8 Free Microsoft Store Apps that Make Windows Better in 2026
The Microsoft Store has had an interesting history. Once criticized for being slow and lacking quality apps, it has evolved into a genuine destination for reliable, secure, and surprisingly innovative software. The key advantage? Apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store are verified by Microsoft, reducing the risk of malware. They also update automatically alongside your system, eliminating the hassle of hunting down the latest version on a dozen different websites.
Whether you want to manage media, boost productivity, or simply customize your desktop, these tools are worth your time—and your hard drive space.
Why the Microsoft Store Deserves a Second Look
Before diving into the apps themselves, it’s worth understanding why the Microsoft Store is now a smart choice. In the past, many power users avoided it, preferring to download .exe files directly from developers. But the Store now offers:
Security and Verification: Every app is scanned for known threats.
Sandboxed Execution: Many Store apps run in a lightweight container, meaning they can’t easily mess with system files.
Clean Installs and Uninstalls: No hidden registry entries or leftover folders.
Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and Win32 Support: The Store now includes traditional desktop apps (like Firefox or OBS Studio) alongside modern UWP apps, giving you the best of both worlds.
With that in mind, let’s explore eight free apps that will make you wonder how you ever used Windows without them.
1. EarTrumpet
Windows’ native volume mixer works, but it’s buried in menus and lacks finesse. Enter EarTrumpet. This free app replaces the tiny speaker icon in your system tray with a powerful, per-application volume control panel.
What it does:
Shows every app currently playing or capable of playing sound.
Allows you to change volume levels individually, directly from a clean pop-up interface.
Lets you route different apps to different output devices (e.g., send Zoom calls to your headphones while playing music through your speakers).
Why it makes Windows better:
No more frantically alt-tabbing to lower a game’s volume when a video call comes in. EarTrumpet gives you granular, instant control over your soundscape.
2. ModernFlyouts
When Windows 11 introduced its new quick settings panel, it also changed the volume, brightness, and airplane mode pop-ups. Some users love the new look; others miss the old, more functional flyouts. ModernFlyouts is a modern, open-source replacement that is actually better than the original.
Replaces the default Windows flyouts for volume, brightness, lock keys (Caps Lock, Num Lock), and airplane mode.
Offers a customizable, Fluent Design-inspired interface that matches Windows 11’s aesthetics.
Shows media playback controls (play/pause, next/previous track) with album art when you change volume.
Why it makes Windows better:
It adds useful feedback (no more guessing if Caps Lock is on) and makes the operating system feel more polished and responsive.
3. Lively Wallpaper
Static wallpapers are a thing of the past. Lively Wallpaper brings your desktop to life with animated, interactive, or video-based wallpapers—completely free, with no ads or paid “pro” features locked behind a paywall.
What it does:
Allows you to set GIFs, videos (MP4, WebM), or even webpages as your desktop background.
Supports interactive wallpapers that react to mouse movements.
Pauses animations when you have a full-screen app or game running to save system resources.
Why it makes Windows better:
It turns your desktop into a dynamic showcase. Want a calm, looping forest stream or a futuristic cyberpunk cityscape? Lively Wallpaper delivers without draining your laptop battery thanks to smart performance management.
4. Files
Windows’ built-in File Explorer works, but it hasn’t seen a major overhaul in years. Files is a third-party file manager that reimagines what browsing your local drives and cloud storage could look like.
What it does:
Features a multi-tabbed interface (something Microsoft is finally adding, but Files does better).
Includes a column layout for navigation (similar to macOS Finder).
Integrates cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud) into a unified view.
Supports tags, compact overlays, and a modern, customizable sidebar.
Why it makes Windows better:
For anyone who manages hundreds or thousands of documents, Files reduces clicks and visual clutter. It’s faster to navigate and feels like a true modern app, not a relic from the Windows 95 era.
5. ShareX
The Snipping Tool is fine for a basic screenshot. ShareX is for everyone else. This open-source powerhouse does everything from region captures to scrolling screenshots, screen recording (as GIF or video), OCR text recognition, and automatic uploading to over 30 destinations.
