Probably when buying a new PC, everyone thinks about what programs are needed for the computer, and it is better to refrain from installing which software. From the article, you will learn about useful computer programs that any user will need to work on.
By default, a new computer with Microsoft Windows 11 and Windows 10 installed is immediately ready for use, because the operating system already has basic applications pre-installed, which are enough for many tasks. But if you use your computer for something more, users will inevitably encounter limitations – the applications built into Windows do not work as well as we would like, and some tools are simply not enough.
This article contains programs that should be installed on a new computer or after reinstalling Windows.
Table of Contents
1. Browser: Google Chrome
There used to be a joke that the most important application in Windows is Internet Explorer because it is through it that users download Chrome. Windows 10 and 11 now come preinstalled with Microsoft Edge, and it’s a really great browser, but Chrome is still preferred by many for its cross-platform bookmark, password, and history sync.
On top of that, Google’s web browser is notable for supporting a huge catalog of extensions – you can set up VPN or many other utilities being sure that any add-on you find has Chrome support, as the developers quickly implement support for all modern technologies.
2. Messenger: Telegram
In recent years, Telegram has become one of the most popular instant messengers around the world. This fast, convenient and functional service is able to cover all communication needs, including video conferencing, watching videos, listening to music, and much more.
Telegram has one of the most secure connections in the world. The application has found its fans both among ordinary users and among a huge number of business companies negotiating. And the web version of the program and its universality for all modern platforms made Telegram a convenient tool for communication.
Telegram is absolutely free for downloading. Among other IM messengers like Skype, Discord, and WhatsApp it is distinguished by a rigid system of full data encryption, automatic cleaning of the correspondence history, as well as the ability to transfer graphic or multimedia files of a sufficiently large size.
3. Music player: Spotify
Spotify is a service that true music lovers will love. The program will provide the user with access to millions of music tracks of various genres. With it, you can create not only the usual playlists but even radio stations according to your taste preferences.
This Swedish music service has become incredibly popular and is now represented in more than 120 countries around the world. Its catalogs offer to listen to any of the 50 million songs in various languages. The popularity of the resource is explained by the possibility of legal listening to music that is not available on other platforms.
Another major advantage is the presence in the application of criteria that themselves adjust to the tastes of the user. Even when your own playlist ends, the service will automatically select songs similar to those that sound.
4. Media player: VLC
The VLC is a universal player that will fit not only to play almost any media content but also to perform many other tasks. In addition to the huge number of data formats (MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, FLAC, etc.), the program is distinguished by the ability to work with subtitles, streaming audio/video, and local network resources.
This application can be used to convert multimedia data from one format to another, watch YouTube videos, organize broadcasts, save streaming content to disk, and take screenshots of playing movies. With built-in support for JPG, PNG, CXF, etc. graphic formats, the player can be used as a simple image viewer.
It’s easiest to say it briefly – it’s the best among video players that exist for Windows and beyond.
5. Video editor: AVS Video Editor
AVS Video Editor implements high-quality video editing and screen recorder functions. The package will allow you to process any video recording, screen capturing, and perform the conversion. The comfort of operation provides a modern and user-friendly interface.
The application supports various formats and helps create video clips and slideshows. A huge database of special effects, filters, transitions, animations, titles, screensavers, and the ability to overlay audio tracks on video will also delight novice users of this application.
If you need to record the screen for some kind of teaching or educational video, you first need a good screen recorder that has all the professional features: resizing in capture mode, zooming, etc. And the recorded material can already be easily edited in AVS to make a full-fledged clip, let’s play or video guide, adjusting the final video to the settings of your Android tablet or phone.
6. Graphic editor: GIMP
GIMP is one of the first free alternatives to the legendary photo editor Photoshop and has been around for over 25 years. The free vector editor is a strong defense of free software available not only for Windows.
This program is suitable for graphic designers, photographers, and illustrators. It will be especially useful for novice designers who are not ready to pay for a Creative Cloud subscription but want to use a full-fledged application for work and study.
GIMP has a large number of extensions, scripts, and plugins to that you can add functionality to. And since this is the oldest and most popular free photo editor alternative to Photoshop, you can find a large number of lessons and training courses on how to work with the program on the Internet. Gimp is able to work with almost all popular file formats and is a completely free replacement for Adobe Photoshop.
7. Password manager: LastPass
LastPass is a program that allows you to save passwords in the cloud and manage them securely. There they are under strong encryption protection. The biggest convenience of this password manager is cross-browser compatibility. That is if you have Chrome installed on your home computer, Opera on your laptop, and Firefox at work, you just need to install this extension, and all passwords are synchronized. To do this, you need to download one free installer that will embed LastPass into all browsers installed on your PC.
High security is achieved due to the fact that passwords are stored not on a computer, but in a cloud service. Even if a computer is attacked by a virus, it will not be able to steal passwords. In addition, the extension has protection against keyloggers, phishing attacks, and other password interception capabilities.
But passwords are not the only thing LastPass is responsible for. Also, it stores any data for autofill: card numbers, real addresses, email addresses, and much more.
8. Antivirus: Comodo Antivirus
Is a free antivirus software for everyday personal computer protection. Comodo has a full package of modern antivirus features with minimal system resources. It detects, blocks, and removes malware from computers and networks. With built-in proactive protection, your PC will be safe from viruses and trojans.
Cloud services allow Comodo Antivirus to send unidentified programs directly to the cloud to check for malware. The program provides real-time protection through real-time scanning. Anti-virus databases are updated daily.
In addition to the antivirus itself, the package includes COMODO GeekBuddy, which helps you configure your computer and optimize the operating system. In addition, the Internet browser COMODO Dragon will be offered, based on the open-source browser Chromium.
Conclusion
The programs listed above solve various problems and can be useful to all users of a computer running Windows. They are free from viruses and adware, do not impose third-party software, and do not change the settings of the operating system. Also noteworthy is the open-source code of some products and easy installation on any computer.
Scott Serrano has a computer science degree but he is a writer by profession. His writings are thoroughly creative, focused, and fully researched based. He loves to clarify people with his writing style and make them effective convince. In his free time, he is a very good football player as well.
