Got a new computer? Here’s the essential Windows 10 and 11 software you need when setting up a new PC. List of Must-Have Windows Apps and Software for Any New PC. In no particular order, let’s step through essential apps for Windows that everyone should install right away, along with some alternatives for them.
Here is a List of Must-Have Windows Apps and Software for Any New PC
Internet Browser: Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a cross-platform web browser developed by Google. It was first released in 2008 for Microsoft Windows, built with free software components from Apple WebKit and Mozilla Firefox. It was later ported to Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android, where it is the default browser. Even the built-in Microsoft Edge is based on Chromium, so give it a try if you prefer Microsoft’s approach over Google’s.
Download: Google Chrome (Free)
Download: Firefox (Free)
Download: Opera (Free)
Screenshots: ShareX
ShareX is a free and open-source screenshot and screencast program for Microsoft Windows. It is published under the GNU General Public License. The project’s source code is hosted on GitHub. It is also available on the Microsoft Store and Steam. If ShareX overwhelms you, give PicPick a try instead. It’s a bit simpler, but doesn’t compromise on features.
Download: ShareX (Free)
Download: PicPick (Free)
Cloud Storage: Google Drive
Google Drive is a free cloud-based storage service that enables users to store and access files online. The service syncs stored documents, photos and more across all of the user’s devices, including mobile devices, tablets and PCs. Paired with OneDrive (which comes built into Windows) or another free cloud storage provider, you can get plenty of storage space and separate your files logically by service.
Download: Google Drive (Free, subscription available)
Music Streaming: Spotify
Spotify is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 422 million monthly active users, including 182 million paying subscribers, as of March 2022. Spotify also has a dedicated Windows app, unlike some of its competitors. If you’re already invested in another ecosystem, though, Apple Music or YouTube Music might be a better choice for you.
Download: Spotify (Free, subscription available)
Visit: Apple Music (Subscription required, free trial available)
Visit: YouTube Music (Free, subscription available)
Office Suite: LibreOffice
LibreOffice is a free and open-source office productivity software suite, a project of The Document Foundation. It was forked in 2010 from OpenOffice.org, an open-sourced version of the earlier StarOffice.
Download: LibreOffice (Free)
Download: FreeOffice (Free)
File Compression and Extraction: 7-Zip
7-Zip is a free and open-source file archiver, a utility used to place groups of files within compressed containers known as “archives”. It is developed by Igor Pavlov and was first released in 1999. 7-Zip has its own archive format called 7z, but can read and write several others.
Download: 7-Zip (Free)
Download: PeaZip (Free)
Messaging: Rambox
Rambox is one of the best ways to manage multiple services for communication through a single app installed. You can use multiple messaging services like Facebook Messenger, Gmail chats, AOL, Discord, Google Duo, Viber and a lot more from the same interface
Download: Rambox (Free, subscription available)
Image Editor: Paint.NET
Paint.net is a freeware raster graphics editor program for Microsoft Windows, developed on the .NET Framework.
If you find Paint.NET too basic, GIMP is a more advanced solution, and it’s also available at no charge.
Download: Paint.NET (Free)
Download: GIMP (Free)
Security: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes is an anti-malware software for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS that finds and removes malware. Made by Malwarebytes Corporation, it was first released in January 2006.
Download: Malwarebytes (Free, subscription available)
Media Player: VLC
VLC media player is a free and open-source, portable, cross-platform media player software and streaming media server developed by the VideoLAN project. VLC is available for desktop operating systems and mobile platforms, such as Android, iOS and iPadOS.
Download: VLC (Free)
Clipboard Manager: ClipClip
ClipClip is a free clipboard management software for Windows that will revolutionize the way you copy and paste. ClipClip makes it possible to copy multiple texts, images or files to your clipboard.
Download: ClipClip (Free)
Password Manager: Bitwarden
Bitwarden is a free and open-source password management service that stores sensitive information such as website credentials in an encrypted vault.
Download: Bitwarden (Free, subscription available)
Scripting: AutoHotkey
AutoHotkey is a free scripting language for Windows that allows you to automate tasks by creating scripts. These scripts can do anything from remapping keys on your keyboard to creating complex macros. AutoHotkey was created in 2003 by Chris Mallett, and the language has continued to grow and evolve over the years.
Download: AutoHotkey (Free)
Backup: Backblaze
Backblaze, Inc. is an American cloud storage and data backup company, founded in 2007 by Gleb Budman, Billy Ng, Nilay Patel, Brian Wilson, Tim Nufire, Damon Uyeda, and Casey Jones. Its two main products are their B2 Cloud Storage and Computer Backup services, targeted at both business and personal markets.
Download: Backblaze (From $7/month)
Download: EaseUS Todo Backup Free (Free, premium version available)
Storage Management: TreeSize Free
Get TreeSize Free! Even in the times of cheap terabytes a final truth remains: sooner or later every hard disk will near capacity. We have the solution. Use TreeSize Free to keep an eye on your disk space.
Download: TreeSize Free (Free, premium version available)
