7 Free Windows Programs I Install on Every New PC

Every time I set up a fresh Windows PC — mine or a friend’s — I go through the same ritual. Windows is fine out of the box, but it’s missing a handful of tools that make daily life noticeably better. The best part? Every single one on this list is completely free. Here are the seven free Windows programs I install first, every single time.

1. VLC Media Player — Plays Literally Everything

Windows Media Player chokes on half the video formats floating around the internet. VLC doesn’t. MKV, MP4, AVI, obscure codecs from 2008 — it handles all of them without asking you to hunt down codec packs. It also plays damaged or incomplete downloads, which has saved more than one movie night. Lightweight, no ads, no nonsense.

Download: videolan.org

2. LibreOffice — A Full Office Suite for Zero Cost

Not everyone wants to pay for Microsoft 365, and honestly, most people don’t need to. LibreOffice gives you a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation tool that open and save Microsoft Office formats just fine. For students, freelancers, and home users, it covers 95% of what Word and Excel do.

Download: libreoffice.org

3. 7-Zip — Because Windows Still Can’t Handle RAR Properly

You’ll run into ZIP and RAR files constantly — downloads, email attachments, game mods. 7-Zip opens them all, plus its own 7z format which compresses noticeably smaller than ZIP. It’s tiny, fast, and integrates right into your right-click menu. I’ve used it for over a decade and never found a reason to switch.

Download: 7-zip.org

4. Everything — Find Any File in Under a Second

Windows search is painfully slow. Everything indexes your entire drive and finds files as you type — literally instant results, even across terabytes of storage. Once you’ve used it, going back to the default Windows search feels ancient. If your files are a mess (whose aren’t?), this is the fix.

Download: voidtools.com

5. Bitwarden — A Password Manager You Should’ve Installed Years Ago

Reusing passwords across sites is how accounts get hacked. Bitwarden generates strong unique passwords for every site and remembers them for you, syncing across your phone and PC. The free plan is genuinely generous — unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, which paid competitors charge for. Set it up once and you’ll wonder how you lived without it.

Download: bitwarden.com

6. ShareX — Screenshots and Screen Recording Done Right

The built-in Snipping Tool is okay, but ShareX is on another level: scrolling screenshots, GIF recording, automatic uploads, annotations, and custom workflows — all free and open source. If you ever take screenshots for work, tutorials, or just sharing things with friends, this replaces three different tools.

Download: getsharex.com

7. EarTrumpet — The Volume Control Windows Should Have Built

Ever wanted to turn down just one app without muting everything? EarTrumpet adds a proper per-app volume mixer to your taskbar — click the speaker icon and control each program’s volume individually. It’s a small thing that you end up using every single day. Find more handy tools in our PC software section.

Download: Free on the Microsoft Store (search “EarTrumpet”)

One Tip Before You Go

Download everything from the official sites linked above — never from random “free download” portals, which love bundling adware into installers. It takes an extra ten seconds to go to the source, and your PC stays clean. Install these seven free Windows programs and your fresh setup will feel like a proper upgrade.