One of the best free PC software program applications aren’t about the associated fee (or lack thereof), they’re a couple of recent alternative—collections of code that put the dumb {hardware} in your pc to good use, instruments that may accomplish something from balancing your family finances to serving to treatment most cancers.
Stocking your PC is an intensely private process. However some applications are so useful that we heartily suggest them to all people. These free PC applications—a mixture of must-haves and pleasant auxiliary apps—deserve a spot on nearly any pc (in contrast to, say, this extra area of interest roundup of 5 free Home windows energy person instruments we will’t dwell with out). There are occasions when a paid various is sensible, nevertheless. We’ve identified the circumstances the place an improve over the free providing is warranted, together with our suggestion for the class.
And in the event you’re deciding on these applications as a part of breaking in an all-new PC, you’ll want to try our information to methods to arrange new pc up the best method. Let’s dig in!
Table of Contents
A greater browser
Microsoft
Earlier than you roll up your sleeves and begin slinging software program round, ensure that to snag your net browser of selection. Utilizing Home windows 10 and 11’s default Edge browser while you’re accustomed to one thing else looks like sporting someone else’s footwear. (Blech.)
That stated, our cash’s truly on Edge, which earned prime honors in PCWorld’s intensive greatest browser showdown, barely nudging out Google’s just-as-superb Chrome browser. However hey, they’re all free! Strive earlier than you “purchase”—we’ve printed some intensive appears at compelling options you’ll solely discover on Edge, Firefox, and Vivaldi (a.okay.a. the fanatic’s browser).
Is it price it to improve to a paid model?
Possibly. Browsers are largely free, and largely unbelievable already. For Home windows customers there’s Ghost Browser, which helps you to sandbox separate on-line identities whereas viewing all of them in a single window. At $120 per 12 months, nevertheless, you’ve received to essentially want what Ghost Browser’s providing.
Ninite
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
No. For most users there really isn’t a worthy alternative, and even if there was it wouldn’t justify the cost. That said, there is a paid complementary utility called Ninite Updater that costs $10 per year that makes it easy to keep all your desktop programs up-to-date.
Unchecky
Accidentally installing unwanted bloatware is one of the greatest dangers of free software, the sanctity of Ninite aside. For everything else, use Unchecky. Unchecky automatically unchecks all of the checkboxes when you’re trying to install a program, and warns you if shady software is trying to sneak something ugly onto your machine.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
No. Again Unchecky is in a league unto itself, and while you might find similar capabilities bundled in an antivirus program, there’s little reason to look elsewhere.
Microsoft PowerToys
Jared Newman / Foundry
If you want to fine-tune your Windows experience, be sure to check out Microsoft’s killer PowerToys suite. Ostensibly for enthusiasts, PowerToys is absolutely loaded with tools designed to streamline all sorts of PC hassles. It offers utilities to batch resize images, quickly find your mouse cursor, always keep a chosen window on top of your others, remap your keyboard keys, show file previews in File Explorer, and a whole lot more. And you should definitely be using FancyZones, Microsoft’s killer multitasking app.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Nope—no premium alternative exists for Microsoft’s awesome collection of tools.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
The Windows Security software enabled by default in Windows 10 provides solid protection for most users, but no single antivirus utility offers bulletproof protection, especially against the latest and most clever threats. MalwareBytes Anti-Malware Free was designed specifically to find and eliminate those cutting-edge “zero-day” vulnerabilities. You can’t schedule scans or even use it as a regular antivirus program, but it’s invaluable when you think that something nasty has slipped by your primary antivirus utility.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Yes. As the saying goes, “a few megabytes of prevention is worth a terabyte of cure,” or something like that. Malwarebytes is great at saving infected computers, but Malwarebytes Premium at $40 per year is on guard to stop the malware from getting in its hooks in the first place.
Beyond that, premium antivirus options offer a combination of excellent protection, a worthwhile selection of features, and minimal impact on your PC’s performance. PCWorld’s guide to the best antivirus for Windows PCs can walk you through your options.
Launchy
On the surface, Launchy is a simple app launcher, and that’s swell all on its own! App launchers let you activate software far faster than navigating Windows, even if you use the Windows key and search for an app by name. But Launchy can do much, much more: Open any file or folder in mere seconds, shut down your PC, or even kill processes and perform math calculations with the right plug-ins. Read Lifehacker’s superb tutorial and forget about your Start menu.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
No. Launchy is another Windows utility that is unto itself; however, the developers do accept donations, and we highly recommend tossing the developers a few dollars for this excellent program.
7-Zip
Windows can create and extract ZIP files natively, but if you find yourself staring at another compressed archive you’ll need a dedicated program to handle it. A lot of them cost money. 7-Zip is open-source and completely free, ready to perform all your archiving needs from Windows’ right-click context menu. You can even encrypt 7-Zip archives with a password to send them securely.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
No. 7-Zip is great, and paid parallels such as WinZip really don’t offer enough to justify the fee. If you spend all day unzipping massive archive files then maybe a faster utility like WinZip is worth it. For most of us, however, 7-zip is just great.
