Best essential free software for Windows PC
Here is a collection of useful, trusted, and mostly completely free software for your Windows computer. I've organized them by category, explained what each one does, and included official download links.
These programs are useful for students, office work, business, freelancing, programming, graphic design, video editing, and everyday computer use.
1. Essential everyday software
Software | What it does | Download |
|---|---|---|
Google Chrome | Fast web browsing | |
Mozilla Firefox | Private, customizable web browsing | |
7-Zip | Extract ZIP, RAR and other compressed files | |
VLC Media Player | Plays almost all video and audio formats | |
Everything | Finds files on your computer very quickly | |
ShareX | Screenshots, screen recording and image capture | |
Adobe Acrobat Reader | Opens and reads PDF documents | |
SumatraPDF | Lightweight PDF and eBook reader |
2. Office and productivity software
Software | What it does | Download |
|---|---|---|
LibreOffice | Free alternative to Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint | |
ONLYOFFICE | Creates and edits Word, Excel and PowerPoint files | |
Notion | Notes, task management and project planning | |
Obsidian | Personal knowledge management and notes | |
Google Drive | Cloud storage and file synchronization |
3. Graphics and photo editing
![16 Best Free Graphic Design Software [2026]](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/YNU-tXN_sIcOuvx8tqVLeCgVv-Zmzoy11eG0GWvrsjxmIKAcbjo4DHJJVNwH6Vf4BXTcrBhnS5X_f9TwaDAVjA43PdHy93AXeiy7e5OTn8aqyga-F_ifAvcfOUKq5ZoSuehJy8JhhS6JkV7Eo-DE_gsefHhlGGWU28XxR2S1E5Y?purpose=inline)
Software | What it does | Download |
|---|---|---|
GIMP | Professional photo editing, retouching and image manipulation | |
Krita | Digital painting, drawing and illustration | |
Inkscape | Logo, icon and vector graphic design | |
Canva | Social media posts, presentations, posters and banners | |
Paint.NET | Simple photo editing and image manipulation |
4. Video and audio editing
![6 Best Audiobook Recording Software [2026 Guide]](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/IzAPK0GJDk9uKrY2hqIsW49pms_nuNWyn5AbEVZDLBxj-aFr8wrtH07VH96zJ6qIGiDqkMTw2Go96cA4pG17QkWVYjHgXGeGtpXjlrvIfg0PvNUmZyqhf9TSDy8IEja7pkz5DUceoc0YRh67xRAkjGjghsoWJtWIgtcsdCcbvEU?purpose=inline)
Software | What it does | Free status | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
DaVinci Resolve | Professional video editing, color grading and effects | Free version | |
CapCut | Easy video editing for social media and YouTube | Free tier | |
Shotcut | Video editing and transitions | Completely free | |
Audacity | Audio recording, editing and noise removal | Completely free | |
OBS Studio | Screen recording, tutorials and live streaming | Completely free | |
HandBrake | Video format conversion and compression | Completely free |
5. Security and privacy
Software | What it does | Free status | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
Bitwarden | Saves and manages passwords securely | Free plan | |
Malwarebytes | Scans for malware and unwanted programs | Free scanner; paid protection options | |
Proton VPN | VPN for encrypted internet connections | Free plan with limitations | |
Microsoft PowerToys | Adds useful Windows features and productivity tools | Completely free | |
Windows Security | Built-in antivirus and firewall protection | Free, included with Windows |
My security recommendation: Keep Windows Security enabled. You don't need to install several antivirus programs together.
6. Programming and web development
Software | What it does | Download |
|---|---|---|
Visual Studio Code | Programming in Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and more | |
Visual Studio Community | Develops Windows applications, C# and .NET projects | |
Git | Tracks code changes and manages projects | |
GitHub Desktop | Manages GitHub projects without command-line work | |
Python | Programming, automation, AI and data analysis | |
Android Studio | Creates Android applications |
7. File management and PC utilities
Software | What it does | Download |
|---|---|---|
Microsoft PowerToys | Advanced Windows tools and shortcuts | |
Everything | Instant file and folder search | |
WizTree | Finds large files taking up disk space | |
Revo Uninstaller Free | Uninstalls applications and leftover files | |
LocalSend | Transfers files between computers and phones on a local network | |
HWiNFO | Checks CPU, GPU, temperature and hardware information |
8. 3D design and animation
9. Communication and meetings
My top 15 recommendations
If you don't want to install too many applications, start with these:
No. | Software | Priority |
|---|---|---|
1 | 7-Zip | Essential |
2 | VLC Media Player | Essential |
3 | Firefox or Chrome | Essential |
4 | LibreOffice | Essential |
5 | Bitwarden | Essential |
6 | ShareX | Very useful |
7 | Everything | Very useful |
8 | PowerToys | Very useful |
9 | GIMP | Creative work |
10 | OBS Studio | Recording |
11 | Audacity | Audio editing |
12 | VS Code | Programming |
13 | Blender | 3D design |
14 | HandBrake | Video conversion |
15 | LocalSend | File transfer |
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