What it does:
Captures screenshots in any way you can imagine (full screen, active window, region, freehand shape, scrolling webpage).
Records your screen as a video or an optimized animated GIF.
Automatically uploads captures to Imgur, Dropbox, Google Drive, or your own server.
Includes an image editor, color picker, QR code generator, and more.
ShareX replaces a half-dozen different tools. Whether you’re a developer documenting a bug, a teacher creating a tutorial, or a gamer sharing a clip, ShareX does it faster and with more options than anything else—and it’s completely free.
6. Auto Dark Mode
Windows 11 has a system-wide dark mode, but switching it manually between day and night is a chore. Auto Dark Mode does what Microsoft should have built-in: it automatically toggles your theme based on the time of day or sunrise/sunset.
What it does:
Switches Windows theme (light/dark) on a custom schedule or based on your local sunrise/sunset times.
Can also toggle the theme for individual apps (like Office or your web browser).
Includes a manual override if you need to temporarily switch.
Why it makes Windows better:
It reduces eye strain during late-night work sessions and makes your PC adapt to your life, not the other way around. Plus, it’s one less thing to remember to do each day.
7. TranslucentTB
The Windows taskbar is functional, but its solid background can feel heavy, especially on a modern, minimalist desktop. TranslucentTB is a tiny, lightweight app that makes the taskbar transparent, blurred, or tinted—without slowing down your system.
What it does:
Makes the taskbar fully transparent, completely clear, or acrylic-blurred (like Windows’ own Start menu).
Allows different states: transparent when no window is maximized, opaque when a window is maximized.
Uses almost zero CPU or RAM; it’s incredibly efficient.
Why it makes Windows better:
It’s pure aesthetics, but aesthetics matter. A transparent or blurred taskbar lets your wallpaper shine through, creating a sense of depth and modern polish that makes Windows feel more premium.
8. PowerToys
Technically, PowerToys is a suite of utilities, not a single app. But since it’s available on the Microsoft Store and maintained by Microsoft itself, it deserves the final spot. PowerToys adds features that power users have begged for, for years.
Standout tools included:
FancyZones: Advanced window manager. Create custom layouts for snapping windows.
PowerRename: Batch rename files using complex search and replace or regular expressions.
Keyboard Manager: Remap keys and shortcuts. (Make Caps Lock into a second Ctrl key!)
Always On Top: Pin any window so it stays above all others.
Mouse Without Borders: Control up to four computers with one mouse and keyboard.
PowerToys solves specific, frustrating problems that Microsoft has never addressed. If you spend your day moving files, arranging windows, or typing, PowerToys will save you hours over the course of a year.
How to Install and Manage These Apps
All eight apps are available directly from the Microsoft Store. Simply open the Store app on your Windows 10 or 11 PC, search for the name of the app, and click “Install.” Because they come from the Store:
Updates will happen automatically via the Microsoft Store.
You can uninstall them cleanly from Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.
They will not bundle adware, toolbars, or unwanted programs.
For advanced users, some of these (like PowerToys and ShareX) are also available on GitHub or their official websites, but the Store version is recommended for its ease of management and automatic updates.
Final Thoughts: Small Apps, Big Difference
You don’t need to spend money or install risky “PC optimizer” software to make Windows better. The eight apps listed above—EarTrumpet, ModernFlyouts, Lively Wallpaper, Files, ShareX, Auto Dark Mode, TranslucentTB, and PowerToys—are all free, safe, and genuinely useful.
Each one solves a small annoyance or adds a missing feature. Together, they can transform Windows from a merely functional operating system into a personalized, efficient, and even delightful environment. The best part? You can install them in under ten minutes, and none of them will bog down your computer.
So go ahead. Give your PC a free upgrade today. Your future self—the one with the perfectly organized windows, the automatically dark-themed desktop, and the effortless screenshots—will thank you.