VLC
Windows 10 and 11 have a prickly problem: Unlike Windows 7, they’re incapable of playing DVDs out of the box. Your PC might have a DVD-playing program installed if you bought a boxed system, but if not, the simply wonderful VLC media player can play your flicks (and music, and podcasts, and…) for free. It can even play (some) Blu-ray discs with a little fiddling.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
No. VLC is just fantastic, and you won’t find a paid option that justifies its worth compared to this free workhorse. You can, however, send the VideoLAN organization a donation as a thank you for its hard work.
Paint.net
Don’t let Paint.net’s freebie status fool you: This image editor may not have all the bells and whistles of Photoshop, but it packs everything that most people need (even layer-based editing) and costs hundreds of dollars less. We’ve got Paint.net tips to help you get started with this killer no-cost software.
If you’re a graphics professional, and you can’t afford Photoshop but require more than Paint.net offers, check out GIMP. It has a challenging learning curve, but its capabilities are damned impressive once you wrap your head around it. Those aren’t your only options though. Check out our roundup of the best free Photoshop alternatives for more no-cost programs for everything from quick and dirty tweaks to nitty-gritty image edits.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Yes. Free image editors are generally great and GIMP is looking better than ever. But Adobe’s hobbyist level Photoshop Elements at $100 has advanced features that you won’t find in the free programs.
Audacity
If you need to record or mix audio without spending big bucks on pro software, Audacity is hands-down the best option around. This powerful open-source audio editor offers excellent production capabilities—and a dizzying array of buttons and options. Snag it, then read PCWorld’s Audacity primer to wrap your head around the basics.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Maybe. For most users Audacity is a powerful tool, but if you’re rising to the level of semi-pro and need a deeper level of audio editing then Adobe’s Audition CC for $21 per month might be worth it. Keep in mind, however, that Adobe Audition is a pro tool and not a starter option.
Revo Uninstaller
When you delete software using Windows’ default uninstallation utility, it can leave a lot of remnants behind in weird places, sucking up precious storage space. Revo Uninstaller wipes out everything. It’s great.
(Pro tip: If you encounter a program that says it can’t be deleted because it’s currently in use by your system, IOBit’s free Unlocker can loosen its grasp.)
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Yes. Revo uninstaller only takes care of the basics. If you need features like getting rid of remnants from previously uninstalled programs or mass uninstalls then spending $20 on Revo Uninstaller Pro or a $20 yearly subscription to Iobit Uninstaller Pro is worth it.
SpaceSniffer
Michael Crider/IDG
Managing your computer’s storage space is kind of an all-or-nothing experience. Windows will tell you how much space is left on your drive, and that’s it; it’s up to you to dive into a million different directories and clear out the gunk when you’re running low on space. SpaceSniffer (try not to giggle) from Uderzo Software solves this by scanning an entire drive and presenting your files and folders in a visual grid, which makes it easy to find “lost” programs eating up huge chunks of your hard drive space. It’s one of the five Windows power tools we can’t live without.
WinDirStat is another free program that behaves similarly to SpaceSniffer. If you’re looking to free up some space for the latest massive game install, you’ll want one of these installed on your PC.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Nope. Enough said.
Recuva
But what if you want to bring a deleted file back to the realm of the living? Recuva is a clean, simple undelete program from Piriform, the makers of CCleaner.
Be warned: Recuva won’t be able to recover all deleted files, and the odds are even lower if you erased a program with a secure delete tool like Eraser (another top-notch free program). Still, Recuva has saved my bacon on more than one occasion.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Maybe. Recuva helps you recover files, but if you want power user features like virtual hard drive support and automatic updates then the $20 for Recuva Pro might be worth it.
Sumatra PDF
Adobe Reader may be the go-to PDF reader for many people, but it’s clunky, constantly updating, and frequently targeted by malware peddlers. If you need only basic functionality, go with Sumatra PDF instead. Sumatra lacks the fancy extras found in many full-featured PDF readers, but when it comes to straight-up reading Portable Document Format files, Sumatra PDF is blazing-fast and completely accurate. Oh, and since it’s less ubiquitous than Adobe’s offering, hackers tend to stay away from Sumatra PDF.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
No. There are paid PDF readers such as Adobe’s Acrobat or Wondershare’s PDFelement. But they offer features that few people need such as the ability to edit PDFs, watermark, and annotate them.
If you must have these advanced features check out PCWorld’s guide to the best PDF editors.
Spotify or iTunes
Sometimes, blasting tunes is the only thing that makes slogging through a spreadsheet or a stuffed inbox even remotely tolerable. The exact music client you’ll want will depend on whether you’ve already bought into a service, naturally. For musical neophytes I recommend two programs: iTunes and Spotify.
