由于我之前在Help Desk Geek上的一篇题为99 种方法让您的计算机超快的文章很受欢迎，我决定再写一篇包含 99 项的列表文章，但这次是关于您可能没有听说过的Windows免费软件程序。(Windows)
如果您搜索“最佳免费软件程序”或“顶级免费软件应用程序”，您会得到很多列表，但大多数都是每个人都听说过的程序：AVG杀毒软件、7-zip、Firefox、OpenOffice等，等等
这一切都很好，但是所有那些运行良好但没有获得所有头条新闻的小宝石程序呢？在本文中，我将尽我所能提及尽可能多的小名免费软件程序，以帮助您提高工作效率！这是一个很长的列表，因此请随时将其添加为书签并稍后参考。
这些都没有特别的顺序写！再说一次(Again)，我肯定有数百个程序我不会提及，所以如果你觉得我真的错过了一个很棒的程序，请在评论中提及应用程序的名称和它的作用！
此外，我提到的一些程序的免费版本有一些限制或在某些方面受到限制。我尽量不提任何只是免费试用的程序。
注意：最后，应该注意的是，我已经浏览了整个列表并通过 VirusTotal 运行每个可执行文件（截至 2018 年 2 月），以确保程序没有恶意软件或间谍软件。 (Note: Lastly, it should be noted that I have gone through the entire list and run every executable file through VirusTotal (as of Feb 2018) to ensure that the programs do not have malware or spyware. )
1. 我们都听说过 7-zip、WinRAR和WinZip，但是ZIP Archiver或 PeaZip等其他出色的压缩程序呢？
2. 最好的记事本(Notepad)替代品是什么？Notepad++对吗？我们都知道！这里还有九个免费的 Windows 文本编辑器(nine more free text editors for Windows)。
3. 如果您使用Windows，那么您知道并喜欢Windows注册表！CCleaner可能是目前最流行的系统维护工具，但是……嗯，实际上这是我推荐的唯一一个。
4. 曾经不小心删除了您真正需要的文件？您可以尝试一个名为Pandora Recovery的程序来恢复丢失或删除的文件或Recuva，这是一个有用的文件恢复应用程序。但这还不是全部！听说过TestDisk吗(Ever)？
5. 说到文件恢复，你有没有不小心把你存储卡上的所有图片都删掉了！？它发生的频率比你想象的要多。在这些情况下，请查看我的5 个照片恢复应用程序列表。
6. 曾经忘记您的Outlook密码？还是您的WiFi密码？如果是这样，您可以使用一些很酷的程序来显示Windows中各种程序的密码和帐户详细信息(reveal passwords and account details)。您还可以使用这 10 个程序来恢复丢失的 PST 密码(recover a lost PST password)。
7. 说到密码，您是否曾经需要删除 Office 文档（如 Excel 电子表格）上的密码？有一个程序。
8. 好的，你听说过Audacity，但它是目前最好的免费音频编辑程序，所以请处理它。
9. 说到音频，如果你喜欢音乐，你可以使用LMMS来创建你自己的音乐曲目。
10. 有无法挂载ISO映像的(ISO)ISO映像和旧版本的Windows？查看WinCDEmu并创建无限数量的虚拟驱动器。
11. 说了这么多密码，有没有想过使用免费的密码管理器？听说过KeePass或(Ever)RoboForm吗(RoboForm)？
12. 密码说完了，我们来谈谈媒体播放器！我们都听说过VLC媒体播放器和Windows Media Player，但是Kodi和Media Monkey呢？两者都是适用于Windows的出色媒体播放器。另外，GOM Player也不错。
13. 如果您必须在晚上长时间盯着屏幕，使用f.lux之类的程序将显示颜色更改为更暖的颜色可能是个好主意。
14. 如果你拍了很多家庭视频，你可能需要编辑和拼接它们对吗？不用担心Adobe Premiere，您可以使用其他免费程序，例如Microsoft的产品Windows Movie Maker。如果不是这样，您还可以查看LightWorks和HitFilm Express，这两个免费的专业级视频编辑程序。
15. 说到视频，很多时候您需要从一种格式转换为另一种格式。恕我直言(IMHO)，最好的视频转码器是HandBrake。
16. 是否存在导致CPU出现峰值或其他问题的Windows进程。(Windows)使用Process Explorer 和 Process Monitor来帮助诊断问题。
17. 经常使用PDF文件？正在寻找一个好的PDF阅读器？我最喜欢的是Foxit、Nitro PDF Reader和PDF-XChange Editor。
18. 如果你想快速创建PDF(PDFs)，有很多程序，如CutePDF、PrimoPDF、Bullzip、PDF Creator等等！
19. 切换话题，你肯定经常备份你的电脑吧？如果没有，您应该查看Easeus Todo Backup，这是一个免费程序，可让您备份和克隆硬盘驱动器。另一个程序是Paragon Backup。
