In this blog, we will inform you about multiple free apps you can use to organize and enhance your workflow. Having a structured approach to your work allows you to be more productive and complete your work faster. 

The apps listed do have subscription fees, but you can still use their free versions and have features that are important for your workflow. In any case, the apps discussed will be in regard to their free version and how they can be used. The apps also go beyond the typical Microsoft PowerPoint or Word that are inherently used and even Google Slides or Docs. These are apps are considered a necessity, so the apps listed are additional to those aforementioned ones. 

1. Calendar 

Depending on which operating software you use (mobile and computer, i.e., Windows, Android, macOS, or iOS/iPadOS), calendars are important to organize your schedule and work which helps you keep track of all your pending and upcoming deadlines. If you use a MacBook or iPhone/iPad, we recommend using the native Calendar app already installed as it is pretty comprehensive and syncs automatically across all your iCloud devices. The alternative for Android and Windows is the Google Calendar app which also allows you to sync your schedule across all devices and can also be used on Apple devices as well. Immediately when a deadline comes up, create an All-day event in your app and edit it later in regard to the accurate time. 

This ensures that you have inputted the event in the app. All-day events can be helpful as they will be displayed throughout the day which can be done to deadlines that have a specific date but not time. We also recommend that you put your reminders for Calendar events two days prior to the deadline to ensure that when an event sneaks up on you, you will have ample time to complete it. Calendar events not only apply to any specific deadline but to general aspects of your life that you need to do. It is better than a To-do app that is used in accordance with a Calendar app as all events, reminders, and deadlines will be consolidated within one app. You can set shortcuts on Apple devices for a quick Tomorrow view that shows you all the events lined up for the next day. 

2. Grammarly 

This app’s ad has probably popped up a million times on your screen telling you how great it is. Well, it actually is. While there is a paid version, the free version allows you to do plenty of edits. Limitations of the free version are based on sentence structuring and the word count allocated for each upload. You can still edit grammar and spelling mistakes easily and quickly as the app shows you suggested replacements. To get around the word count limit per upload, you can break down your document into 1,000-word pieces each and paste them into the Grammarly app. Once edited, you can paste it back into the main document. The process is actually not very time-consuming and ensures that you have a flawless written document. The app is available on tablets, computers, and mobile phones for all users and can be downloaded easily. The free version is great and despite the lack of availability of all features, it is still pretty helpful. 

3. Adobe Acrobat Reader 

This is a logical choice, to be frank. Apple users will know that their default app to view a PDF in Preview. You can change that to Adobe Acrobat Reader simply: right-click on any PDF and press Get Info or simply press Command + I. Go to the bottom of the prompt and under Open With, select Adobe as the choice, and click Change All. Voila, all your PDFs will open with Adobe now. For Windows users, this is inherently their app of choice. Adobe Acrobat Reader makes viewing PDFs pleasant and highlighting or adding comments very easy. Also, with the Document Cloud, you can access your PDFs from multiple devices easily by logging into the same account. Additionally, when you are working and need multiple PDFs open, you can simply open them together in one window with multiple tabs thus shifting between them very simple. 

4. Notion 

This app is notorious for productivity, and you probably have heard about it. It looks and sounds complicated, but it is actually very simple. First, we recommend you watch this video to get all the info you need. while it has a paid version (very cheap US$48/year), its free version is pretty great. You can easily collaborate with others or have private channels for your own work. Notion also offers many preset templates you can use which are also pretty helpful. Create different pages for your different tasks and create icons, cover images, and formatting for each one to differentiate them. Navigate easily through your workspace and find what you are looking for easily. You can upload documents, files, images, tables, websites, and anything you can think of. You can write text, create tables, or to-do lists, which automatically sync across your devices. It has a great user interface and experience which makes using Notion very easy. It offers you guides on what to do and formatting pages has never been easier. Once you get to use it, you will be hooked. 

5. Microsoft Lens or Adobe Scan 

These apps offer pretty similar functionality and are basically apps you can use to capture and convert photos into various formats such as PDFs or PowerPoints. Their powerful AI automatically detects text and creates a frame around what needs to be captured. Once you’re done, follow the onscreen instructions and your photo will be easily converted. This is great for taking pictures of handwritten notes or excerpts from physical documents. Download these apps and use them based on your needs to automatically and easily digitize anything that isn’t already digital. 

6. Canva 

Canva is a great tool that allows you to create many designs ranging from social media posts (as part of an assignment) or powerful presentations from 1,000s of available templates. The free app and version of Canva are pretty great and present you with many templates you can work with. The tool also allows for easy editing once you get used to the interface. Even if a template is not fully to your liking, you can combine designs from multiple templates in one project and edit it. Once the design is to your liking, you can download it as a PNG or PDF. If your assignment brief states that the submission needs to be a PowerPoint (ppt), don’t worry, we have a workaround. You can simply download the Canva design as a PDF and head to this website and convert it from PDF to PPT for free. While PowerPoint is a great tool for presentations, the installed designs can be limited and are pretty basic. With Canva, you can take this to the next level.