If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a ton of third-party apps installed on your Windows PC. There’s an app (or four) for almost every purpose, but after a while, my PC can feel a bit bloated. There are a ton of tray icons, so many update prompts, and really, too many ‘must-have’ utilities. I assumed third-party tools were better by default, but I wanted to put that to the test and see if Windows’ own built-in tools could replace my basic productivity stack.
After switching to these six everyday apps to native Windows alternatives, I didn’t lose any functionality. In some cases, I gained simplicity and stability along the way.
Why I decided to ditch third-party apps
Less bloat, better security
Most third-party utilities don’t just sit quietly on your hard drive. They add startup entries, run update checkers, install tray agents, and some create background services. Many of them bundle extras in with their installers, too, which can add to your system bloat. Many of them don’t integrate well with your system’s themes or context menus, and aren’t designed around Windows updates. They can rely on shell extensions, custom overlays, and registry hooks.
In addition, native Windows apps introduce fewer security concerns, while third-party tools can increase your attack surface and introduce more potential bugs and unpatched vulnerabilities.
Are Windows tools always superior to their third-party alternatives? Not necessarily. Of course, we all need to decide what works best for our own workflows and systems. Still, if a native Windows app does the job, why not streamline your PC and avoid the duplicate functionality, added processes and updates, along with extra potential vulnerabilities that third-party tools can introduce? That’s what I wanted to find out.
Replacing Lightshot with Snipping Tool
Basic note-taking is better when it’s native
Lots of folks use Lightshot for its fast region selection, instant annotation tools, and one-click upload and link sharing. It used to be lighter and quicker than the old Snipping Tool it originally replaced. Now in Windows 11, however, Snipping Tool offers some great added features, with a quick Win + Shift + S activation shortcut, built-in screen recording, some markup tools, and OCR/text extraction. It saves right to my clipboard (or as a file) without any extra prompts. It’s no longer the bare-bones utility it used to be.
Of course, Lightshot has some abilities that aren’t in Snipping Tool, offering automated cloud upload links, a slightly quicker workflow, and more customization options. Switching to Snipping Tool gave me fewer background processes, no separate updates, native Windows integration, and a much cleaner workflow with the clipboard history function.
As a moderate user of screenshots for my daily work, Snipping Tool offers enough functionality that I don’t miss the screenshot automation (which I never used anyway) or a way to instantly share my screenshots publicly. Ultimately, it’s one less app taking up space and system resources on my machine.
Replacing WinRAR/7-Zip with File Explorer
When basic file extraction is all you need
Old school Windows users understand the pain of having to download a decompression utility like WinRAR or 7-Zip just to check out a file you just got. Luckily, File Explorer, the native file system built right into Windows, can handle most of the basic file compression formats, like ZIP, RAR, 7z, TAR, and more. And it’s all available from the desktop with a simple right click.
The trade-off seems to be that you don’t get any advanced compression tuning available in third-party apps, and the encryption options aren’t as robust — you can set a password in Explorer. Still, third-party apps typically use stronger AES-256 encryption.
I rarely need encryption, and when I do, a simple password will suffice to keep any family members from snooping. Ultimately, options like 7-Zip are overkill; File Explorer lets me work with compressed files easily and quickly, without a separate install or update schedules.
Replacing VLC Media Player with Media Player
Native media playback that just works
The reason we have so many third-party options in the first place is that Windows didn’t always have the functionality they do. That’s true with VLC Media Player, the one-stop shop for all video codecs that allowed us all to watch internet videos back when Windows couldn’t handle many of the codecs out there.
Modern Windows Media Player, though, has much improved codec support, a cleaner user interface, and integrates with system audio and notifications. It’s even got support for HDR and streaming video now.
VLC still wins when it comes to rare video formats, and it includes power user controls and the ability to tweak the network stream for better performance. When I replaced the third-party app with the native Media Player, however, I didn’t miss it at all. For most uses, Media Player just works, and you don’t really need VLC Player.
Replacing Evernote with OneNote
Basic note-taking is better when it’s native
Back in the day, I was all over Evernote, using it across devices and platforms (even on a Mac!). I avoided OneNote because it felt heavy, with a cluttered interface. Older versions of the native app had synchronization issues, too, which warned me off.
Modern OneNote, though, is fast, synced to the cloud, cross-platform (hello, iOS), and surprisingly flexible. It offers a freeform canvas with a solid search function, and has deep Windows integration (which, coming from Microsoft, makes a ton of sense). Sure, Evernote has more advanced tagging features for power users (and other alternatives like Simplenote are still more minimalist).
For basic structured notes, research, and casual writing, though, OneNote does just fine, and it integrates better with Windows, letting you turn emails into notes via Outlook and offering collaborative notes inside Microsoft Teams channels, for example.
Replacing CCleaner with built-in Windows cleanup tools
Balancing automated maintenance with manual control
CCleaner is a popular registry and cache cleaner that promises speed boosts with just a few clicks. What I realized, though, is that Windows already has Storage Sense, Disk Cleanup, and Temporary file cleanup functions right inside. There’s really no need for registry cleaners in modern Windows, either.
The bigger issue with apps like CCleaner is the bundled extras, which can introduce security and privacy risks. Built-in tools like Storage Sense (Settings -> System -> Storage) can automatically delete temporary files, empty your Recycle Bin on a schedule, remove previous Windows update files, and clear out old Downloads (if you set it to). The legacy Disk Cleanup (search in your Start menu) can also clean up files you don’t really need. Heading to Settings -> System -> Storage -> Temporary files will even let you review what’s on tap to delete, and it separates them into downloads, recycled files, and system cache files, giving you a bit more control than a one-click cleaner does.
Ultimately, I can keep my system healthy and clean right in Windows itself, and I don’t feel like I’m opening myself up to any risk.
Replacing third-party antivirus with Windows Security
Reliable security without the extra updates
We used to assume antivirus software like Norton was essential for keeping our PCs safe from the scary computer bugs out there, and we were likely right.
Now, though, Windows Security offers real-time protection against viruses and ransomware, a solid firewall, and SmartScreen, a tool that aims to stop you from opening malicious websites, running shady apps, or downloading infected files. There have been strong independent lab tests recently that show the built-in option as a legit tool to keep your PC safe. You can find all the Security options in Windows 11 by searching for Windows Security in the search bar.
And honestly, if Windows Security only keeps me from Norton antivirus nag screens about updating and upgrading my security, I’ll count that as a win. Luckily, it’s also good at keeping my PC safe without a ton of extra system resources or update screens.
A more native Windows experience
Ultimately, returning to the apps already part of my Windows install makes a lot of sense. For everyday basics of watching videos, cleaning up my PC, or managing notes across platforms, these native applications do the same basic thing as the third-party ones we’ve all installed over the years, with less bloat, fewer security risks, and strong OS integration. It just might be time for you to ditch third-party apps in favor of a few native Windows tools.