Windows 10’s Microsoft Store has several good apps. However, it is not that easy to find good apps, especially if you don’t know what to look for. I blame that on the horrible search feature and lack of proper visibility for good apps in the Store. So, here is a list of some of the best apps I found in my daily usage.
I’ve tried almost all the apps in this list, and most of them have high ratings from their users. Most of the apps in this list are free, but some are paid (i.e., require upfront payment or trial versions). The paid apps are clearly labeled as such.
The apps in this list are in no particular order; there is no ranking whatsoever. I just made a list as I go. Also, forgive me for not categorizing the apps. I want to do that when there are a good number of apps on the list.
If you think I missed any of your favorite app(s) that you believe should be listed here, then let me know. I will give it a try, and if it is good, I will add it to the list.
Best Microsoft Store Apps for Windows 10 & 11
- QuickLook: Lets you preview files and folders by selecting and pressing the space key. Very useful when you want to see a full preview with actually opening the file. Yes, it is better than the Preview pane in the File Explorer. QuickLook supports a wide range of file formats including PSD.
- Ditto Clipboard: A simple, minimal, and easy-to-use clipboard manager. The app has a tone of options to make it work the way you want.
- IrfanView: One of the most popular image viewer for Windows that supports a ton of file formats. The app supports external plugins too. You can think of IrfanView as VLC for images. [Link for 64-bit version]
- Cyberduck (paid): Cyberduck is one of the better looking, minimal yet feature-rich FTP/SFTP client for Windows. Apart from regular FTP and SFTP connection, you can connect to other services like Azure, OneDrive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, etc.
- myTube (paid): Looking for a good app to enjoy YouTube? Look no further than myTube. It has a clean user interface, removes ads, lets you download videos, and has all the features you’ll ever need. The nominal amount ($0.99) you pay for this app is worth your every penny. Here are some other YouTube apps for Windows 10 in Microsoft Store.
- paint.net (paid): A very popular and lightweight yet powerful photo editing software for Windows. The app supports special effects, has powerful tools, supports layers, etc. Do note that if you download the regular win32 application from the developer website, the app is completely free. You can send a donation to the developer if you like the app. Curious why the developer choose to put it as a paid app? Read this official blog post.
- OneNote: If you are not using OneNote, you are missing a lot. Though the good old .exe version has more features, The Store app is much more responsive, minimal, and easy to use. Give it a try and see if it works for you.
- Evernote: Evernote ported their desktop application to Microsoft Store long back. If you are an Evernote user then you should try the Store version.
- OneDrive: The official app that lets you quickly browse your OneDrive storage. You can upload and download files too. You cannot sync files, though.
- Dropbox: Just like the OneDrive app, Dropbox app lets you browse, upload, and download files.
- ShareX: ShareX is one of the best Windows screenshot apps that is both free and open source. One of the best thing about ShareX is that it has multiple capture modes and a powerful editor to edit screenshots. The app lets you upload screenshots to a wide range of image hosting and could service with just a few clicks.
- Appy Text: If you are looking for a super-charged Notepad that also looks nice and lightweight then you should try Appy Text.
- Audible: If you love listening to audiobooks like me then you might have subscribed to Audible. In that case, you can use the highly rated official Audible app on Windows 10 to listen to your favorite audiobooks while working.
- Trello: Using Trello to manage your work and stay focused? Use the official Trello app to get instant access. The app’s minimal user interface has all the features of the web version and gives you native notifications.
- Accent Applicator: Accent Applicator is a personalization app that lets you change the color of UI (user interface) elements like borders, title bar, selected text, highlight, etc. A very useful app to customize the look and feel of Windows 10.
- MusicBee: MusicBee is one of the most popular and powerful music player and manager. Trust me, in terms of features and customizability, Groove Music doesn’t even hold a candle.
- Snipaste: Snipaste is a snipping and screenshot tool with all the basic options you’ll ever need.
- F.lux: This simple and free app lets you sleep better at night by changing your screen temperature to warm color at night time. Although Windows 10 has the Night Light feature which does the same thing, F.lux gives you better control and has more options for customization. You can think of F.lux as Night Light on steroids.
- myTuner Radio Pro: If you like listening to the radio then you should try myTuner Radio Pro. It connects with over 50,000 different internet radio stations and has various options to better manage your favorite stations. You can listen to podcasts too.
- MediaTag: MediaTag is an easy to use tool to edit metadata of media files. The app supports batch editing and various media formats like mp3, mp4, asf, etc.
- Mp3tag: One of the best and free tools to tag and edit metadata of any audio file(s). The best thing is that it supports batch editing and a wide range of file types like ID3v1, ID3v2.3, ID3v2.4, iTunes MP4, WMA, etc. Mp3tag is one of those tools that every Windows user should have to properly manage audio files.
- Spotify Music: Spotify ported their desktop app to Microsoft Store. If you are a Spotify user then you should be using this app.
- EarTrumpet: This is one of those apps that everyone should be using. EarTrumpet lets you control the volume of individual apps, both classic and store apps. Trust me, you will love the app and never look back.
- Dynamic Theme: Nobody likes to see the same wallpaper or to manually set a new wallpaper each and every day. Dynamic Theme automatically sets a new desktop and lock screen wallpaper by downloading from Bing. I’ve been using this app for nearly two years and it is one of my favorite apps.
- Inkscape: If you are a vector graphic designer then you might have heard of Inkspace, a free, open source, and popular app to create vector designs. You can now download it directly from Mircosoft Store.
- Kodi: Formerly known as XBMC, Kodi is a full-featured, free, and open source media center for Windows. The app also supports external add-ons to add or improve functionality.
- Readiy: If you are using Feedly to manage RSS feed and follow updates of your favorite website then you can use Readiy to access your Feedly account on Windows 10. The app has a better layout and makes it easy to read and manage RSS entries. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to Windows Loop RSS feed :D.
- Splash! – Unsplash Wallpaper: If you ever searched for copyright-free stock images then you might be familiar with Unsplash. In case you don’t know, Unsplash offers high quality and professional photos for free and no copyright attachment. Splash is a simple app that downloads a new photo from Unsplash every day and sets it as your desktop and lock screen wallpaper. The functionality is very similar to Dynamic Theme app.
- WolframAlpha (paid): This the place where you can get expert knowledge and almost instant computation for various domains like mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, etc.
- WhatsApp Desktop: If are a heavy WhatsApp user and relying on the web version to access WhatsApp on the desktop then you no longer have to. Download WhatsApp desktop app from Microsoft Store and you are good to go. Now, don’t expect all the features you see on your mobile device.
- TranslucentTB: This simple, free, and open-source lets you customize the look and feel of the taskbar. Using TranslucentTB you can make the taskbar look completely transparent, opaque, blurry, or even apply the Fluent design. Learn more about TranslucentTB.
That’s all for now. Please let me know if you think I missed any of your favorite and helpful Store apps for Windows 10 and 11. If they are good, I will list them here. I’m sure this app list will be helpful for many Windows 10 users who are looking for good and useful apps in the Store.