If you've just gotten a new PC, formatted your computer, or simply want to tidy things up, choosing the right essential programs for Windows 10 can make the difference between a slow, chaotic, and insecure computer and a responsive machine that's a pleasure to work with, study on, or unwind by watching a show.
This guide offers a comprehensive overview of the essential applications every Windows user should know : browsers, office suites, multimedia tools, security solutions, cloud storage, utilities for system maintenance, and more advanced tools for those who want to take things a step further. You'll find several options in each category (both paid and free, many of them open source) so you can choose what best suits your needs without missing anything important.
Essential web browsers on Windows 10
The browser is usually the first program we open every day, so choosing the right browser for Windows is key to convenience, speed, and security.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 come with Microsoft Edge pre-installed. The modern version is based on Chromium, the same engine used by Chrome, so it's compatible with virtually all extensions in the Chrome Web Store and offers very solid performance. For years it was only used as a reason to download another browser, but today it can easily be your primary browser.
Alongside Edge, two classic browsers continue to dominate: Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox . Chrome stands out for its speed, integration with Google services, and its vast ecosystem of extensions . If you log in with your account, it syncs bookmarks, passwords, and tabs across all your devices. Firefox, on the other hand, is a strong contender in privacy, open-source software, and deep customization , offering significant control over tracking and numerous configuration options.
A very practical option is to install at least two different browsers . This way you can separate areas of use (for example, one for work and another for leisure), test websites that have compatibility issues, and continue browsing if one browser crashes or slows down due to a conflicting extension.
Office suites for working and studying
Beyond a web browser, every computer needs good office software for writing documents, creating spreadsheets, and making presentations . Here you'll find both well-established paid options and free alternatives that have improved significantly.
The benchmark remains Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and other tools like Access and Teams, depending on the plan. It's the most widely used suite in businesses, education, and government , offering the best format compatibility and highly advanced features, especially in Excel and PowerPoint. With the cloud versions, real-time collaboration and integration with OneDrive and Teams have also been enhanced.
Within Microsoft 365, AI-powered features like Copilot have gained significant traction in recent years. Copilot helps users draft documents in Word, create PowerPoint presentations from a few key points, and analyze complex data in Excel using simple commands. However, all of this comes with a subscription model, which many users view with considerable skepticism.
If you don't want to pay a monthly fee, LibreOffice is a great free and open-source alternative . It comes with Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (graphics and diagrams), Base (databases), and Math (formulas). The best part is that it opens and saves most Microsoft Office formats (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, etc.) without any problems and works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's a popular choice for both home users and organizations concerned about privacy and data control.
Regarding correction and writing assistance, in addition to the built-in spell checkers in Word or LibreOffice, you can use tools like LanguageTool or Grammarly , which check spelling, grammar, and style, and are even integrated into the browser and many text editors.
PDF Readers and Editors
PDF documents are everywhere, so having a good viewer (and ideally an editor) is essential . Windows 10 and 11 allow you to open PDFs directly with Edge, which is sufficient for viewing documents and making simple annotations, but there are more convenient and faster alternatives.
SumatraPDF is a favorite among many advanced users . It's an extremely lightweight, very fast, and open-source PDF and other format reader (like ePub or comics) , ideal if you just want to open documents without a thousand extra features you never use.
If you need to go a step further, Foxit Reader is another long-established option for reading, annotating, and managing PDFs with a highly customizable interface . It allows you to work with multiple tabs simultaneously, add comments, sign documents, and manage forms—perfect if you work with PDF documents daily.
For those who truly need to edit PDF content (text, images, pages, forms) , PDFelement is a very versatile solution . Its free version allows many basic functions: modifying text, inserting or deleting images, filling out and creating simple forms, and merging documents. If you require more advanced features, you can consider a paid plan or more professional solutions.
You'll also find comprehensive viewers like Okular , which opens ebooks and comics in addition to PDFs, or web and desktop tools like PDF Gear for quick document conversion, merging, or splitting tasks.
Multimedia players and entertainment centers
A PC without good multimedia capabilities feels lacking. Luckily, Windows offers free video and audio players that are suitable for almost everything , along with streaming platforms that are now an integral part of everyday life.
