Reinstalling a Windows PC is quite a long and tedious process, especially when it comes to reinstalling apps. Here is a list of little-known but essential apps.
Buying a new Windows PC allows you to wipe the slate clean, to get rid of all those years of installing a whole bunch of apps that have hardly been used. You probably have a list of apps that you will reinstall by default, of course. But if you stick with what you know, you're probably missing out on some real gems. Here are some must-downloads.
First, the basics
Some apps are absolutely vital. Here they are :
Firefox : if Chrome and its derivatives have colonized the Internet, Firefox offers a perfect balance between new features, respect for privacy and performance. Install these extensions too and you're good to go.
VLC Media Player : If you watch videos on your PC, you need VLC, which can play everything.
7-Zip : the perfect app to compress and decompress files. Free and supports the most common formats (zip, rar and 7z).
SumatraPDF : a light and fast PDF reader.
IrfanView : for the preview of all your images, with the possibility of batch processing.
PatchMyPC
PatchMyPC is a must-have. The app shows you a list of useful apps and lets you choose which ones you want to have. Once the selection is made, one click and PatchMyPC installs them all in the background. PatchMyPC even automatically manages updates for apps installed by it.
Microsoft PowerToys
PowerToys is a set of tools that add advanced functionality to your PC – window management, very fast cursor location, Spotlight search, etc. Take the time to apprehend the beast.
Portmaster
Portmaster is a firewall app allowing you to finely manage the ports of your machine. It shows you a list of apps that communicate with the internet and lets you block them. While some communications are vital, others are totally useless. The app also makes it easy to choose your DNS services.
Everything
Everything is a free app that speeds up search on Windows by indexing the names of all your files to offer results very quickly.
ShareX
If Microsoft has made great efforts around screenshots, the existing native tools are far from ShareX. Besides its rather outdated interface, the app works very well and is highly customizable. It is also possible to record videos, capture GIT or even scrolling screenshots.
MusicBee
If you have a music library, you should give MusicBee a try. It is the perfect tool for managing your own collection. The app is very fast to integrate large libraries.
Caliber
Caliber is the best app for bibliophiles, especially those who have an e-reader. It allows you to manage a library of ebooks and convert them to the right formats for readers on the market. Works great with Kindles.
Obsidian
If you're looking for an app to take notes on Windows, try Obsidian. The app is very complete, supports Markdown and can be used for keeping a diary.
Bitwarden
Everyone should use a password manager. Bitwarden is the best free option for most users. Its free plan has it all, while being available on all popular platforms.
FXSound
FXSound is a very good equalizer and sound control app. With a lot of ready-made configurations.
Ventoy
Everyone should have a bootable USB ready to go, you never know when you'll need it. Ventoy is a perfect app for this as it only asks you to format the USB drive once. From there, you can copy as many disc images (ISO) as you want and you can boot on one or the other at your leisure.
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