Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Use DigitalOcean’s official doctl command-line interface to authenticate to your account, inspect available options, create and manage Droplets, resize them, and apply Cloud Firewall rules. Start by checking current region, size, and image slugs: those options can change. Treat your personal access token as a password, and confirm a target before running any destructive command.
What you need before using doctl
DigitalOcean describes doctl as “the official DigitalOcean command line interface (CLI).” It communicates with the DigitalOcean API and supports most Control Panel functionality. DigitalOcean provides installation options for Windows, macOS, and Linux; consult the doctl CLI documentation for installation and current command syntax.
You will need a DigitalOcean account, a personal access token, and a terminal or shell on a supported operating system. For connecting to a Linux Droplet, arrange SSH access as well; DigitalOcean says SSH-key authentication provides more security than password authentication.
Install and authenticate
- Install
doctlusing DigitalOcean’s current installation instructions. - Create a personal access token in your DigitalOcean account, following the official Droplet creation guide.
- Run
doctl auth initand provide the token when prompted. - Keep the token private. Do not put a real token in a script, shell-history example, shared terminal recording, or public repository. If it is exposed, revoke it and create a replacement.
Use doctl compute --help and the current command reference to check available subcommands and flags. CLI options may evolve; do not assume an old command copied from a tutorial is still valid.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
Choose a current region, size, and image
A Droplet’s region determines its datacenter location, its size determines the available capacity, and its image supplies the operating system or software environment. List current choices before provisioning instead of relying on a remembered slug:
doctl compute region listdoctl compute size listdoctl compute image list-distribution
Available slugs and capacity can vary. Select an image and size that fit the workload, and specify a region explicitly when location matters. Review the current output and your account’s available options before using any example value.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Decide on access and protection options
DigitalOcean’s creation and setup guidance also presents SSH keys, user data, backups, monitoring, IPv6, private networking, and tags as configuration choices. They are not universal requirements: select them based on how the Droplet will be accessed and operated. Backup options add cost, so check the current pricing and backup terms before enabling them.
Create a Droplet
The documented command shape is:
doctl compute droplet create <droplet-name> --size <size-slug> --image <image-slug> --region <region-slug>
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
--size and --image are required by the current command reference. Supplying --region explicitly makes the destination clear; if omitted, the account’s default region is used. Replace the angle-bracketed values with a name and slugs returned by the listing commands—do not type the brackets. Check doctl compute droplet create --help for current options, including SSH keys and user data, before adding optional flags.
After creation, use the current doctl compute droplet commands in the Droplet command reference to list Droplets and retrieve details for the one you intend to manage. Confirm its name or ID before issuing an action.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Inspect, operate, and delete safely
Use the CLI reference and doctl compute --help to find the current list, retrieve, action, and delete commands. DigitalOcean’s Droplet API reference documents operations including retrieve, reboot, destroy, backup-related actions, and snapshots.
- Inspection: Listing Droplets and retrieving details are read-only checks. Use them to verify the target before changing it.
- Operational actions: Rebooting changes the Droplet’s state and can interrupt services. Schedule it appropriately and verify the effect afterward.
- Destructive actions: Destroying a Droplet can remove a resource and its data. Verify the exact Droplet and any data or backups you need before confirming a destroy command.
Because syntax and flags can change, consult the installed version’s help and the online reference rather than guessing a command from memory.
Recommended Free Tools
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Resize a Droplet with a safe shutdown sequence
DigitalOcean’s resize guidance calls for powering the Droplet off before resizing and powering it back on afterward. It recommends shutting down from inside the guest operating system to reduce data-corruption risk.
- Connect to the Droplet and run
sudo shutdown -h nowfrom inside the operating system. Wait until it has shut down. - Check current size options with
doctl compute size list, then identify the Droplet using the current CLI reference. - Use the documented CLI power-off and resize actions with the correct Droplet ID and an available size slug. Check
doctl compute droplet-action --helpand the current resize guide for the syntax supported by your installed version. - Decide deliberately whether disk resizing is needed. Do not treat
--resize-disk=trueas a harmless default: increasing disk size has consequences, and the supported resize direction depends on the selected option. - After the resize completes, use the documented power-on action and check that the Droplet and its services are working.
Manage access with Cloud Firewalls
DigitalOcean Cloud Firewalls are stateful, network-based firewalls for Droplets. They block traffic unless a rule permits it, so an incorrectly restrictive rule can make a service unreachable.
- Review the current firewall management guide and firewall creation guide for current CLI syntax.
- Create inbound and outbound rules that allow only the ports and sources your services need.
- Identify the intended Droplets and confirm their IDs or supported tags before attaching them. The management guide documents
doctl compute firewall add-dropletsanddoctl compute firewall remove-droplets. - Verify both the rules and the attached Droplets after making a change. If a service becomes unreachable, check firewall rules and attachment before changing unrelated settings.
Troubleshoot common command-line problems
- Authentication fails: Check that
doctlis installed and that authentication was initialized with a valid token. If the token was revoked or exposed, create a replacement and authenticate again; never publish it while diagnosing the issue. - A region, size, or image slug is rejected: Run the corresponding current listing command again. Availability and slugs can vary, so replace stale values with an option shown for your account.
- A create command is incomplete or invalid: Confirm that
--sizeand--imageare supplied, check optional flags withdoctl compute droplet create --help, and verify that the selected values are current. - A resize does not proceed: Confirm the Droplet has been shut down, use the current size list, and check the installed command’s help and resize guide for supported actions and disk-resize constraints.
- A service is unreachable after a firewall change: Check that a rule permits the required port and source, and verify the intended Droplet is attached to the firewall.
- You are unsure which resource a command will affect: Stop and list or retrieve Droplet details to verify the name or ID. Do not run a destructive action until the target is certain.
Or let it run in the cloud
For a different task—keeping a pre-recorded YouTube stream live around the clock—StreamNeo is a cloud service from Yorker Media, not a Droplet-management tool. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so no computer, OBS, or home connection has to stay on.
- Nothing has to stay powered on at home.
- Uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot.
- Automatic recovery is available if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card.
The monthly option is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details. To start a free day, create a StreamNeo account.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