VLC Media Player remains the king of media players . It's open source, free, and plays virtually any video or audio format without requiring external codecs . It supports DVDs, Blu-rays, subtitles, playlists, streaming , format conversion, screen capture, and can even act as a small media server on your local network. Furthermore, it's cross-platform, so it will continue to work even if you switch operating systems.
If you're looking for a true media center to organize and enjoy your library of TV shows, movies, music, and photos , you should have two names on your radar: Kodi and Plex . Kodi is a highly modular, open-source project that installs on virtually any device and is customized with add-ons to include features like internet TV, radio, cloud services, and more. If you're interested in the latest developments in this area, check out our streaming apps and programs for Windows . Plex, on the other hand, shines as a server that allows your PC to act as a "home Netflix," streaming your content to mobile devices, TVs, and other computers.
In music, alongside the traditional MP3 collection, you have options like Spotify , with its official Windows client and access to millions of songs and podcasts. Desktop audio players such as MusicBee, AIMP, Clementine, and Foobar2000 also continue to have many fans , standing out for their powerful cataloging capabilities, equalizers, and highly customizable interfaces.
For those wanting to try their hand at video editing, there are some truly powerful free solutions. DaVinci Resolve is perhaps the clearest example: a professional editor with a free version that includes advanced color correction, multitrack editing, audio post-production, and effects tools . If you're looking for alternatives and comparisons, our guide to video editing software for Windows offers a comprehensive overview. You can also opt for alternatives like Shotcut, CapCut, or the built-in Windows video editing tool (Clipchamp) for simpler tasks.
Cloud storage and backups
Your PC's hard drive isn't infinite and, moreover, it can fail at the most inconvenient time. That's why it's essential to rely on cloud storage services and good backup systems.
On a Windows computer, you'll already have OneDrive , Microsoft's service, at your disposal. It integrates deeply with the system, synchronizes key folders like Desktop and Documents, and works seamlessly with the Microsoft 365 suite. Furthermore, it allows you to easily share files and folders and maintains previous versions of documents.
If you use the Google ecosystem extensively, you should install the official Google Drive client for Windows. You'll be able to sync specific folders, access your Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides documents , and have a permanent copy of your important files without relying solely on local storage.
Another very popular alternative is Mega , which offers plenty of free storage and places a strong emphasis on encryption and privacy . Its desktop client for Windows allows you to sync folders and upload or download large volumes of data without any hassle.
For more comprehensive backups of your entire system or disks, consult our guide to backup software for Windows . Programs like AOMEI Backupper Standard and CrashPlan are particularly noteworthy . AOMEI allows you to clone disks, create system images, and schedule regular backups to external drives or network drives. CrashPlan focuses more on cloud-based backups of all your data , so you can recover it even if you lose your computer completely.
Download managers and P2P
Downloading files from the internet is not synonymous with piracy. Many Linux distributions, games, and large files are distributed legally via P2P networks or direct downloads , and for this, it's advisable to have good file managers.
In the world of torrents, two names stand out: Transmission and qBittorrent . Transmission is a very lightweight, simple, and adware-free BitTorrent client , perfect if you just want to add links and forget about it. qBittorrent is also open source and offers a more complete interface, with an integrated search engine, more queue configuration options, speed limits, and RSS support.
If you frequently use direct download links, like those offered by Mega or similar services , a download manager like JDownloader will be invaluable . It's free and open source, automatically detects links you copy to your clipboard, groups them, allows simultaneous downloads, automatic reconnections, and, if you have a "premium" account, it can leverage those for incredibly fast downloads.
In any case, it is important to keep in mind that the use of these programs is perfectly legal in itself ; what makes the difference is the type of content you download and whether or not you respect copyright.
File compressors: ZIP, RAR and others
Compressed files are a staple of everyday computing. They reduce the size of sets of files and group them into a single package , ideal for sending by email, uploading to the cloud, or saving space. For more options on compression tools, see our guide to compression programs for Windows.
Windows can handle the .ZIP format by default , but as soon as you receive files in .RAR, .7Z, or less common formats , you need help. One of the best-known veterans is WinRAR , the official program for creating and decompressing RAR files. It's a paid program, although its trial period is quite generous and it continues to work even after the initial days.
