesoft Shell — are open source and safe to install on any system without licensing concerns.
- O&O ShutUp10++ overlaps with my own Winhance utility for privacy hardening — Winhance covers more telemetry surface and includes bloatware removal.
- Install everything from the official sites or via UniGetUI / WinGet to avoid bundleware-laced “free download” mirrors.
1. Greenshot — Screenshot Capture and Editor
Greenshot beats Snipping Tool when you need fast region capture with built-in annotation. Press Print Screen to capture, then immediately get an editor with arrows, text, highlight, and obfuscate (blur) tools — no bouncing between apps to mark up a screenshot.
The obfuscate tool is the standout feature for me — one drag and any sensitive text on a screenshot is blurred. I use it every time I make a screenshot for the blog or video.
2. Notepad++ — Source Code and Text Editor
Notepad++ remains the lightest serious text editor on Windows. Syntax highlighting for over 50 languages, multi-document tabs, regex find-and-replace, side-by-side comparison via the Compare plugin, and macro recording — all in a 5 MB download that opens in under a second.
If you only ever open Notepad to paste a log or edit a config file, switching to Notepad++ pays back within a week.
3. Vivaldi — Highly Customizable Browser
Vivaldi is built on Chromium so every Chrome extension works, but layered on top is a tab-management system Chrome and Edge cannot match: tab tiling, tab stacks, vertical tabs, workspace switching, and a built-in mail/calendar/feed reader. The on-board ad and tracker blocker means you can run it without uBlock Origin if you want.
If your browser is open all day and you live in 30+ tabs, Vivaldi is the one to test. If you want a hardened privacy browser instead, my ProtonVPN guide covers a different angle on private browsing.
4. VirtualBox — Free Virtualization for Test Systems
VirtualBox from Oracle is the easiest free hypervisor on Windows. Spin up Linux distros, test a debloated Windows ISO, run an isolated browser for sketchy downloads, or check whether new software does anything weird before installing it on your real machine.
Take a snapshot before each major change — restoring is one click and saves you from rebuilding a VM after a bad install. If you want a more polished alternative, VMware Workstation Pro is now free for personal use.
5. Revo Uninstaller — Force Uninstall Stubborn Programs
Revo Uninstaller hooks the program’s own uninstaller, then scans the registry and file system for everything that uninstaller missed. Forced Uninstall removes broken installs that no longer appear in Apps & Features. The Free edition is enough for cleanup; Pro adds bulk uninstall and real-time install monitoring.
For a similar workflow with a tighter UI and a startup manager, my antivirus guide covers HiBit Uninstaller, which I prefer for daily use.
6. O&O ShutUp10++ — Privacy and Telemetry Controls
O&O ShutUp10++ exposes hundreds of Windows privacy settings as on/off toggles. Apply the “Recommended” preset and you have most telemetry, the advertising ID, location history, and ad-personalization disabled in under a minute.
For a more thorough job, my own Winhance utility covers everything ShutUp10++ does plus bloatware removal, Defender exclusion management, and Edge/Copilot toggles in one window — and Winhance survives Windows feature updates better because it uses the same Group Policy and registry paths Microsoft itself supports.
7. Rufus — Bootable USB Creator
Rufus creates bootable Windows, Linux, or FreeDOS USB drives in seconds. The Windows User Experience prompt is the killer feature — tick the boxes and Rufus bakes a TPM/Secure Boot bypass, the Microsoft account skip, and a default local user account into the install media itself, so the resulting OOBE flies past every modern roadblock.
For the full Rufus walkthrough including the unsupported hardware bypass, see my Rufus bootable USB guide. If you want even deeper customisation (autounattend.xml, debloat scripts, driver injection), use UnattendedWinstall.
8. FastStone Image Viewer — Replace Windows Photos
FastStone Image Viewer opens images in a fraction of a second compared to the Microsoft Photos app, supports every common format including HEIC and RAW, and includes batch resize, batch rename, and lossless JPEG rotation in the same window.
Set FastStone as the default for JPG, PNG, WEBP, and HEIC under Settings → Apps → Default Apps and you will not miss the Photos app. If HEIC files refuse to open out of the box, see my HEVC extensions guide.
9. Nilesoft Shell — Custom Right-Click Menu
Nilesoft Shell replaces the truncated Windows 11 right-click menu with a fast, fully customisable one — no more “Show more options” two-step. Its config file uses a clean syntax for adding custom commands, hiding entries, and grouping items.
For a no-config alternative, see my Shell customization guide or use the registry tweak in my Classic Context Menu guide to bring back the Windows 10 menu.
10. Bitwarden or Proton Pass — Free Password Manager
Bitwarden and Proton Pass have replaced Mail PassView (which was on the original list but is now flagged by every modern antivirus and only worked with legacy email clients). Both are free, open source, and store unlimited passwords with end-to-end encryption synced across desktop and mobile.
Use the browser extension and you stop reusing passwords overnight — that fixes more security problems than any antivirus tool can.
Tip: Install all 10 of these in one go using UniGetUI — search each one, queue them up, and let WinGet handle the downloads from official sources. No bundleware, no manual installer dialogs.
More Free Software Roundups
- 22 free Windows utilities every user must know — the master list, updated for 2026.
- 12 free Windows utilities every user should know — the focused short list.
- Best free software for a new PC — what to install on a fresh Windows install.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these tools safe to install in 2026?
Yes — all 10 are actively maintained and signed. Always download from the official URL listed in each section, or install via WinGet/UniGetUI which only pulls from verified sources. Avoid third-party “free download” mirrors that bundle adware.
Why did Mail PassView get replaced?
Mail PassView only recovers passwords from legacy email clients (the old Outlook, Windows Mail, Thunderbird) and is detected as a hacking tool by most modern antivirus software, including Windows Security. A reputable password manager like Bitwarden or Proton Pass solves the same problem without any of the malware-detection headaches.
Do any of these tools conflict with Windows Security?
None of them install kernel drivers or real-time scanners, so they coexist with Windows Security without conflict. ShutUp10++ and Winhance both touch Group Policy and registry settings — apply only one of them at a time to keep your privacy configuration coherent.
Will these tools survive a Windows feature update?
The applications themselves do. Windows feature updates can re-enable some telemetry settings, so re-run ShutUp10++ or Winhance after each major update (24H2 → 25H2, etc.). Right-click menu tweaks from Nilesoft Shell may also need to be reapplied after a feature update.
Which one should I install first?
If your machine is brand new, install Bitwarden or Proton Pass first — every other tool you set up afterwards needs an account, and a password manager keeps those credentials safe from day one.
