5 Hidden Free Tools Every IT Employee Should Know in 2026

PowerBI Course at Rs 99.

1️⃣ Microsoft PowerToys (Windows)

Why it’s hidden: Most Windows users don’t know Microsoft ships this FREE productivity toolkit.

What it does best:

• Power Rename (bulk file renaming)
• FancyZones (advanced window snapping)
• Text Extractor (copy text from images/screens)
• Keyboard Manager (remap keys)

Example: Renaming 200 log files instantly instead of one-by-one.

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2️⃣ Obsidian (Free for Personal Use)

Why it’s hidden: People use Notion, but Obsidian is far more powerful for thinking + learning.

What it does best:

• Offline note-taking
• Linked knowledge graphs
• Markdown-based (very fast)
• Perfect for tech learning & documentation

Example: Creating a connected knowledge base for SQL + Power BI + Azure notes.

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3️⃣ Excalidraw

Why it’s hidden: Most IT people jump straight to PPT or Visio.

What it does best:

• Hand-drawn style diagrams
• Architecture, flowcharts, system designs
• Zero learning curve
• Free & browser-based

Example: Explaining system architecture or ETL flow to non-technical stakeholders.

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4️⃣ DBeaver Community Edition

Why it’s hidden: People think it’s “just another DB tool”.

What it does best:

• Works with MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle
• Powerful SQL editor
• Data export, ER diagrams
• 100% free (community version)

Example: Managing multiple databases from one tool instead of separate clients.

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5️⃣ Google Colab (Free Tier)

Why it’s hidden: Many think Python requires heavy local setup.

What it does best:

• Run Python in the browser
• No installation needed
• Ideal for data analysis, automation, ML basics
• Easy sharing

Example: Quickly analyzing a CSV file or testing a Python script for automation.

PowerBI Course at Rs 99.