If you prefer not to rely on proprietary software, you have two excellent options: 7-Zip and PeaZip . 7-Zip is open-source, very powerful, and offers the 7Z format with excellent compression ratios . PeaZip uses the 7-Zip engine but adds a more user-friendly interface and additional features, with support for virtually all common formats. Just remember that, due to licensing restrictions, only WinRAR can create RAR archives ; other programs can open them, but not create them.
Aside from these great classics, there are also alternatives like BandiZip or Easy 7-Zip, which are based on 7-Zip and add improvements in context menus or user experience, especially interesting if you work continuously with large volumes of compressed files.
Image editing and graphic design
Even if you're not a designer, you'll likely need to retouch a photo, crop an image, or create a simple montage at some point . And if you work in photography, illustration, or design, having good tools in Windows is practically essential.
In the professional sphere, Adobe Photoshop remains the standard. Part of Adobe Creative Cloud, it allows for everything from simple color adjustments and cropping to complex compositions, photomontages, and digital art . However, it operates on a subscription basis, which is starting to become tiresome for many users.
As a free and open-source alternative, GIMP is undoubtedly the most powerful option. Its learning curve can be a bit steep at first, especially if you're coming from Photoshop, but it includes layers, masks, advanced selection tools, filters, plugin support, and virtually everything an intermediate or advanced user could need . If you work with RAW files, you can also check out the best resources for editing RAW images on Windows.
For digital drawing and graphics tablet art, Krita is a hidden gem, little known outside the creative community. It's geared towards illustrators, comic book artists, and concept artists, offering highly customizable brushes, layer support, basic 2D animation, and an interface designed for working with a stylus.
If vector design is your thing (logos, icons, scalable illustrations), the free equivalent to Illustrator is Inkscape . It's perfect for working with SVG, allows you to vectorize bitmap images, export to PNG or PDF, and has very comprehensive tools for text, shapes, nodes, and layers.
For much lighter editing tasks (quick changes, annotations, simple filters) you can use Photoshop Express, Paint.NET or the built-in editors in the Windows Photos app , which have improved considerably in recent versions.
Screenshots and screen recording
Screenshots are very useful for documenting errors, creating tutorials, sharing information, or simply saving what you see on your screen . The Print Screen key and the Windows Snipping Tool work, but many users quickly outgrow them. If you'd rather not install anything extra, you can also learn how to record your screen in Windows 10 without installing any programs.
One of the most powerful solutions is ShareX . It's free and open source, and it allows you to capture regions, windows, full screens, entire web pages, and even record animated GIFs or videos . It also includes a small editor for cropping, drawing, blurring sensitive areas, and offers numerous automation options (uploading captures to image services, renaming them, etc.).
For those seeking something simpler and more straightforward, PicPick or Greenshot are lightweight alternatives that combine capture and basic editing in a single interface. And if you don't want to install anything, the Snipping Tool in Windows 10 and 11 has been greatly improved, with quick keyboard shortcuts (Win + Shift + S) and cropping and annotation options.
When the goal is to record what's happening on screen (for example, to create a course, explain how to use a program, or capture a game), OBS Studio is the go-to choice. It allows for screen capture, window capture, mixing of multiple sources, webcam overlay, streaming to platforms like Twitch or YouTube, and high-quality local recording at no cost.
Security: antivirus, antimalware and VPN
Connecting a PC to the internet without security measures is tempting fate. Windows 10 and 11 come with Microsoft Defender pre-installed, which has improved significantly in recent years and offers very respectable real-time protection at no extra cost.
Even so, many users prefer to supplement this protection with a second opinion. Malwarebytes is one of the most highly rated anti-malware programs : its free version allows you to run on-demand scans to locate and remove threats that might have gone unnoticed by the main antivirus. There are also paid options with real-time protection, but as a one-off backup, it works very well.
If you're looking for a third-party antivirus, names like Bitdefender, Avast, and Avira are still common choices, with both free and paid versions. Bitdefender, for example, stands out in independent tests for its high malware and ransomware detection rate and its moderate impact on system performance.
In addition to antivirus software, using a VPN to encrypt traffic and change your public IP address is becoming increasingly important . For occasional use, there are free plans like Proton VPN , which offers good privacy, although with some speed and location limitations. For more intensive use, it's worth considering reputable paid options that don't log your activity.
Don't forget password management: Bitwarden and KeePass are two free and open-source managers that allow you to generate, store, and synchronize secure passwords between devices, which is infinitely more sensible than reusing the same password or writing them down on a post-it note.
