7 Best Programs to Immediately Install on Your New Computer,Windows Central Newsletter
Dec 20, · Give each of the below programs a checkmark, then click "Get Your Ninite" to create an installer that bundles all of these programs together. Google Chrome GIMP ShareX Steam Zoom Discord Notepad++ Dec 27, · It packages everything as one downloader/installer and installs it onto your new PC — no muss or fuss. Just go to the Ninite website, check off which apps you want to install (the long list Dec 3, · The best Windows 10 apps for your new PC will provide you with the fundamentals to turn your PC into a powerhouse. Whether you need apps for productivity, entertainment, or The free productivity suite includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation creator, database, and graphics editor – everything just about anyone needs to get work done. Some Jan 9, · Check all hardware for driver updates. Especially your graphics card and download latest if you dont have them. Download a malware protector and disable internet explorer after ... read more
Some games deliver frames at an uneven pace, making performance choppy. With RTSS you can dial in the smoothness. OBS Studio opens in new tab Interested in doing any streaming, or just recording your desktop or games on occasion? OBS opens in new tab is the free, open source software of choice. Among many other options you can choose how it encodes video and at what quality level and framerate, so you won't overtax your PC while gaming. Media Player Classic Homecinema opens in new tab In the rare event VLC misbehaves, Media Player Classic has your back. I prefer MPC by a hair, mostly due to its menu layout. And sometimes you just need two video players running at once, you know? SoundSwitch opens in new tab SoundSwitch lets you set basic keyboard shortcuts to swap between audio inputs and outputs.
If you tend to swap between speakers and headphones, you can make a shortcut for that, instead of having to open the Windows sound settings. It's a small utility and a cinch to install. Read more about it here opens in new tab. Nvidia GeForce Experience opens in new tab or AMD Adrenalin opens in new tab While not strictly necessary, these graphics card utilities are worth installing. They make it easier to keep your drivers up-to-date and provide built-in game capture tools. Nvidia's Ansel is especially cool for taking high-res screenshots. You probably know exactly which launchers you need, but depending on what games you play, or where you like to hunt for deals, you should consider installing the following:. If you're spinning up a brand new PC, it's most likely running Windows And Windows 11 is not bad opens in new tab! But if you're allergic to the new Start menu or some of its other changes, you might want a few tools to tweak the experience to your liking.
Windows 11 Classic Context Menu opens in new tab The new Windows 11 context menu hides some functionality behind an extra click. It's a cleaner look in some cases, but you might be missing some of your favorite menu entries. This will bring them back. Sign up to get the best content of the week, and great gaming deals, as picked by the editors. Wes has been covering games and hardware for more than 10 years, first at tech sites like The Wirecutter opens in new tab and Tested opens in new tab before joining the PC Gamer team in Wes plays a little bit of everything, but he'll always jump at the chance to cover emulation and Japanese games. When he's not obsessively optimizing and re-optimizing a tangle of conveyor belts in Satisfactory it's really becoming a problem , he's probably playing a year-old Final Fantasy or some opaque ASCII roguelike. With a focus on writing and editing features, he seeks out personal stories and in-depth histories from the corners of PC gaming and its niche communities.
Open menu Close menu PC Gamer PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES. A good password safe will also be able to autofill your passwords on different websites. This allows you to generate near-unbreakable passwords, but not have to be a memory champion to remember them. KeePass or LastPass are, arguably, the most popular password safes out there. KeePass is local to your computer, so if you are skeptical of storing everything on the cloud, go with KeePass. It can play just about any video format, too. It can do this with CDs, DVDs, downloaded files, or even streaming files.
What you might not know is that VLC can be used to convert videos from one file format to another. Check out our articles on How To Make and Manage Music Playlists For VLC Media Player and How to Use VLC With Chromecast. Download VLC Media Player fifth, to keep you entertained while you continue to set up your computer. Microsoft Office is the big kid on the block, of course, but also take a look at LibreOffice or OpenOffice. For being free, open source suites, they are very impressive. Just be sure to set them to automatically open and save to Microsoft Office file formats. Download Microsoft Office , LibreOffice , or OpenOffice sixth, to get you up and working. Do make sure to learn how to secure Windows 10 by changing internal settings to get maximum protection. If something should happen, you can do something about it right away. Download MalwareBytes seventh to keep your computer safe and happy. The seven programs above will cover the most basic needs of just about anyone.
