Home windows 11 can foster high-quality, native apps experiences

Microsoft Home windows has been round for the better part of 40 years, making it one of the crucial long-standing client working methods of all time. By the many years, the OS has amassed a gargantuan catalog of pc applications and software program functions, a few of which have gone on to develop into actually iconic.

For higher or worse, Home windows’ standing as a legacy desktop working system comes with some caveats — together with decades-old baggage within the app ecosystem division. Lots of the best third-party apps on the platform make the most of antiquated interface paradigms, outdated visuals, and general really feel misplaced within the modern-day.

Fortunately, a choose variety of Windows builders have taken it upon themselves to craft actually trendy app experiences for the Home windows 11 period and past. These apps embrace Microsoft’s trendy Fluent Design rules, provide responsive and touch-friendly interface components, and include darkish modes, transparency, and several other different visible prospers.

Listed here are my picks of a number of the greatest trendy third-party Home windows 11 apps — every of those entries provides native person interface components, Fluent Design theming, and rather more.

1 Ambie White Noise

Excellent for kicking again and enjoyable

Ambie White Noise

Ambie White Noise is a fluid and trendy Home windows 11 app that makes it straightforward to check, to calm down, or to go to sleep to ambient sounds of nature.

If you happen to’re like me and have bother sleeping when there is a ruckus or chatter within the background, then Ambie is the right resolution. As with different white noise apps, there is a collection of enjoyable nature scenes and soothing sounds to select from right here, which can assist to drown out undesirable noise whereas selling restfulness within the course of.

Ambie is a superbly constructed app that matches proper in with Home windows 11’s trendy Fluent Design tips. The app is free to begin with, however a paid Ambie+ subscription is required to unlock the total collection of sounds and white noise choices. The free model is all you might want to get began with Ambie’s Focus Timer and Focus Session instruments, which act as a pomodoro mode.

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2 Character Map UWP

Simply entry Home windows’ huge font and character database

Character Map UWP

Character Map UWP is a third-party substitute for Home windows’ default Character Map choice instrument, and it gives a clear and trendy interface design.

The default Home windows Character Map is one thing of a scorching mess. It hasn’t been up to date in years, and so its interface stands out like a nineties-themed sore thumb. Fortunately, the free third-party Character Map UWP app serves as a swish substitute. The app is a totally modernized resolution for searching via and copying typefaces, fonts, and characters.

Character Map UWP is greater than a fairly face, too: the app has superior choices for copying and exporting characters, a comparability instrument, assist for a number of tabs, a font properties pane, and extra.

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3 ClipShelf

Clipboard historical past, however inside simpler attain

ClipShelf

ClipShelf is a well-designed Home windows 11 clipboard supervisor app that makes it straightforward to pin your copy historical past inside a devoted graphical person interface.

Home windows has a built-in clipboard administration instrument, however I desire utilizing the free ClipShelf app as an alternative of Microsoft’s default resolution. Clipshelf provides a gorgeous Home windows 11-themed strip to the highest or backside of your show, and populates along with your clipboard historical past for simple entry and cross-referencing functions.

ClipShelf additionally gives its personal set of keyboard shortcuts for simple entry, in addition to a number of customization instruments. The app is free to make use of, although a few of its extra superior options are locked behind a paywall.

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4 FluentCast

Native podcasting meets Home windows

FluentCast

FluentCast is a contemporary and feature-packed podcast app for Home windows 11 that features auto-download, playback historical past, and rather more.

Sadly, Home windows 11 nonetheless lacks a local first-party podcasting application to name its personal. Fortunately, the third-party FluentCast app is right here to the rescue. The app is a free resolution that appears and feels each bit like an in-box Home windows expertise, which makes it an ideal match for the OS.

Along with all of the podcast streaming fundamentals that you just’d anticipate finding, FluentCast provides up iTunes integration for looking via common reveals listed on Apple’s personal podcasting service. Different helpful options embrace auto downloads, playback historical past, picture-in-picture, new episode notifications, and extra.

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5 Fluent Emoji Gallery

Microsoft’s emoji rock — now you’ll be able to view them in catalog type

Fluent Emoji Gallery

Fluent Emoji Gallery is the best method to flick thru Microsoft’s trendy Fluent-style emoji pictograms, with choices to view in 3D, 2D, and monochrome.

When Microsoft redesigned its emoji library just a few years again, it hyped up its new Fluent-themed pictographs to an ideal diploma. Personally, I am an enormous fan of the brand new look, particularly when in comparison with competing emoji types in the marketplace. If you happen to’ve ever needed to peruse via the total catalog of obtainable smileys, symbols, and extra, then the free Fluent Emoji Gallery app is your one-stop store resolution.

The app presently comprises over 1,594 particular person emoji designs, every of which is sourced from official Microsoft repositories. What makes Fluent Emoji Gallery such a pleasure to make use of is its trendy and Home windows 11-styled interface design, which serves as pure eye sweet.

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6 FluentWeather

Fluid climate forecasts with out the interface bloat

FluentWeather

FluentWeather is a superb third-party climate app for Home windows 11 that follows trendy Fluent Design interface tips.