System cleaning, maintenance and optimization
Over time, Windows tends to accumulate temporary files, installation remnants, programs that sneak into startup, and applications we no longer use . To keep your computer running smoothly, it's a good idea to perform some maintenance.
One of the best-known programs is CCleaner , which allows you to clean temporary files, browser caches, and some registry entries . It's advisable to use it judiciously to avoid deleting things you shouldn't, but if configured correctly, it can free up several gigabytes in a matter of seconds.
If you prefer open-source software solutions, there's BleachBit , which performs a similar function to CCleaner and is available for both Windows and Linux. And for even more thorough program removal, Revo Uninstaller or Bulk Crap Uninstaller scan your system after uninstallation to delete leftover files and registry keys that the official uninstallation process leaves behind.
To visualize what's taking up space on your disks , utilities like TreeSize, WinDirStat, or SpaceSniffer display a graphical map of the disk and allow you to locate on the fly giant folders, old copies, or forgotten files that are devouring gigabytes.
If the problem is that your PC takes forever to boot, tools like Autorun Organizer let you see and manage which programs load when Windows starts , disable unnecessary ones, or delay others so they don't overload everything at once. To learn how to prevent programs from opening when Windows starts, there's a practical guide that complements these tools. And to monitor the health of your hardware (temperatures, voltages, fan speeds), you can use Open Hardware Monitor or HWiNFO.
File management, search, and advanced utilities
As you start accumulating data, it becomes clear that Windows File Explorer, while improved, falls short for some tasks. That's why many users opt for alternative file explorers and more powerful search tools.
Programs like XYplorer, Tablacus, or Total Commander add tabs, dual panels, scripts, and advanced features that make life much easier when moving, renaming, or classifying large amounts of files.
For searching, Everything Search Engine is almost indispensable: it creates an ultra-fast index of your disks and finds any file or folder in milliseconds as you type, with support for filters, regular expressions, and exporting listings.
Other useful utilities include LockHunter and IObit Unlocker , which unlock files that Windows won't let you delete because they're "in use"; WinCDEmu and Virtual CloneDrive , for mounting ISO images as if they were real CDs/DVDs; and tools like PhotoRec and Recuva for attempting to recover accidentally deleted files from disks and memory cards. For more mounting options, see the best ISO image emulators.
For more technical users, Process Explorer is essential , which is like a souped-up Task Manager with exhaustive details of each process, as are terminal emulators like ConEmu or Windows Terminal , which, combined with the package manager Winget or Chocolatey, allow you to install and update software from the console quickly and automatically.
Virtualization, development and productivity-oriented apps
If you enjoy tinkering or need to try out other operating systems and configurations without risking your main installation , virtualization is your friend. Windows offers several powerful and often free options.
VirtualBox is probably the best-known free virtualization tool: it lets you create virtual machines of Windows, Linux, and other systems and run them in windows or full screen. VMware Workstation Player offers something similar with some differences in performance and compatibility.
If you use a Pro or higher edition of Windows, you can enable Hyper-V , Microsoft's native virtualization solution, which offers very good performance, although its interface is somewhat less user-friendly for beginners.
In the field of advanced text development and editing, Visual Studio Code has established itself as one of the essential editors . It's free, open source, and infinitely extensible with plugins for almost any language or technology. Alternatives like Atom, Sublime Text, Notepad++, and FreeMind (for mind mapping) cover other niches, from simple writing to visual idea management.
For pure productivity, there's no shortage of options: Notion, Obsidian, and Joplin serve as advanced note managers, personal wikis, and organizational systems; Todoist and Microsoft To Do help you manage tasks and reminders; and Ditto and ClipClip transform the clipboard into a much more powerful tool by saving a history of everything you copy. If you're looking for specific recommendations, here's a selection of Windows note-taking programs that might fit these workflows.
As you can see, the ecosystem of essential programs and software for Windows 10 is enormous, but with the right selection, you can cover virtually any need: browse securely, work with documents and PDFs, enjoy multimedia content, protect your data, automate tasks, and get the most out of your computer without cluttering it or constantly relying on subscriptions. The key is to combine a few robust tools per category, keep them updated, and occasionally review what you actually use and what you can uninstall to keep your Windows clean and fast.