20. 如果您只想备份数据而不是对整个硬盘进行映像，您可以使用Google Backup and Sync将文件和文件夹备份到您的Google Drive存储空间。
21. 不管你知不知道，你的电脑上可能有一堆重复的文件！它只是发生。您可以使用Duplicate Cleaner来查找和删除那些重复的文件(find and remove those duplicate files)。
22. 如果你想节省更多的硬盘空间，你应该研究一个分析硬盘空间使用情况的程序，比如TreeSize。其他程序包括Space Sniffer 和WinDirStat。
23. 想查看Windows启动时加载的每个可能的程序或驱动程序吗？查看Autoruns，它是Microsoft的免费工具。
24.最近一直(Been)在寻找一个好的免费照片编辑器吗？查看GIMP、PhotoScape、Paint.NET或Fotor！如果您更喜欢在线照片编辑器，请查看Pixlr和BeFunky。
25. 查找有关计算机硬件的详细信息。看看HWiNFO就知道了。它也可以分析和监控您的系统。
26. 如果你没有运行 Windows 10 或者不喜欢他们的默认邮件(Mail)应用程序，你可以查看Mozilla Thunderbird，它仍然会定期更新。
27. 曾经必须向某人发送一个大文件，但您的电子邮件客户端不允许超过 10 到 20 MB(MBs)？您可以使用名为WeTransfer(WeTransfer)的程序与朋友和家人共享大文件（最多免费 2GB）。其他程序包括DropSend和pCloud。
28. 我们都知道的流行笔记应用程序是Evernote，但还有其他很棒的选择，如SimpleNote、Google Keep和Notebook。
29. 如果你有一个FTP服务器或一个网站，你可能需要一个好的FTP客户端程序，比如现在最流行的WinSCP 。其他不错的选择包括FileZilla和CyberDuck。
30. 如果你对你的数据有疑虑，你可能想用像VeraCrypt或AxCrypt这样的程序来加密它。
31. 您是 Web 开发人员还是编码员？正在寻找一个好的HTML编辑器？有很多：CoffeeCup、Visual Studio Express、Atom、Sublime Text等。
32.想了解更多关于你周围的WiFi网络吗？下载WiFi Inspector或Acrylic WiFi Analyzer。
33. 曾经想创建一个家谱吗？Legacy是一个免费的家谱，您可以使用它来跟踪家人和亲戚。另一个不错的应用是ScionPC。
34. 如果您不断地反复使用相同的程序，最好下载一个快速的程序启动器。我的最爱之一是Find and Run Robot。
35. Open Office是最受欢迎的免费Office套件，但还有其他不错的套件，例如LibreOffice 和WPS Office Free。
36. 曾经想在Windows(Windows)中自动执行某项任务吗？也许您想每天晚上 10 点关闭计算机？或者您想一遍又一遍地记录和重复某些击键？无论如何，AutoHotKey是一个很棒的程序，用于在Windows中自动执行许多任务。
37. 我在#25 中提到了HWiNFO，但如果您想了解有关您的CPU和主板的详细信息，那么CPU-Z是一个更好的选择。
38.如果你打算超频你的CPU，那么你应该下载Prime95以确保你的系统是稳定的。如果您要对GPU进行超频，请查看MSI Afterburner。
39. 希望通过VPN保护您的浏览流量？目前最好的免费VPN是TunnelBear，它将您的带宽限制为 500 MB。
40. 在#14中，我提到了两个专业的免费电影编辑程序，但它们相当复杂。如果您想在没有这种学习曲线的情况下创建电影，请查看Shotcut、VSDC 免费视频编辑器(VSDC Free Video editor)和Avidemux。
41.有(Got)孩子吗？需要一些家长控制软件吗？最好的选择是Qustodio 和 Kidlogger。免费版本显然是有限的。另外，请阅读我关于保护计算机的不同方法的帖子。
42. 如果你有很多音乐，你可以考虑像Media Monkey这样的音乐管理程序。另一个不错的程序是MusicBee。
43. 我在 #39 中谈到了用于安全浏览的VPN，但您也可以使用其他浏览器（例如Tor）来隐藏您的身份。
44. 如果你最近买了一台新电脑，你可以使用一个叫做PC Decrapifier的程序来摆脱那些可能与 PC 捆绑在一起并减慢一切的无用程序。
45. 拥有电脑一段时间后，总会有一些程序不再使用，可以卸载。Revo Uninstaller将摆脱任何程序，无论它是否愿意。
46.如果你想玩一些不是纸牌(Solitaire)的免费游戏，下载Steam。他们有一个完整的免费游戏部分。
47. 如果您的计算机上有敏感数据要从硬盘驱动器中永久安全地删除，我建议您使用一个名为dBan的程序。
48. 多读书？在Windows(Windows)中阅读的一个很棒的应用程序是Kindle应用程序。它也会同步到您的手机或平板电脑。
49. 喜欢使用Instagram吗？想从Instagram下载照片、视频或故事吗？查看4K Stogram。
