ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Just because you use Windows doesn’t mean you can’t use open-source.
- Windows users have access to a huge selection of open-source apps
- I especially recommend these 10 apps, all free to download and use.
For nearly three decades, I’ve written about — and been a daily user of — open-source software. Although my open-source work has focused on the Linux operating system, it’s worth noting that open-source isn’t limited to Linux. There are great open-source apps for MacOS and, yes, Windows as well.
Also: How I open-sourced my smart home in a weekend
1. Microsoft PowerToys
The fact that Microsoft PowerToys is open-source may come as a surprise. Well, good news! You can check out the app’s source on GitHub and view, clone, edit, and even fork it (thanks to its MIT license).
If you’ve never used PowerToys, it’s a collection of utilities built to help you customize Windows and streamline tasks. There are tools like Advanced Paste, Always On Top, Command Palette, FancyZones, File Explorer add-ons, Keyboard Manager, Mouse utilities, Quick Accent, Workspaces, and others. These simple tools each serve a specific purpose — to make your daily life on Windows a bit easier.
You can download the Windows installer from the PowerToys release page and install it as you would any Windows app.
2. Ollama
Ollama is one of the few apps that made the jump from my previous list to this one. Why? I firmly believe that if you’re going to use AI, you should be using it locally. Locally installed AI does three important things: It keeps your data safe from prying eyes, doesn’t put extra strain on the electrical grid, and doesn’t harm the environment.
Also: I quit ChatGPT for a free, private, and local AI
Ollama is the best option for local AI. I’ve been using it since its early days, and I’ve found it to be just as good as any other AI option. There is one thing to keep in mind: You do need a fairly powerful machine with a modern GPU and plenty of RAM.
Download the Windows installer from the official Ollama site.
3. VSCodium
Visual Studio Code is one of the most widely used IDEs in the world, but it’s not open-source. There is, however, an open-source version of VS Code, called VS Codium. This can be a bit confusing. You see, you can download the source for VS Code, but you have to build it. When you do build it from the source, you are building the Microsoft binary, which includes the branding and telemetry. If you don’t want those things, your best choice is to use VSCodium.
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VSCodium is essential VS Code without the Microsoft bits. When Microsoft builds VS Code, they clone the VS Code GitHub repository, create a custom product.json file that includes specific Microsoft functionality (for telemetry, gallery, logos, etc.), and produce a build that is then released under the MS license. By going directly to the source, you don’t have to worry about the specific MS functionality and get a “clean” build.
Essentially, VSCodium is stripped of the “Microsoftery” and presented to you so that you can do all the things you would normally have done with VS Code.
You can download the latest VSCodium version from the official GitHub release page.
4. OBS Studio
If you ever need to record what’s on your screen or do livestreaming, skip everything else and go straight to OBS Studio. OBS Studio is a powerful, open-source application that does high-performance, real-time video/audio capturing, scene switching, audio mixing, and much more.
Also: These 6 Linux apps are the secret sauce to my creative process
OBS Studio allows anyone to create professional-looking, production-ready videos with transitions for scene switching, a multiview to monitor up to eight scenes, studio mode for previewing, and a plugin system to expand the feature set.
I’ve used OBS Studio for several projects, and it’s never let me down. You’ll want to spend some time up front learning how it works, as it’s not exactly the easiest tool you’ll ever use. With such power comes complexity.
Download the installer from the official OBS Studio site.
5. Syncthing
If you need to sync files between different devices running different operating systems, Syncthing is what you want. Syncthing offers a brilliant Windows UI that provides real-time peer-to-peer sync with robust security, thanks to end-to-end encryption, cryptographic authentication, and no centralized server.
What I like most about Syncthing (besides its cross-platform nature) is that syncing between devices is as fast as with any tool I’ve tried. I typically use SMB shares on my LAN, but sometimes SMB isn’t fast enough, so I opt for Syncthing.
Whether you need to sync between Windows and MacOS, Windows and Linux, or Windows and Windows, Syncthing has you covered. It’s user-friendly, has a small footprint, and won’t be in your way when you don’t need it.
