Waveform editing: it's been a long time for me. What's changed for Windows users?

Back in the day finding a seamless zero crossing point in Sound Forge or Wavelab in Windows (I don’t recall which cut down version of Wavelab I was using) was very labor intensive, it was done “by hand”, zooming in on the waveform to find potential CPs, using markers to reference them, then listening for the best of the lot. I would hope this has been automated by now.

Most editors have function called “snap to zero crossing” which I believe you are aiming at. Wavelab does have that function i recall. Check these (freeware) https://hiphopmakers.com/free-audio-editing-software-programs-best-free-audio-editors