50. 寻找好的截屏软件？一个非常好的是Screenshot Captor。当然，Windows也有很多内置的截屏(capture screenshots)方法。
51. 我们都听说过Skype和WhatsApp，但是Viber呢？这是您可以用来与世界各地的家人和朋友交流的另一种工具。
52. 曾经想让你的电脑说出你写的东西吗？它被称为文本到语音，有几个很好的程序可以做到这一点：Balabolka、NaturalReader和Panopreter。
53. 你有很多程序在Windows启动时加载吗？您的计算机需要几分钟才能使用吗？如果是这样，请查看Startup Delayer，这是一个延迟程序启动的程序，以便您的计算机加载更快。
54. 您需要创建演示文稿，但没有PowerPoint吗？除了我们在#35 中提到的Office套件，您还可以使用Canva和Prezi。
55. 在网上关注了很多博客，仍然怀念Google Reader吗？RSSOwl是一个不错的选择。
56. 您可能都听说过TeamViewer用于远程共享您的桌面，但您也可以使用Join.me。
57. 你是喜欢增压Explorer界面的人吗？如果是这样，请查看Total Commander，它已经存在了数十年并且可以与Windows 10一起使用。
58. 如果您认为您的计算机中可能安装了坏内存，您可以使用 memtest86 检查坏内存(check for bad memory using memtest86)。
59. 想要录制屏幕并进行直播吗？OBS Studio 是一个免费的应用程序，可以做到这一点。TinyTake是另一个不错的，虽然免费版本是有限的。
60. 您是需要Lightroom等工具但又不想付费订阅的专业摄影师吗？Darktable是一个开源摄影工作流程应用程序。
61.说到Adobe，有什么好的Adobe Illustrator替代品吗？是的！处理矢量图形的一种好方法是Inkscape。另一个不错的是Vectr。
62.你是一个需要写东西但容易分心的人吗？查看FocusWriter并在没有分心的情况下进行写作。
63. 可能发生在您的计算机上的最糟糕的事情之一就是它感染了间谍软件(Spyware)。HijackThis是一个很棒的程序，您可以使用它来查找和删除间谍软件。但是，它不再活跃。另一个不错的选择是AdwCleaner。
64. 关于间谍软件，还有其他几个免费软件程序，如 SUPERAntiSpyware、adaware和SpyBot。
65. 除了间谍软件和恶意软件之外，您还可以使用单独的工具来查找 Rootkit，例如TDSSKiller、Sophos Rootkit 扫描程序(Sophos Rootkit scanner)和Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit。
66. 最后，如果您在Windows(Windows)中无法检测到任何东西，一个好主意是运行离线病毒扫描。一个不错的选择是Windows Defender 脱机版。
67. 如果您需要免费的CD/DVD/Blu-ray光盘刻录程序，请查看CDBurnerXP。它还有一个便携式版本，您可以使用USB记忆棒运行。另一个不错的是AVS Free Disc Creator。
68. 如果您需要将ISO 映像刻录到 CD 或 DVD(burn an ISO image to a CD or DVD)，那么您应该使用ImgBurn 之(ImgBurn)类的免费程序。
69. 你是一个真正的书呆子并且还在使用IRC吗？如果是这样，HexChat是一个优秀的 IRC 客户端。
70. 曾经遇到过在Windows中尝试删除文件并提示该文件正在使用且无法删除的问题？您可以使用Unlocker删除任何被进程锁定的文件。
71.你总是在想事情吗？那么你可能应该使用一些免费的思维导图软件(mind-mapping software)。维基百科(Wikipedia)也有大量的思维导图软件。
72. 需要管理一个小项目，但需要一些项目管理软件？查看GnattProject和Taiga.io。
73. 如果您想玩弄虚拟机，请从Oracle下载免费且优秀的(Oracle)VirtualBox。这是浏览和测试新软件的最安全方式。
74. 在#19 和#20 中，我谈到了备份计算机的软件，但忘了提到DriveImage XML，这是一个可以用来创建硬盘映像的好程序。其他优秀的磁盘映像工具包括MacriumReflect 和Clonezilla。
75. 需要一些会计和财务软件，但不信任Mint和Quickbooks等在线工具？GNUCash是免费的会计和财务软件。
76. 曾经是Blender的负责人吗？这是一个非常棒的程序，而且是免费的。它可以让您创建 3D 世界、3D 动画和 3D 游戏。看看这个。
77. 如果Blender对你来说太复杂了，另一个在 3D 中绘制草图的好选择是SketchUp。
78. 当我们谈到这个话题时，FreeCAD是开源的参数化 3D CAD建模器。
79. 对于太空爱好者，我总是推荐Stellarium，它基本上是您计算机的天文馆。
80. 正在寻找一个非常好的分区管理器？查看GParted，可能是最好的未听说过的分区管理器。其他不错的选择包括MiniTool Partition Wizard和EaseUs Partition Master Free。
