The Best Free Tools Built Into Your Computer

You don’t always need to buy expensive software—your computer already has some powerful tools built right in. Here are a few of the best free utilities hiding in plain sight on your Windows or Mac computer:

🧰 Windows Tools

• Task Manager: Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to see what’s using your system resources, close frozen apps, or check performance.

• Snipping Tool: A quick way to capture screenshots or snips of your screen. Search “Snipping Tool” in your Start Menu.

• Windows Security: Built-in antivirus (Microsoft Defender) and firewall help protect you without any extra software.

• Storage Sense: Automatically clears temp files and frees up space. Go to Settings > System > Storage.

• Backup & Restore: Set up File History or full backups through Control Panel > Backup and Restore.

🍎 Mac Tools

• Activity Monitor: Like Task Manager for Mac. Find it in Applications > Utilities to monitor CPU, memory, and app behavior.

• Preview: More than just a PDF viewer. You can annotate, sign, and edit PDFs or images with ease.

• Time Machine: Built-in backup that lets you recover previous versions of files or restore your whole system.

• Disk Utility: Used to check drive health, format USB drives, or partition disks.

• Quick Look: Press Spacebar on any file for a fast preview—no need to open the app.

🎯 Bottom Line

You may already have the tools you need to stay secure, back up your files, and troubleshoot problems—no downloads required.

Want help making the most of these tools? Schedule a remote tune-up and we’ll walk you through it.