There are a number of wonderful climate functions obtainable for Home windows 11, however none hit the mark fairly in addition to FluentWeather. This free app is laser-focused on offering a clear, native-feeling forecasting interface, and it succeeds in doing so — it places a lot of Microsoft’s personal in-box outs to disgrace by way of visible coherency and person expertise.

FluentWeather is open-source, and provides up a ton of insightful climate metrics. All the pieces you’d anticipate finding is current and accounted for, together with day by day climate forecasting particulars, changeable temperature models, background refresh assist, and extra.

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7 Ink Workspace

The perfect companion for Home windows Inkers

Ink Workspace

Ink Workspace is a well-designed Home windows 11 app that gives a central location for varied digital inking-based options and instruments.

If you happen to use a digital pen for Home windows Inking functions, then the free Ink Workspace app is the right instrument for you. When launched, it opens a devoted flyout panel that is stuffed with helpful data and quick-access hyperlinks.

A Windows 10 stay tile-esque app launcher will be configured, as can a fast note-taking pane and a lately opened recordsdata part. The app additionally gives glanceable entry to your pen battery stage, in addition to solutions on different ink-friendly Home windows functions obtainable on the Microsoft Retailer.

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8 FlowBoard

A Fluent canvas of limitless potentialities

FlowBoard – FireCube’s Version

Flowboard is an open-source and free-flowing whiteboard software that makes wonderful use of Home windows 11’s trendy interface design rules. 

There’s a whole lot of utility to be present in a digital free-form whiteboard app, and FlowBoard is an exemplar of the style. The app is free and open-source, and provides up a gorgeous Fluent Design canvas for taking notes, doodling, and extra.

FlowBoard is well-optimized for contact enter with its broad pill type issue assist, and it really works effectively with digital pens just like the Surface Slim Pen 2. The app’s canvas is infinitely zoomable, making it a versatile instrument for placing pen to (digital) paper.

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9 Mica™️

Take pleasure in the fantastic thing about Microsoft’s Mica materials

Mica™️

Mica™️ is a simple-yet-mesmerizing Home windows 11 software that shows a window stuffed with Microsoft’s Mica materials, together with just a few further choices.

Mica™️ is probably the quirkiest app on this listing, however I can not assist however find it irresistible for what it’s. Upon launching the app, you are greeted with a no-thrills window stuffed with Microsoft’s translucent Mica material from one nook to the subsequent. Proper-clicking wherever on the display opens the settings pane, with choices to regulate opacity and the like.

At first blush, Mica™️’s utility won’t appear apparent, however I’ve discovered it to be the right PC screensaver. When mixed with the pulsating ‘Bloom’ impact, I discover myself staring into Mica to elicit a way of rest. Microsoft has uncared for to replace Home windows’ screensavers for years at this level (the Management Panel applet nonetheless depicts a CRT monitor on display), and so Mica™️ has assumed complete management of my very own makeshift setup.

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10 Protecc

Take pleasure in two-factor authentication in fashion

Protecc – 2FA Authenticator TOTP

Protecc is an open-source two-factor authentication (2FA) code technology instrument that gives an interface impressed by Fluent Design rules. 

Two-factor authentication is a vital part of securing your on-line accounts from fraud, hacking makes an attempt, and different unhealthy digital actors. In brief, it provides one other step to the login course of, with authenticator apps checking although strings of digits that act as keys.

Most individuals consider cellular apps like Google Authenticator or 2FAS with regards to authentication instruments, however Protecc is a PC program equal that is value its deserves. The app is free and open-source, has built-in assist for Home windows Whats up biometric authentication, and serves up your auto-generated codes in a classy Fluent-style interface.

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11 Unigram

One of the best Telegram shopper for Home windows

Unigram—Telegram for Home windows

Unigram is a third-party Telegram shopper software for Home windows 11 that gives a local feel and appear, safe messaging, and syncing assist.

Social media apps have a fairly unhealthy monitor file with regards to following native working system design tips, opting to implement their very own in-house styling as an alternative. Unigram is a Telegram Messenger app for Home windows 11 that bridges the divide, mixing safe messaging with trendy and fluid visible design.

UNigram is a free software, and it maintains Telegram’s potent mixture of 56-bit symmetric AES encryption, 2048-bit RSA encryption, and Diffie–Hellman safe key alternate for retaining all of your chat logs secured and locked down.

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12 Wintoys

Highly effective customization instruments wrapped in a gorgeous bundle

Wintoys

Wintoys is a one-stop-shop Home windows 11 app that gives many customization choices, restore instruments, and a built-in cleaner characteristic.

Wintoys is an extremely helpful Home windows 11 software that gives quick access to a lot of system capabilities and instruments. The app can floor key PC specs, can operate as a restore instrument sans-Terminal instructions, and can assist you save area by way of its cleaner characteristic.

Better of all, Wintoys is a wholly free piece of software program, and it expertly melds energy person options with an intuitive and trendy interface design that makes it really feel straight out of Microsoft’s personal app portfolio.

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