The iTunes Home windows consumer notoriously sucks, but it surely will get the job performed—and that job consists of supplying you with entry to an enormous universe of premium music downloads and protecting your iPhone’s music library synced together with your PC. Spotify, in the meantime, is an all-you-can-eat streaming service with hundreds of thousands of top-tier tunes out there, all totally free in the event you don’t thoughts listening to a couple adverts.
Is it price it to improve to a paid model?
Sure. Actually, if my editors let me use “Hell Sure” as an choice, I’d say, “Hell Sure!” You don’t should be an audiophile to acknowledge the sound distinction within the higher-quality variations Spotify and Apple Music premium subscribers get, plus no ads and the freedom to listen to your music anywhere? Sold.
A password manager
There are several options available, but our favorite freebie is Bitwarden, a no-cost password manager with few restrictions (unlike the free offerings from premium favorites like LastPass and Dashlane). PCWorld’s guide to the best password managers and the best free password managers can help walk you through all the available options.
Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid version?
Yes. Password managers are important tools, but you need them on all your devices to be effective and that means paying for the service. LastPass Premium is the cheapest subscription at $24 per year, but there’s also 1Password and Dashlane Premium.
A productivity suite
PCs excel at helping you Get Things Done—but few of them ship with a productivity suite installed. Fix that, stat! Even if you don’t plan to use a productivity suite regularly, it’s smart to have basic editing capabilities available on your computer.
Legions of people swear by Microsoft’s legendary Office; I do, too. But you don’t have to drop big dollars on Office if you don’t need its myriad bells and whistles. Free—and good—alternatives abound, with LibreOffice (pictured) being the flagship free-and-open-source option. The online-only Google Docs also rocks. PCWorld’s guide to the best free Microsoft Office alternatives explains your varied choices.
Is it price it to improve to a paid model?
Possibly. You will get lots performed with LibreOffice or Open Workplace, and even Google Docs. However there’s lots to be stated for Microsoft’s subscription service, Workplace 365, with its added 1TB of OneDrive storage and month-to-month Skype minutes.
AutoHotKey
Macros certain are nice in Microsoft Phrase and Excel, aren’t they? AutoHotKey helps you to create personalized keyboard shortcuts for any program or motion in your PC. It’s not precisely beginner-friendly, as configuring AutoHotKey requires some very fundamental scripting, which most individuals will have the ability to choose up shortly sufficient. It’s downright magic when you wrap your mind round it although.
Is it price it to improve to a paid model?
No. Even in the event you might pay for a professional model, why would you? However in the event you like keyboard shortcuts, Vimium is one other nice free choice for including keyboard controls to your browser.
TunnelBear VPN
Searching web sites and sending personal knowledge over open Wi-Fi hotspots is simply begging for hackers to seize the small print. Digital personal networks safe your connection. If you should log in to your work web site or e-mail at Starbucks, use TunnelBear to maintain your knowledge secure. It’s quick, simple to make use of, and has an easy privateness coverage, in contrast to many VPNs.
The free model is restricted to only 500MB of knowledge per 30 days, although.
Is it price it to improve to a paid model?
Sure. That is one other one the place “Hell Sure!” can be acceptable. TunnelBear is nice, and we expect it’s a reliable product, however the 500MB month-to-month restrict is so tiny. There are quite a few VPNs to select from. Try our roundup of the Finest VPNs to search out the one which fits you. Our present prime choose is ExpressVPN.
Free video games!
All work and no play makes Homer one thing one thing! Valve’s excellent PC sport market, Steam, makes it simple to shrug off the stress of the workday and blow off some … properly, you understand. You’ll discover tons of free video games out there on Steam, and video games are continuously given away free for a restricted time. If you need a gentle stream of freebies, the rival Epic Video games Retailer provides method a free sport or two each single week.
Is it price it to improve to a paid model?
In all probability. Free video games can solely take you to this point earlier than you’re left wanting extra. Steam, GOG, EA’s Origin, the Epic Video games Retailer, and Blizzard can all fulfill your gaming wants as soon as the free video games aren’t sufficient.
Bonus: Again up your PC!
This isn’t an official suggestion as a result of the easiest way to again up your PC totally free is to make use of a hodgepodge of native Home windows utilities and no-cost third-party options. However backing up your knowledge is so important—particularly on this rising age of ransomware—that it must be highlighted right here.
If the thought of utilizing a mish-mash of instruments makes you wince, try PCWorld’s information to the greatest Home windows backup software program for extra choices. You’re going to wish some transportable storage to stash your bits on, too. PCWorld’s greatest exterior drives roundup may help there.
Is it price it to improve to a paid model?
Sure. One of the best technique for backing up your PC isn’t simply throwing your recordsdata on a tough drive over USB. You additionally must have an internet backup, and there are lots of providers to select from reminiscent of Backblaze, and Carbonite. Try our information to the greatest on-line backup providers for extra particulars.
Grasp your Home windows PC
Now that you simply’ve loaded up your PC with the very best free software program round, it’s time to place Home windows itself to work. Head on over to PCWorld’s information to 10 little-known Home windows options that may blow your thoughts to grab much more management over your PC for the low, low worth of nothing.
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