Windows' built-in search has never really clicked for me. It’s often slower than I expect, mixes in results I didn’t ask for, and somehow still struggles to surface the exact file or app I’m thinking about. Over the years, I’ve tried to make peace with it, tweaking settings and changing habits, but I always end up feeling like I’m working around search instead of letting it work for me.

I use free apps every day, and I write about them constantly. In many cases, they’re genuinely great. Some of the most useful software on my phone and computer doesn’t cost me a cent upfront. But that doesn’t mean it’s actually free.

I used to spend a lot of time commuting, but these days I’m lucky enough to work remotely. My wife isn’t. She drives about 20 miles each way on busy highways, and like a lot of people, I worry about her every time she pulls out of the driveway. Late last year, I bought her a dashcam. It’s nothing fancy, just something recording in the background, but she really likes it and says it gives her peace of mind. That alone made it feel worth it to me.

Let’s be clear, I could use any OS but, for some reason, I always use Windows. It can be a great operating system, but lots of times it feels like it’s working against me instead of for me. Between privacy and telemetry collection, the constant nudges toward Edge and Bing, and the AI features I never asked for, a fresh Windows install rarely feels clean. Add in the pile of preinstalled apps I’ll never use, and it often feels like I’m undoing Windows before I can even start using it.

I spend the better part of most days working on a computer. Writing, editing, managing files, jumping between apps, it all adds up fast. When your day lives inside Windows 11, even small bits of friction start to feel expensive. Every extra click, every manual resize, every time you retype the same thing slows you down more than you realize.

Managing a photo library is easy when it’s just yours. It got a lot harder for me when I also became responsible for keeping photos organized for my wife and mother-in-law. Different habits, different expectations, and everyone still wants their pictures to be easy to find and safely backed up. Over time, that turns into a messy sprawl of folders, duplicates, and “where did that photo go?” conversations.