Basic software for Windows with free license

My collection of basic software for Windows with a free license, which is suitable for solving various everyday tasks.

Igor Potapov
Igor PotapovList by Igor Potapov, last updated 
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  1. Free and open-source office suite with advanced word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, vector graphics, math formula editor, and database tools.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Flatpak
    LibreOffice Writer on Linux
    LibreOffice Calc on Linux
    Main menu (old version)
    +8
    LibreOffice Writer on Windows 7
  2. Open-source suite for editing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and PDF files with co-editing modes, plugin support, AI assistant, and integration across 40+ platforms.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Samsung Galaxy Store
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    • Cloudron
    ONLYOFFICE screenshot 1
    ONLYOFFICE screenshot 1
    ONLYOFFICE screenshot 2
    +7
    ONLYOFFICE screenshot 3
  3. PDF24 Creator is free and feature-filled PDF creation, merging and conversion tool for Windows. Its unique feature among the free PDF printer tools is an editor, which allows to easily assemble, create and modify PDF files with Drag & Drop.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Main window
    PDF Creator window
    PDF printer assistant
  4. 7-Zip icon
     Like

    Efficient file archiver offering superior compression and encryption. Supports multiple formats such as TAR, ZIP, with a unique self-extracting feature.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • ReactOS
    Main Window
    Add to Archive
    Options
  5. XnView Classic is an efficient image viewer, browser and converter for Windows with built-in support for over 500 image formats.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    • ReactOS
    Viewer Window (windows version)
    Browser Window (windows version)
  6. Cross-platform, free media player supports multimedia files, DVDs, streaming, offers hardware acceleration, 4K, lossless audio, and more.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • AppImageHub
    • Apple Watch
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Apple TV
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Kindle Fire
    • Haiku
    • Android TV
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    VLC Media Player screenshot 1
    VLC Media Player screenshot 1
    VLC Media Player screenshot 2
    +4
    VLC Media Player screenshot 3
  7. AIMP icon
     Like

    A powerful audio player for Windows and Android, supporting numerous codecs and audio interfaces, offering customizable skins, plugins, and advanced features.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Android
    • PortableApps.com
    AIMP screenshot 1
    AIMP screenshot 1
    AIMP screenshot 2
    +4
    AIMP screenshot 3
  8. Locate files and folders by filename on Windows instantly, displaying all items on NTFS volumes and mapped network drives. Supports 19 languages.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Locate files and folders by name instantly.
  9. The qBittorrent project aims to provide an open-source software alternative to µTorrent. Additionally, qBittorrent runs and provides the same features on all major platforms (FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, OS/2, Windows). qBittorrent is based on the Qt toolkit and libtorrent-rasterbar library.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Cloudron
    qBittorrent screenshot 1
    qBittorrent screenshot 1
    qBittorrent screenshot 2
    +2
    qBittorrent screenshot 3
  10. DWService icon
     Like

    DWService is a half (only the client/agent) open source project which offers a service that allows access to remote systems (Windows, Mac, Linux, Raspberry...) using a standard web browser - without any component required on the client side.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Raspberry Pi
    It allows you to fully control the remote system by displaying its screen and allowing cursor control and keyboard input
    It allows you to fully access the file system of the remote system
    It allows you to monitor the status of the remote system
    +5
    It allows you to start a terminal session on the remote system.
  11. Paint.NET icon
     Like

    Free image editor for Windows, offering layer support, plugins, special effects, and portable use without installation. Lightweight and ad-free.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • .NET Framework
    Paint.NET screenshot 1
  12. GIMP icon
     Like

    Advanced image manipulation tool offering comprehensive tools for photo retouching, composition, and batch processing in a free package.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Flatpak
    • AmigaOS
    yes
    GIMP 2.99.18 on Windows, non-default theme.
    GIMP screenshot 2
    +5
    GIMP screenshot 3
  13. Blender icon
     Like

    Free open-source 3D software for modeling, texturing, rigging, animation, rendering, compositing, video editing, and simulation.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Steam
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Splash Artwork for Blender 4.3
    Cycles Render Engine
    Modeling, Sculpt, UV
    +9
    VFX
  14. Inkscape icon
     Like

    Open source vector graphics editor supporting SVG with features like custom brushes, pressure sensitivity, and layer management across multiple platforms.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Inkscape screenshot 1
    Inkscape screenshot 1
    Inkscape screenshot 2
    +8
    Inkscape screenshot 3
  15. A network file-sharing application that makes sending a file to another machine on the local network as easy as dragging-and-dropping.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    Wizard
    NitroShare running in KDE
    Nautilus Integration
  16. VideoPad icon
     Like

    Versatile video editing software with 50+ effects, real-time previews, and optimization tools for brightness and color. Share projects on DVDs, online, or mobile devices.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Kindle Fire
    VideoPad screenshot 1
    VideoPad screenshot 1
    VideoPad screenshot 2
    +12
    VideoPad screenshot 3
  17. draw.io icon
     Like

    Privacy-focused diagramming software supporting real-time collaboration, offline mode, and cloud storage without ads or registration.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    • Notion
    • Self-Hosted
    • Nextcloud
    • Microsoft SharePoint
    • Flathub
    • Microsoft OneDrive
    • PortableApps.com
    • Google Drive
    • Google Docs
    • Microsoft Teams
    • Google Slides
    • Flatpak
    • Google Sheets
    Use the diagram editor in dark mode. Go to app.diagrams.net/?splash=0&ui=dark
    Windows Desktop App
    Whiteboarding example
    +9
    draw.io screenshot 3
  18. Lightshot icon
     Like

    Captures customizable screen areas, enables instant online upload, sharing via short URLs, quick edits, local saves, and seamless browser add-ons.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Google Chrome
    • Wine
    • Mozilla Firefox
    LightShot's site prnt.sc or prntscr.com
    Lightshot's floating Panel and boder markers
    You can paint and write on your screen with LightShot
    +2
    Options / Generals
  19. SoundSwitch makes it easier to switch playback devices (sound cards). With SoundSwitch you configure once between which Playback devices you want to toggle and then you can press Ctrl+Alt+F11 to toggle automatically!.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    SoundSwitch screenshot 1
    SoundSwitch screenshot 1
  20. Safely manage disk partitions, resize, merge, split or copy drives, allocate space, and solve low disk space issues with sector-level data protection technology.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Main Window
    Right Click on a Partition
    Create Partition
    +8
    Move and Resize Partition
  21. Free and open-source tool for batch uninstalling multiple apps with minimal input, removing portable, protected, and damaged software, and cleaning up leftovers.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Bulk Crap Uninstaller screenshot 1
    Bulk Crap Uninstaller screenshot 1
  22. FreeCommander is an easy-to-use alternative to the standard windows file manager. The program helps you with daily work in Windows. Here you can find all the necessary functions to manage your data stock.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    FreeCommander screenshot 1
    FreeCommander screenshot 1
    FreeCommander screenshot 2
    +5
    FreeCommander screenshot 3
  23. Audacity icon
     Like

    Free open-source multi-track audio editor and recorder with 32-bit float processing. Supports many formats and plugins for Windows, macOS, Linux.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • AppImageHub
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Editing Audio
    Audacity 2.2.0 in default Light theme running on Windows 10
    Recording with Audacity 2.2.0 in Dark theme on Windows 10
    +4
    Audacity 2.2.0 MIDI playback running on macOS
  24. AnyBurn icon
     Like

    AnyBurn is a light weight but professional CD / DVD / Blu-ray burning software that everyone must have. It provides a free and complete solution for burning.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    AnyBurn screenshot 1
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