81. 在您的计算机上寻找文件？默认的 Windows(Default Windows)搜索很糟糕？好吧(Well)，为什么不试试 Everything，最好的免费Windows文件搜索工具。
82. 希望您的剪贴板一次可以存储多个项目？那么你应该看看ClipX、ArsClip和Ditto剪贴板，三个很酷的剪贴板管理程序(clipboard manager programs)。
83. DropIt是一个漂亮的Windows小程序，它可以让你将文件“拖放”到一个文件夹中，然后它会根据你的设置处理文件。
84. 远程桌面非常适合Windows计算机，但对于其他平台，您需要TightVNC或UltraVNC 之(UltraVNC)类的东西。
85. 有一台带有额外存储空间的备用计算机吗？您可以使用名为FreeNAS的程序将其变成NAS设备。
86. 由于我们只讨论Windows免费软件程序，您可能会对Disk2VHD感兴趣，这是(Disk2VHD)Microsoft的一个程序，可以让您将当前 PC 转换为虚拟机，然后您可以将其加载到Hyper-V中。
87. 想学习一门新语言？在我看来，最好的Windows程序是(Windows)Duolingo。
88. 曾经不得不将一个大文件分成几份吗？如果是这样，请查看GSplit，这是一个用于拆分和重新连接文件的漂亮实用程序。
89.是否遇到(Been)过需要比较两个文件并查看差异的情况？WinMerge是一个很酷的程序，可以让您比较和合并两个文件。它自 2013 年以来一直没有更新，但今年应该会有一个新版本。
90. 需要从Windows(Windows)发送超私密和安全的消息？您最好的选择是Telegram Messenge r。
91. 或者将多个PDF文件合并在一起怎么办？如果是这样，请查看PDFtk，这是一个可让您合并、拆分和修复PDF文件的工具包。
92. 对于那里的网络极客，你必须在家里尝试Spiceworks才能真正监控网络上发生的事情。(Spiceworks)对于真正精通技术的人，请获取Wireshark。
93. 想从半个国家的家到你父母家打印一些东西吗？查看PrinterShare。
94. 担心你用谷歌(Google)、微软(Microsoft)等保存在云端的数据会被黑客入侵？(Cloud)使用Boxcryptor(Boxcryptor)加密所有内容。
95. 曾经需要计算计算机屏幕上颜色的RGB值或十六进制值吗？ColorPic是一个不错的实用程序，可让您确定屏幕上任何内容的十六进制RGB颜色。
96. 如果您有很多MP3文件，您可能需要编辑标签和元数据，以便在 iTunes 或您的音乐管理器应用程序中正确显示所有内容。您可以使用MP3tag或TagScanner来编辑 MP3 标签。
97. 如果您有多个显示器，您可以使用Dual Monitor Tools 之(Dual Monitor Tools)类的程序 根据自己的喜好自定义每个显示器。
98. 希望您可以在所有其他非 Apple 设备上使用“查找我的iPhone”？(Find My)猎物(Prey)可能就是答案。
99. 确保计算机安全的最佳方法之一是确保所有软件都已更新。SUMo为您做到这一点。其他不错的选择是FileHippo App Manager和Personal Software Inspector。
哇！那可能是一百多个免费软件程序，但希望你喜欢它。我确信我错过了很多很棒的程序，所以如果您有最喜欢的免费软件应用程序，请通过评论将其添加到列表中。如果您喜欢该列表，请添加书签！享受！
99 of the Best Windows Freeware Programs You May Not Know Of
Due to the popularity of my previous article on Help Dеsk Geek entіtled 99 wаys to make your computer blazingly fast, I’ve decided to wrіte аnother list post with 99 items, but this time on Windows freeware programs that you may have not heard of.
If you search for “best freeware programs” or “top freeware apps”, you’ll get lots of lists, but mostly with programs everyone has already heard of: AVG anti-virus, 7-zip, Firefox, OpenOffice, etc., etc.
That’s all nice and fine, but what about all those little gems programs that work great, but don’t get all the headlines? In this article, I will try my best to mention as many small name freeware programs as I can that can help make you more productive! It’s a long list, so feel free to bookmark it and refer to it later on.
