Whether you're setting up a brand-new laptop or refreshing an older one, having the right software can dramatically enhance your productivity, creativity, security, and entertainment. With countless tools available, it can be tough to choose what's truly useful. That’s why we’ve curated this comprehensive list of must-have software, carefully categorized by functionality from system utilities and creative tools to developer essentials and learning platforms. Most of these are free or open-source, and they cater to a wide range of use cases.
System Utilities & Performance
CCleaner
CrystalDiskInfo
HWMonitor
BatteryCare
Everything
PowerToys
TeraCopy
Productivity & Office
LibreOffice / OnlyOffice
Notion
Obsidian
Evernote / OneNote
Google Keep / Tasks
Calibre
Security & Privacy
Bitwarden
Malwarebytes
ProtonVPN / Windscribe
GlassWire
Veracrypt
Browsing & Internet Tools
Firefox / Brave
uBlock Origin
JDownloader 2
qBittorrent
Rclone / Syncthing
Communication & Collaboration
Zoom / Google Meet / Microsoft Teams
Slack / Discord / Telegram
Thunderbird
Programming & Development
Visual Studio Code
Sublime Text / Notepad++
Git & GitHub Desktop
Postman
Docker Desktop
Arduino IDE / PlatformIO / ESP-IDF
Creative & Design Tools
GIMP
Inkscape
Darktable
Krita
Blender
Media Players & Management
VLC Media Player
MPV
MusicBee / foobar2000
Plex / Jellyfin
Gaming & Entertainment
Steam / Epic Games / GOG Galaxy
MSI Afterburner
Razer Cortex
Playnite
RetroArch
Learning & Research
Anki
Zotero / Mendeley
Coursera / Udemy Desktop Apps
ReadEra
Automation & Scripting
AutoHotkey
Alfred (macOS)
IFTTT / Zapier
Desktop Enhancement
Rainmeter (Windows)
Lively Wallpaper / Wallpaper Engine
F.lux / Redshift
Backup & Recovery
Macrium Reflect
Rescuzilla / Clonezilla
SyncBackFree
Miscellaneous Must-Haves
ShareX
7-Zip / PeaZip
Ditto
Greenshot
Cloud Storage Tools
Google Drive / Dropbox / OneDrive / MEGA
pCloud / Sync.com
Cryptomator
Having the right set of tools can transform your laptop into a true powerhouse whether you're a student, developer, designer, gamer, or casual user. From streamlining day-to-day tasks and staying organized, to safeguarding your privacy and optimizing system performance, each of these tools brings value in its own way. Best of all, most are free, open-source, or come with generous free tiers.
