These Windows 11 Tools Are Insanely Underrated

Windows customization doesn’t have to stop at Windhawk, Rainmeter, and YASB. After digging through community suggestions and testing a bunch of lesser-known apps, I found tools that change how you manage windows, customize your desktop, listen to music, and even browse files.

Here are six underrated Windows 11 tools worth trying.

1. Leopard Window Manager

Leopard Window Manager is a scroll-first tiling window manager for Windows. Instead of arranging windows in the usual grid, it places them on a horizontal strip that you can scroll through, while your monitor acts as a moving viewport.github+1

Windows are automatically tiled into resizable sections, so you can arrange multiple apps without manually snapping every window. The real highlight is the shortcut system: for example, holding Ctrl and scrolling lets you move between windows or tabs smoothly.github

How to install

  1. Open the LeopardWM GitHub repository.
  2. Go to Releases.
  3. Download either the .msi installer or the standalone .zip.
  4. Launch the app after extracting or installing it.github

Link: Leopard Window Manager on GitHub

2. Bloom

Bloom gives Windows a more macOS-like feel by adding a Dynamic Island-style notch and a customizable dock. The notch can show quick settings such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it also turns into a compact music player when something is playing.microsoft+1

The dock replaces the standard Windows taskbar and supports features like dragging apps into a new order, hover previews, and context menus. Bloom is heavily customizable, so you can adjust both the design and layout to match your setup.github

How to install

  1. Visit the Bloom GitHub repository.
  2. Download the latest .exe from the releases section.
  3. Run the installer and launch Bloom.

Link: Bloom on GitHub

3. Themia

Themia is a desktop widget app that sits somewhere between BeWidgets and Rainmeter. It places customizable widgets directly on your desktop, turning unused wallpaper space into a useful dashboard.themia+1

It includes widgets for weather, calendar, email, files, system stats, notes, to-dos, RSS, GitHub activity, music, stocks, and more. You can also customize colors, transparency, fonts, corner radius, and layouts, making it easy to create a setup that fits your workflow.themia+1

How to install

  1. Visit the official Themia website.
  2. Click Download for Windows.
  3. Run the installer and launch Themia.
  4. Right-click your desktop, choose Add widget, and start building your setup.themia+1

Link: Themia official website

4. Sonora

Sonora was my favorite tool from this list. It is a free, open-source desktop music player that makes streaming platforms look and feel far more polished. It supports YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Subsonic, and local files.windowsforum+1

After installing it, you can sign in to a supported service or use it as a guest. I used it with Spotify, and the experience felt clean and modern. You can customize the color theme, icon pack, window opacity, and even enable macOS-style window controls.windowsforum+1

How to install

  1. Go to the official Sonora website.
  2. Download the Windows installer.
  3. Run the installer and launch Sonora.
  4. Sign in to your preferred music service or continue as a guest.windowsforum+1

Link: Sonora official website

5. WidBar

If you want music controls directly in your taskbar, WidBar is a great option. It adds small widgets to unused taskbar space, including a media widget that shows the current track, album artwork, artist, and playback controls.

The installation is a little more annoying because WidBar itself comes from the Microsoft Store, and each widget also has to be installed separately. Once set up, though, it integrates surprisingly well with Windows. My favorite widgets are Stock Watcher and the music control widget. You can also toggle details such as the play button or audio visualizer.

How to install

  1. Install WidBar from the Microsoft Store.
  2. Open WidBar.
  3. Download the widgets you want individually from the Microsoft Store.
  4. Add them to your taskbar and customize their settings.

Links:

6. Superfile

The final tool is completely different: Superfile is a modern file manager that runs inside your terminal. It gives you a stylish interface for browsing folders, opening files, and managing your file system without using the regular File Explorer.andelby.github+1

It will not replace File Explorer for everyone, but it looks great and is especially interesting if you already spend time in PowerShell or another terminal. After installation, you simply type spf to launch it.andelby.github+1

How to install

  1. Open the official Superfile website.
  2. Copy the Windows PowerShell installation command.
  3. Open PowerShell and paste the command.
  4. Restart the terminal if needed.
  5. Type spf and press Enter.andelby.github+1

Links:

Final thoughts

These tools prove that Windows customization goes far beyond the usual names. Whether you want better window management, a macOS-inspired desktop, customizable widgets, a nicer music player, taskbar controls, or a terminal-based file manager, there is probably a tool out there for you.

If you try any of these, let me know which one you liked most.

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