Your personal and business needs will dictate what other programs you should get. Also keep in mind that there are alternatives to all of these programs. Here's what's new:. NET Desktop Runtime 7 updated to 7. NET Desktop Runtime x64 7 updated to 7. NET Desktop Runtime 6 updated to 6. NET Desktop Runtime x64 6 updated to 6. Trusted by Millions We install and update about a million apps each day for our home users and Ninite Pro subscribers. You'll need to upgrade your Windows version to continue using Ninite. Web Browsers Chrome Fast Browser by Google NET 5 Runtimes Java AdoptOpenJDK x64 8 bit Java Runtime JRE 8ub08 Java AdoptOpenJDK 8 bit Java Runtime JRE 8ub08 Java AdoptOpenJDK x64 11 bit Java Runtime JRE NET 4. NET Desktop Runtime x64 5. NET Desktop Runtime 5. NET Desktop Runtime x86 5.
NET Desktop Runtime x64 6. NET Desktop Runtime 6.
Whether you've just purchased a new PC or reinstalled Windows, the first task you'll likely do is installing apps. While there are dozens of amazing Windows programs, knowing which ones are the must-have software for Windows 10 or Windows 11 makes setting up a new installation easier. In no particular order, let's step through 15 essential apps for Windows that everyone should install right away, along with some alternatives for them. Unsurprisingly, Google Chrome is still our top browser pick. It's super-speedy, includes little conveniences like letting you instantly search Google Lens for an image, and has a vast library of Chrome extensions. Throw in cross-platform syncing that lets you open your desktop tabs on your phone and vice-versa, and you've got a fantastic browser for all purposes. Chrome isn't without its faults, however.
Plenty of people want to avoid Google's pervasive tracking in Chrome, and it gobbles a lot of RAM. But the good news is that you have plenty of other fantastic browsers to choose from, like Firefox and Opera. 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. If you only pick one cloud app service, Google Drive is the one you should install due to the amount of free space it includes. It offers 15GB of free storage, which is shared across your Google account with Google Photos and Gmail too. Google Drive offers an app for every major platform, so you can take your files anywhere.
In addition to syncing files you place in the dedicated Google Drive folder, the desktop app makes it easy to back up folders on your computer and external devices, too. It's also super easy to share files with others, plus the service plays well with Google's productivity suite. Whether you use it as part of your backup plan, as a cloud flash drive, or for setting up shared folders with others, Google Drive is an essential app pick for Windows 10 and 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. Years ago, listening to music on your desktop meant painstakingly importing and organizing a collection of MP3s.
That's no longer the case; music streaming services eliminate the need for buying individual albums physically or digitally. There are a lot of music streaming services available, but we think the essential pick for Windows 10 or 11 is Spotify. Its ad-supported free plan lets you listen to as much music as you like, and there are several Spotify Premium plans that are worth it for avid listeners. Spotify is also home to millions of podcasts, making everything available in one convenient place. 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. Chances are you'll need a productivity suite that lets you work with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations at some point. You might think that paying for Microsoft Office is the only way to get such access, but that's far from the truth. No Windows user should go without LibreOffice. It's a completely free and powerful office suite that includes alternatives to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and more. Once you get used to a few small aesthetic differences from MS Office, you'll be flying through your work with LibreOffice. Note that OpenOffice, a once-popular alternative, is basically dead now. If you don't want to use LibreOffice, try FreeOffice.
You can use web apps like Word Online or Google Docs too, but we're focused on full desktop downloads here. Download: LibreOffice Free. Download: FreeOffice Free. Whether you want to try your hand at basic image manipulation, need a way to blur sensitive info in screenshots, or want to retouch old photos, everyone should have an image editing program installed. Photoshop is the gold standard for this, but there are plenty of free tools that are more accessible. NET is a must-have Windows app for your image editing needs. It's far more powerful than Microsoft Paint, but doesn't overwhelm you with loads of confusing tools. You can easily blur out parts of an image, auto-level photos to make them look better, and add text and shapes to your pictures in just a few clicks.
Plenty of plugins allow you to expand its functionality, too. 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. Windows 10 and 11 include Windows Defender, which is a good enough antivirus for most users. However, it's wise to keep a secondary security program installed to supplement it. For this, you can't beat Malwarebytes. The free version lets you scan your system for malware that your antivirus might not catch. And for a powerful blended security solution, upgrading to Malwarebytes Premium is worth the cost. Download: Malwarebytes Free, subscription available. Thanks to YouTube's ubiquity, you probably don't watch local videos too often. However, everyone should still keep a solid video player around on their desktop for when they need to play media files locally.
