These built-in Windows apps improved my productivity, and I never expected them to be this good

Published Jul 26, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT Based in rural Minnesota, Brian Burgess worked in IT for 10 years before finding his passion for writing about consumer technology. Brian earned his degree in computer and network technology in 2000. He held various IT positions, including help desk support, router installations for IBM, database administration, and other associate network administration roles. He's been a personal technology journalist for 18 years and has written thousands of articles about Microsoft products and services, Android, iOS, streaming, and more. He has written for notable tech sites including XDA, InformationWeek, How-To Geek, Byte, groovyPost, and others. When he is away from the keyboard, you will hear him playing guitar, working outdoors, and watching Star Trek. When users get a new Windows PC or do a clean install, the first thing they do is install apps and other software — namely, productivity apps. However, they typically overlook the fact that Windows has productivity software built into the OS that does a pretty good job of managing workflows. That isn't to say everything in the OS is good or helpful. For instance, I have never been a fan of Copilot or the apps Microsoft has allowed it to creep into. So, that is one so-called productivity tool I happily disable virtually everywhere. Still, instead of installing third-party apps — whether commercial or open-source — it's worth using some of the better ones to improve productivity. Snagit is not needed One of the core tasks in my workflow is taking screenshots on Windows. Usually I go for Snagit or a free tool like Greenshot, but why install the extra software if it isn't necessary? I thought I would try the Snipping Tool after honestly forgetting it existed, and was pleasantly surprised by how well it works. I don't even need to launch it first — press Win + Shift + S and take my shot. Once the screenshot has been taken, I can mark it up if needed, share it, or drop it directly into an email and send it off. Additionally, I can set it to take delayed shots, capture entire windows or regions, enable quick markup, or share directly by default. Another interesting feature is OCR, so I can take a screenshot of text that it can read and paste it into an editable document. Sure, it doesn't have all the editing features I might need, but for the features it does include, it does the job well. Outlook Mail and Calendar To stay on task I will start this off by saying I'm not the biggest cheerleader for Outlook for email, and I use Perplexity to help manage my inbox. Also, I am a big advocate for Proton Mail for my personal email. Still, I must use Outlook for certain email contacts, and it does what I would expect from an email manager. It's also helpful to respond to emails from the Outlook app on my phone. Also, when I do go into my inbox, I can pop reminders for important emails directly into the calendar. However, the gem in my workflow is Outlook Calendar. As a Windows-first user, I haven't found a better calendar app for Windows, and I've tried several. I just open Outlook, set it to Calendar, and click the icon in the taskbar each time I need to view or set up an appointment in my calendar. I find that creating appointments or sharing my calendar is quick and effective, and I don't have to look at my messy inbox. Windows Terminal For power user productivity If I were to follow my workflows strictly using the user interface, some days it would take multiple hours to do boring, repetitive, and monotonous tasks. However, I want to save time and be more productive. That is where the Windows Terminal comes in. It is a tabbed terminal packed with power that lets me get multiple things done in one go. It includes PowerShell, the Command Prompt, Azure Cloud Shell, and WSL in a single app. PowerShell is the main tool I use, and with a few lines of code I can rename multiple files, copy them to different folders, write to text files, uninstall or reinstall apps — including the Microsoft Store — and more. Being able to open multiple tabs for each job is also a benefit. I can have a separate task running in each tab. I can also have a different tool open in each. Other useful built-in Windows apps But wait, there's more There are plenty of other productivity tools for Windows that help my workflow, which I use daily. For instance, I use Task Manager multiple times throughout the day to get my system running more smoothly or restart an app. I have always had a soft spot for Notepad; even with the new features, many of them are helpful — except Copilot. Also, the Microsoft 365 suite of apps, including Word, Excel, OneDrive, and more, is typically included with new computers, so it might as well be included. When configured correctly, OneDrive has become a solid app for syncing my most important files between machines. The Office apps are a powerhouse staple for most companies and individual users, enabling significant productivity gains. I also use it to share files with others on my team. I also access Action Center by pressing Win + A to manage connected devices I need as I move between locations while I'm working. Whatever I can use that is built into Windows to save time and be more productive, I will. Staying productive on your Windows PC From creatives to writers to coders and beyond, your computer is meant to be productive, and there are many Windows apps to help with just that. However, the OS gets a bad rap for its built-in apps that support a productive workflow. If you haven't tried your workflow using what's preinstalled, it is a challenge worth trying. What are some of your favorite built-in Windows apps that allow you to stay productive without having to install third-party software?