These are written in no particular order! Again, I’m sure there are hundreds of programs that I won’t mention, so if you feel I’ve really missed a great program, mention the name of the app and what it does in the comments!
Additionally, some of the programs I mention have free versions that have a few restrictions or are limited in some way. I tried not to mention any programs that are just free trials.
Note: Lastly, it should be noted that I have gone through the entire list and run every executable file through VirusTotal (as of Feb 2018) to ensure that the programs do not have malware or spyware.
1. We’ve all heard of 7-zip, WinRAR, and WinZip, but what about other great zipping programs like ZIP Archiver or PeaZip?
2. What’s the best Notepad replacement out there? Notepad++ right? We all know that! Here are nine more free text editors for Windows.
3. If you use Windows, then you know and love the Windows registry! CCleaner may be the most popular system maintenance tool out there, but what about…well, actually that’s the only one I recommend.
4. Ever accidentally delete a file that you really needed? You can try a program called Pandora Recovery to recover lost or deleted files or Recuva, a useful file recovery app. But that’s not all! Ever heard of TestDisk?
5. Speaking of file recovery, ever accidentally delete all the pictures off your memory card!? It happens more often than you would think. In those cases, check out my list of 5 photo recovery apps.
6. Ever forget your Outlook password? Or your password for a WiFi? If so, you can use some cool programs to reveal passwords and account details for various programs in Windows. You can also use these 10 programs to recover a lost PST password.
7. Speaking of passwords, have you ever needed to remove a password on an Office document like an Excel spreadsheet? There’ a program for that.
8. OK, so you have heard of Audacity, but it’s the best free audio editing program out there, so deal with it.
9. Speaking of audio, if you are into music, you can use LMMS to create your own music tracks.
10. Have an ISO image and older version of Windows that can’t mount ISO images? Check out WinCDEmu and create an unlimited number of virtual drives.
