Best Free Software for Windows in 2026: The Complete List
Every time I set up a Windows machine from scratch, I have a mental checklist of programs I install before anything else. Not because someone told me to — because I’ve been burned enough times by not having them. This list is what I’d tell a friend to install in 2026, along with the actual reasons why.
Everything here is free. No trials, no freemium traps, no «free but we sell your data.» A few of them are open source, which is mentioned where relevant.
Security
Windows Defender (built-in)
Before adding anything, it’s worth saying that Windows 11 ships with a genuinely decent antivirus. Windows Defender consistently scores well in independent testing from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. For most people, keeping it updated and being careful about what you download and click is sufficient. You don’t need to install a third-party antivirus on top of it.
Malwarebytes Free — for on-demand scanning
Where Defender sometimes misses is adware, browser hijackers, and potentially unwanted programs. Malwarebytes Free doesn’t run in real-time (that’s the paid tier), but as a second opinion scanner when something feels off, it’s excellent. Download it, run a scan, remove what it finds, uninstall it if you don’t need it around. That’s a legitimate workflow.
KeePassXC — local password manager
If you’re reusing passwords or keeping them in a text file somewhere, fix that first. KeePassXC stores your passwords in an encrypted database on your own device — nothing goes to a cloud server. It has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge that autofill just like paid managers. It’s open source, actively maintained, and has been around long enough to have a solid track record.
Productivity
LibreOffice — the free Office alternative
For everyday documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, LibreOffice covers most use cases without paying for Microsoft 365. Compatibility with .docx and .xlsx files is good for straightforward documents. Where it gets complicated is with heavily formatted files or complex Excel macros — if your work depends on those, test it carefully before committing.
Alternatively, Microsoft’s free web version at office.com works surprisingly well and has perfect format compatibility. If you don’t need offline access, that’s worth considering too.
Obsidian — notes that connect
For note-taking, Obsidian is what I keep coming back to. Everything is stored as plain text files on your local machine, it uses Markdown, and the ability to link between notes becomes genuinely useful once you have a few dozen of them. There’s a learning curve, but if you’re the type who has notes scattered across five different apps, it’s worth the investment.
Browsers
Firefox — privacy without giving things up
Chrome is the default choice for most people, and it’s not bad. But Firefox gives you a similar experience with better default privacy settings and without handing your browsing data to Google. The extension ecosystem is good, RAM usage is slightly lower than Chrome with heavy tab loads, and Mozilla’s non-profit structure means their business model doesn’t depend on advertising.
Brave — if privacy is a priority
Brave blocks ads and trackers by default, no extensions needed. It’s based on Chromium, so Chrome extensions work on it. Pages load faster, less data is used, and you’re not being profiled across the web. The crypto features built in (BAT tokens, Brave Wallet) are easy to ignore if you don’t want them.
File Management and Compression
7-Zip — the only file archiver you need
For compressing and extracting files, 7-Zip is the clear answer. It’s free, open source, handles ZIP, RAR, 7z, TAR, ISO, and many more formats. Windows 11 now handles ZIPs natively, but for RAR and other formats you still need something. There’s no better free option, and it doesn’t install anything extra.
Files — a modern file explorer
Windows Explorer works, but it feels like it hasn’t been redesigned since 2012. Files is a free app from the Microsoft Store that replaces it with tabbed browsing, a cleaner interface, and features the original should have had years ago. If you spend a lot of time managing files, it’s worth a look.
Multimedia
VLC — plays everything
VLC plays virtually every video and audio format without needing codec packs. It’s free software, has been in active development for over twenty years, and has never had a meaningful scandal around spyware or unwanted behavior. If you can only install one thing from this list, make it this.
GIMP — free image editing
GIMP is not as intuitive as Photoshop — the interface is genuinely harder to learn. But it’s completely free and capable of serious image editing: layers, masks, color correction, custom brushes. For most non-professional tasks, it does the job. For quick resizing and basic edits, Windows’ built-in Photos app is usually enough.
System Utilities
CPU-Z — know your hardware
CPU-Z shows detailed information about your processor, RAM, motherboard, and GPU. Useful when you want to check what RAM type you have before upgrading, or verify your CPU is running at the right speed. Small, no bloatware, does exactly what it says.
CrystalDiskInfo — monitor drive health
Reads the S.M.A.R.T. data from your hard drives and SSDs and tells you if anything looks wrong. Drives usually show warning signs before they fail completely — CrystalDiskInfo catches those. Install it, check the status once in a while, and you’ll have advance warning if a drive is deteriorating.
ShareX — screen capture and more
Windows’ Snipping Tool has improved, but ShareX goes further: scrolling captures, screen recording, built-in image annotation, automatic uploads to image hosts. It’s overkill for casual use, but if your job involves capturing and sharing screenshots regularly, it’s hard to match for free.
Summary Table
| Program | Category | What it does | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Defender | Security | Built-in antivirus | Avast Free |
| Malwarebytes Free | Security | On-demand malware scanner | ESET Online Scanner |
| KeePassXC | Security | Local password manager | Bitwarden |
| LibreOffice | Productivity | Office suite | Office Web (free) |
| Obsidian | Productivity | Note-taking | Notion |
| Firefox | Browser | Privacy-friendly browsing | Brave |
| 7-Zip | Files | Compress and extract archives | — |
| VLC | Multimedia | Universal media player | MPC-HC |
| GIMP | Multimedia | Image editing | Paint.NET |
| CPU-Z | System | Hardware information | Speccy |
| CrystalDiskInfo | System | Drive health monitoring | HWMonitor |
| ShareX | System | Screenshots and recording | Greenshot |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a third-party antivirus if Windows Defender is installed?
For most users, no. Windows Defender in Windows 11 is solid. What I’d add is Malwarebytes Free as a second-opinion scanner — not running constantly, just for occasional checks when something seems off.
Is LibreOffice good enough to replace Microsoft Office?
For personal use and basic business documents, usually yes. For complex formatting, extensive Excel macros, or real-time collaboration, it shows its limits. Test it with your specific files before committing fully.
Which is better for privacy, Firefox or Brave?
Brave is more aggressive out of the box. Firefox gives you more control but requires some configuration to match Brave’s default privacy level. Both are significantly better than Chrome from a privacy standpoint.
Can I install 7-Zip alongside WinRAR?
You can, but there’s no reason to. 7-Zip handles RAR files just fine, so WinRAR doesn’t add anything. And unlike WinRAR, 7-Zip is genuinely free with no nag screens.
How much disk space does this full list use?
Around 1-2 GB total. LibreOffice is the heaviest at roughly 800 MB. Everything else is lightweight. On any modern drive, it’s a non-issue.
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