If Windows is slowing down your routine in three different ways—finding files, opening apps, or figuring out what a process is doing—three free utilities highlighted in a September 10, 2026 republication of a MakeUseOf article offer distinct approaches: Listary, Flow Launcher, and System Informer. They solve different problems, so the useful choice depends on the task you want to improve, not on which one is supposedly fastest.
Choose by the Windows task that is getting in your way
| Utility | Best fit | Interaction described in the article | Scope described in the article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listary | Finding files and moving between folders | Double-tap Ctrl to open its launcher; use Quick Switch with File Explorer | File and app search, basic calculations and commands, and Explorer integration |
| Flow Launcher | Launching apps or invoking tools from the keyboard | Alt+Space opens its launcher | App and file lookup, bookmarks, web searches, calculations, and plugins |
| System Informer | Inspecting processes or investigating a file that appears to be in use | Inspect process details or search for a process holding a file open | Process information, including parent process, launch folder, command line, and digital signature |
These are descriptions reported by the republication, not a head-to-head test or a guarantee that every feature and shortcut remains the same in current releases. The article’s feature and free-tier claims should be checked against each developer’s current documentation before installing or relying on a specific capability.
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Use Listary for file search and folder navigation
The article presents Listary as a way to search for files and apps without navigating through folders first. It describes opening the launcher by double-tapping Ctrl, then using Quick Switch to move between locations in File Explorer. Its account says the free version includes the launcher, file search, Quick Switch, Explorer integration, and basic commands.
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This is the option to consider if your main irritation is getting to a file or folder, rather than inspecting Windows itself. The article does not establish the current free-versus-paid feature boundary, so confirm that the function you need is still included in the version available to you.
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Use Flow Launcher for keyboard-driven app launching
Flow Launcher is described as a keyboard-first launcher opened with Alt+Space. The republication says it can find apps, files, and bookmarks, run web searches and calculations, and extend its functions with plugins. It also mentions integration with Everything for file lookup.
Choose this workflow if you want one keyboard entry point for launching apps and calling extra functions. The plugin catalog and the status of the Everything integration were not established in the source, so check the current project documentation and plugin listings for availability and compatibility before depending on them.
Use System Informer to investigate running processes
System Informer addresses a different problem: understanding what is running. The article describes it as a free, open-source utility descended from Process Hacker. It says the interface can show a process’s parent, launch folder, command line, and digital signature, use colors to distinguish process types, and search for a process holding a file open.
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Check current details before installing
The available account is a republication of a MakeUseOf article dated September 10, 2026, attributed to Tashreef Shareef. Its descriptions report the author’s assessment and experience; they are not independently reproduced tests. No benchmark in the account establishes that one of these tools is faster than Windows or better than the others.
- Confirm the app’s current name and download location through its developer or project source.
- Check supported Windows versions and whether the shortcut or integration you want is still supported.
- Review current licensing and free-versus-paid boundaries rather than assuming the article’s tier descriptions are unchanged.
- For Flow Launcher, verify the specific plugin and Everything integration you intend to use.
The practical split is straightforward: Listary for file search and Explorer navigation, Flow Launcher for keyboard-driven launching and extensions, and System Informer for process inspection. They address separate workflow gaps rather than offering interchangeable replacements for Windows.
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