11. With all this password talk, ever thought about using a free password manager? Ever heard of KeePass or RoboForm?
12. Enough about passwords, let’s talk media players! We’ve all heard of VLC media player and Windows Media Player, but what about Kodi and Media Monkey? Both are great media players for Windows. Also, GOM Player is good too.
13. If you have to stare at your screen at night for a long time, it’s probably a good idea to use a program like f.lux to change the display color to something warmer.
14. If you take a lot of home videos, you probably need to edit and stitch them together right? Don’t worry about Adobe Premiere, you can use other free programs like Windows Movie Maker, a product from Microsoft. If not that, you can also check out LightWorks and HitFilm Express, two free professional-grade video editing programs.
15. Speaking of videos, there are many times when you need to convert from one format to another. The best video transcoder out there IMHO is HandBrake.
16. Is there a Windows process that is causing spikes in your CPU or other problems. Use Process Explorer and Process Monitor to help diagnose the issue.
17. Work with PDF files a lot? Looking for a good PDF reader? My favorites are Foxit, Nitro PDF Reader, and PDF-XChange Editor.
18. If you want to create PDFs fast, there are a bunch of programs like CutePDF, PrimoPDF, Bullzip, PDF Creator, and lots more!
19. Switching topics, I’m sure you back up your computer regularly right? If not, you should check out Easeus Todo Backup, a free program that lets you backup and clone your hard drives. Another program is Paragon Backup.
20. If you just want to backup your data and not image your entire hard drive, you can use Google Backup and Sync to backup files and folders to your Google Drive storage.
21. Whether you know it or not, you probably have a bunch of duplicate files on your computer! It just happens. You can use Duplicate Cleaner to find and remove those duplicate files.
22. If you want to save more hard drive space, you should look into a program that will analyze hard disk space usage, like TreeSize. Other programs include Space Sniffer and WinDirStat.
23. Want to see every possible program or driver that loads when Windows starts? Check out Autoruns, which is a free tool from Microsoft.
24. Been looking for a good free photo editor lately? Check out GIMP, PhotoScape, Paint.NET, or Fotor! If you prefer an online photo editor, checkout Pixlr and BeFunky.
25. Looking for detailed information about the hardware on your computer. Look no further than HWiNFO. It can also analyze and monitor your system too.
26. If you’re not running Windows 10 or don’t like their default Mail app, you can check out Mozilla Thunderbird, which is still updated regularly.
27. Ever had to send a large file to someone, but your email client wouldn’t allow more than 10 to 20 MBs? You can share large files (up to 2GB for free) with friends and family using a program called WeTransfer. Other programs include DropSend and pCloud.
28. The popular notes app we all know is Evernote, but there are other great options like SimpleNote, Google Keep, and Notebook.
29. If you have an FTP server or a website, you will probably need a good FTP client program like WinSCP, the most popular these days. Other good options include FileZilla and CyberDuck.
30. If you’re paranoid about your data, you might want to encrypt it with a program like VeraCrypt or AxCrypt.
31. Are you a web developer or coder? Looking for a good HTML editor? There are quite a few: CoffeeCup, Visual Studio Express, Atom, Sublime Text, etc.
32. Want to learn more about the WiFi networks around you? Download WiFi Inspector or Acrylic WiFi Analyzer.
33. Ever wanted to create a family tree? Legacy is a free genealogy that you can use to keep track of family and relatives. Another good app is ScionPC.
34. If you constantly use the same programs over and over, it might be a good idea to download a quick program launcher. One of my favorites is Find and Run Robot.
35. OpenOffice is the most popular free Office suite, but there are other good ones like LibreOffice and WPS Office Free.
36. Ever wanted to automate a certain task in Windows? Maybe you want to have your computer turn off every day at 10pm? Or certain keystrokes you want to record and repeat over and over again? Whatever the case, AutoHotKey is an awesome program for automating many tasks in Windows.
37. I mentioned HWiNFO in #25, but if you want detailed info about your CPU and about the motherboard, then CPU-Z is a better option.