Syncthing is free and can be installed by downloading the installer file from the official downloads page.
6. Super Productivity
As the name suggests, Super Productivity is all about keeping you productive. This task/project manager can help you keep simple tasks and complex projects organized and moving forward. Instead of using both a to-do list and a project manager, why not combine them into one, easy-to-use app? That’s what Super Productivity is.
Super Productivity features time tracking, recurring reminders, project management, task time-boxing (when you allocate a fixed, maximum amount of time to a task), calendar support, keyboard shortcuts, theming, plugins, and more.
You can use this app on your Windows desktop, the web, and even on a mobile device.
Also: 9 free Windows apps I can’t live or work without
You might think such an app would require a one-time cost or subscription, but Super Productivity is free to use. Download Super Productivity and install it on Windows right now to go from disorganized to organized.
7. Franz
If you use multiple chat services, why not bring them all into a single, easy-to-use window?
Franz supports more than 75 services, including Google Messages, WhatsApp, Messenger, Slack, and X. You can add any chat service you want to the app and easily switch between them from an icon list in the sidebar. And don’t worry about cross-pollination of services, as each one lives within its own sandbox, so none of the services can communicate or leak to another.
You also get unified notifications, so you don’t have to check the Windows notification center, your browser, or another app to stay up to date. You can even include email in the mix, so your inbox becomes a bit more efficient.
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Franz also includes speech-to-text, so you don’t always have to type those long, drawn-out replies.
Franz is free to install on Windows, but you must first create an account.
8. YASB
Don’t you wish that Windows 11 had a status bar with widgets and other goodies, just like Linux (some desktop environments) and MacOS? Well, if that’s you, look no further than YASB (Yet Another Status Bar).
YASB includes an extensive library of ready-to-use modules (widgets) that you declare in the configuration file. You also get native integration for third-party window managers like GlazeWM and Komorebi, system monitors, utilities to keep you on track, media and audio controllers, integrations, and more.
For those who like to keep their desktop beautified, YASB also includes themes that can be downloaded from the Gallery. You’ll find quite a few looks, so scan through and see if there’s one that fits your vibe.
YASB is free to use; just download the installer from the main YASB page and run it.
9. Windows 11 Context Menu Manager
One thing I love about Linux is that I can customize just about every aspect. For example, on some desktop environments, I can even change the contents of the right-click menu (such as the one in the file manager).
That’s what Windows 11 Context Menu Manager does: it strips away the clutter from that menu, showing only what you need. The one caveat to this tool is that it only allows you to disable features, so you cannot add custom actions to the right-click menu. Even so, if you find that the clutter of the right-click menu gets in the way of you working efficiently, use this tool to clean it up.
Also: 5 apps I always install on new Windows PCs – and most are free
Windows 11 Context Menu Manager is free to use and can be downloaded from the project’s GitHub site.
10. KeePassXC
For the longest time, I used Bitwarden as my password manager of choice, but I’ve slowly begun migrating to KeePassXC. Why? Price, for one. The other issue is that many password managers that were once open-source have shifted their licenses, making them a bit more restrictive.
KeePassXC, on the other hand, is pure open-source; always has been, and always will be. KeePassXC has all of the features you need (and then some). You can create database entries, copy usernames/passwords, generate random passwords, customize entries, add attachments to entries, and more.
The one thing that KeePassXC doesn’t include is cloud integration. Because of this, you might need to get a bit creative to ensure that each KeePassXC installation is in sync with the others. What I do is back up my database to a shared folder on my network, then make sure the other instances of KeePassXC use the same database.
KeyPassXC is not only open-source, but it’s also free to use. Download your copy of KeePassXC from the official site.
Vibe-coded app options
As a bonus, I would also like to mention the apps created by the ArtCraft development team, who have used AI and Rust to reverse-engineer and build several open-source versions of proprietary apps, such as PhotoCraft (Photoshop), FilmCraft (Adobe Premiere), WordCraft (MS Word), and more.
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