Even if it's not one of the tools you think to download on a new computer right away, it will come in handy someday. For this task, nothing beats VLC Media Player, which packs a ton of features and is capable of playing nearly every video and audio format imaginable. You might not break it out often, but give VLC a download while you're setting up your PC. You'll save yourself the hassle of messing with video codecs or using QuickTime, which hasn't been supported on Windows for years. Download: VLC Free. Taking a screenshot on Windows is useful for everything from capturing funny moments to having a record of important information. You won't find a more powerful free screenshot tool than ShareX. With tons of capture methods, a solid built-in editor, the ability to run automated steps after you take a screenshot, and extra tools like a color grabber and ruler, ShareX has an impressive feature set for no cost. 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. Windows includes native support for simple zipped files, but anything beyond the basics requires a more powerful tool. While this isn't the most exciting software category, a file extractor is still a must-have PC app so you can work with any kind of archived files you might encounter. It's small and installs in seconds, is easy to use, and stays out of your way when you're not using it. Those who need advanced features will still find them in 7-Zip, though. The only drawback of 7-Zip is its aged, spartan appearance.
If you can't get over that, take a look at PeaZip, which is a similar tool with a much more attractive UI. Either way, you certainly don't need to pay for tools like WinRAR. Download: 7-Zip Free. Download: PeaZip Free. Chances are that you use at least one messaging service to stay in touch with your friends during the day. With so many options to choose from, there's no way we could pick the best messaging service, because it all depends on what your friends use. So why not have all of them in one place? Rambox is our pick for the best messaging app on Windows. It lets you add accounts from dozens of popular messaging services, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Telegram, GroupMe, Discord, and many more.
You can even add other web apps, like Apple Music, to it. The app simply adds a new tab for every service you use, letting you keep up with every group in one window. It includes some extra features that make it more useful than opening these apps in your browser, and you can easily close or minimize one window instead of a half-dozen when it's time to focus. While Rambox's free plan has some limitations, it offers more for free than competitors like Franz. Download: Rambox Free, subscription available. A clipboard manager is an important Windows app because it saves you a lot of time.
Instead of only being able to keep one item on your PC's clipboard at once, clipboard managers let you keep track of the last several dozen entries you've copied. ClipClip is a great Windows clipboard manager to use. In addition to logging what you copy, the app also lets you pin frequent snippets for easy access. It's easy to create folders for quickly pasting canned text like addresses, email responses, and similar. The app doesn't overwhelm you with options, but does let you tweak its hotkeys, disable clipboard monitoring when needed, and choose what the app ignores. Add it to your list of basic Windows software and you'll never have to worry about managing your PC's clipboard again. Download: ClipClip Free.
OneDrive makes it easy to transfer your files from PC to PC,Game launchers other than Steam
Sep 21, · Run it on all your PCs to back up all your files, then install the service on that new PC, then all the files across all your devices will appear. Once it's installed and files are Jan 9, · Check all hardware for driver updates. Especially your graphics card and download latest if you dont have them. Download a malware protector and disable internet explorer after Spotify is also home to millions of podcasts, making everything available in one convenient place. 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 Bring them with you to your new computer. TRANSFER FILES AND PHOTOS TRANSFER BROWSER FAVORITES Install what you love When you start up your new PC, you may want Dec 20, · Give each of the below programs a checkmark, then click "Get Your Ninite" to create an installer that bundles all of these programs together. Google Chrome GIMP ShareX Steam Zoom Discord Notepad++ Dec 27, · It packages everything as one downloader/installer and installs it onto your new PC — no muss or fuss. Just go to the Ninite website, check off which apps you want to install (the long list ... read more
Instead of only being able to keep one item on your PC's clipboard at once, clipboard managers let you keep track of the last several dozen entries you've copied. Can I drag whole folders into OneDrive, or do I have to drag each file? You can use web apps like Word Online or Google Docs too, but we're focused on full desktop downloads here. Download: Google Chrome Free. It lets you add accounts from dozens of popular messaging services, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Telegram, GroupMe, Discord, and many more. He's been reviewing laptops and accessories full time since , with hundreds of reviews published for Windows Central.
Whether you want to try your hand at basic image manipulation, need a way to blur sensitive info in screenshots, or want to retouch old photos, things to download on a new pc, everyone should have an image editing program installed. Its ad-supported free plan lets you listen to as much music as you like, and there are several Spotify Premium plans that are worth it for avid listeners. What is OneDrive? Get Your Ninite Ninite works on Windows 11, 10, 8. Chances are VLC get the job done.
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