38. If you’re planning to overclock your CPU, then you should download Prime95 to make sure your system is stable. If you’re overclocking a GPU, check out MSI Afterburner.
39. Looking to secure your browsing traffic with a VPN? The best free VPN currently is TunnelBear, which restricts you to 500 MB of bandwidth.
40. In #14, I mentioned two professional and free movie editing programs, but they are quite complex. If you’re looking to create movies without such a learning curve, check out Shotcut, VSDC Free Video editor, and Avidemux.
41. Got kids? Need some parental control software? The best options are Qustodio and Kidlogger. Free versions are limited obviously. Also, read my post on the different ways to childproof a computer.
42. If you have a lot of music, you might want to consider a music management program like Media Monkey. Another good program is MusicBee.
43. I talked about a VPN for secure browsing in #39, but you can also use a different browser like Tor to hide your identify.
44. If you’ve recently bought a new computer, you can use a program called PC Decrapifier to get rid of all those useless programs that can come bundled with the PC and slow everything down.
45. After you have a computer for a while, there are always going to be programs that you don’t use anymore and that can be uninstalled. Revo Uninstaller will get rid of any program whether it wants to or not.
46. If you want to play some free games that aren’t Solitaire, download Steam. They have a whole free games section.
47. If you have sensitive data on your computer that you want to permanently and securely delete from your hard drive, I would suggest using a program called dBan.
48. Do a lot of reading? A great app for reading in Windows is the Kindle app. It will also sync down to your phone or tablet too.
49. Love using Instagram? Want to download a photo, video or story from Instagram? Check out 4K Stogram.
50. Looking for good screen capture software? A really good one is Screenshot Captor. Of course, Windows has a lot of built-in ways to capture screenshots too.
51. We’ve all heard of Skype and WhatsApp, but what about Viber? It’s another tool you can use to communicate with family and friends worldwide.
52. Ever wanted your computer to speak out what you have written? It’s called text-to-speech and there are a couple of good programs that do it: Balabolka, NaturalReader, and Panopreter.
53. Do you have a lot of programs that load when Windows starts? Does it take several minutes for your computer to become useable? If so, check out Startup Delayer, a program that delays the startup of programs so that your computer loads faster.
54. Do you need to create a presentation, but don’t have PowerPoint? In addition to the Office suites we mentioned in #35, you can also use Canva and Prezi.
55. Follow a lot of blogs online and still miss Google Reader? RSSOwl is a good alternative.
56. You’ve all probably heard of TeamViewer for remotely sharing your desktop, but you can also use Join.me.
57. Are you someone who prefers a supercharged Explorer interface? If so, check out Total Commander, which has been around for decades and works with Windows 10.
58. If you think you might have bad memory installed in your computer, you can check for bad memory using memtest86.
59. Want to record your screen and live stream it too? OBS Studio is a free app that does just that. TinyTake is another decent one, though the free version is limited.
60. Are you a professional photographer that needs tools like Lightroom, but don’t want to pay for a subscription? Darktable is an open-source photography workflow application.
61. Speaking of Adobe, are there any good Adobe Illustrator alternatives? Yes! One good one for working with vector graphics is Inkscape. Another good one is Vectr.
62. Are you someone who needs to write something, but gets distracted easily? Check out FocusWriter and write without distractions.
63. One of the worst things that can happen to your computer is for it to become infected with Spyware. HijackThis is an awesome program that you can use to find and remove spyware. However, it’s no longer active. Another good option is AdwCleaner.
64. On the topic of spyware, there are several other freeware programs like SUPERAntiSpyware, adaware, and SpyBot.
65. In addition to spyware and malware, there are also separate tools you can use to find rootkits like TDSSKiller, Sophos Rootkit scanner and Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit.
66. Finally, if you’re not able to detect anything while in Windows, a good idea is to run an offline virus scan. One good option is Windows Defender Offline.
67. If you ever need a free CD/DVD/Blu-ray disc burning program, check out CDBurnerXP. It also has a portable version you can run off your USB stick. Another good one is AVS Free Disc Creator.
68. If you ever need to burn an ISO image to a CD or DVD, then you should use a free program like ImgBurn.
69. Are you a true nerd and still use IRC? If so, HexChat is an excellent IRC client.
70. Ever run into the problem where you are trying to delete a file in Windows and it says that the file is in use and cannot be deleted? You can use Unlocker to delete any file that is locked by a process.
71. Are you always thinking about stuff? Then you should probably use some free mind-mapping software. Wikipedia also has a big list of mind-mapping software.
72. Need to manage a small project, but need some project management software? Check out GnattProject and Taiga.io.
73. If you want to play around with virtual machines, download the free and excellent VirtualBox from Oracle. It’s the safest way to browse and test new software.
74. In #19 and #20, I talked about software to backup your computer, but forgot to mention DriveImage XML, an good program you can use to create an image of your hard drive. Other good disk imaging tools include MacriumReflect and Clonezilla.
75. Need some accounting & finance software, but don’t trust the online tools like Mint and Quickbooks? GNUCash is free accounting and finance software.
76. Ever head of Blender? It’s a pretty amazing program and it’s free. It lets you create 3D worlds, 3D animations and 3D games. Check it out.
77. If Blender is too complex for you, another great option for sketching in 3D is SketchUp.
78. While we’re on the topic, FreeCAD is open-source parametric 3D CAD modeler.
79. For space lovers, I always recommend Stellarium, which is basically a planetarium for your computer.
80. Looking for a really good partition manager? Check out GParted, probably the best not-heard-of partition manager out there. Other good options include MiniTool Partition Wizard and EaseUs Partition Master Free.
81. Looking for a file on your computer? Default Windows search sucks? Well, why don’t you try out Everything, the best free Windows file search tool.
82. Wish your clipboard could store more than one item at a time? Well you should check out ClipX, ArsClip and Ditto clipboard, three cool clipboard manager programs.
83. DropIt is a nifty little Windows program that lets you “drop” files onto a folder, which will then process the file according to your settings.
84. Remote desktop is great for Windows computers, but for other platforms you’ll need something like TightVNC or UltraVNC.
85. Got a spare computer with some extra storage on it? You can turn it into a NAS device using a program called FreeNAS.
86. Since we’re talking about only Windows freeware programs, you might be interested in Disk2VHD, a program from Microsoft that will let you convert your current PC into a virtual machine that you can then load into Hyper-V.
87. Want to learn a new language? The best program for Windows in my view is Duolingo.
88. Ever had to split a large file into a couple of pieces? If so, check out GSplit, a nifty utility for splitting and re-joining files.
89. Been in a situation where you needed to compare two files and see the differences? WinMerge is a cool program that will let you compare and merge two files. It hasn’t been updated since 2013, but a new version should be coming this year.
90. Need to send ultra-private and secure messages from Windows? Your best option is Telegram Messenger.
91. Or what about merging multiple PDF files together? If so, check out PDFtk, a toolkit that lets you merge, split, and repair PDF files.
92. For the network geeks out there, you have to try Spiceworks at home to really monitor what’s happening on the network. For the really tech-savvy folks, get Wireshark.
93. Want to print something at your parents’ house from your house half-way across the country? Check out PrinterShare.
94. Worried that the data you have saved in the Cloud with Google, Microsoft, etc. can be hacked? Encrypt it all with Boxcryptor.
95. Ever needed to figure out the RGB value or hexadecimal value of a color that is on your computer screen? ColorPic is a nice utility that lets you determine the hexadecimal RGB color for anything on your screen.
96. If you have a lot of MP3 files, you probably need to edit the tags and metadata so that everything shows up properly in iTunes or your music manager app. You can use MP3tag or TagScanner to edit MP3 tags.
97. If you have more than one monitor, you can use a program like Dual Monitor Tools to customize each monitor to your liking.
98. Wish you could use Find My iPhone with all your other non-Apple devices? Prey might just be the answer.
99. One of the best ways to keep your computer secure is to make sure all the software is updated. SUMo does this for you. Other good options are FileHippo App Manager and Personal Software Inspector.
Whew! That was probably way more than a hundred freeware programs, but hope you enjoyed it. I’m sure there are lots of great programs I missed, so if you have a favorite freeware app, add it to the list via the comments. If you like the list, bookmark it! Enjoy!
