The title and topic sound old! No. A new Windows computer of any kind means you have an exciting opportunity to start customizing applications that will maximize the use of your device. When you buy a new Windows laptop, you need a checklist like essential apps to install on your Windows 10 PC to make the job easy. MacBook Pro no longer only high-quality laptop. In mid-2019, there are really many good laptops in the market, some of them have a touchscreen, no way closest to low resolution. Also, “Windows Subsystem for Linux” required to be installed configured, like Ubuntu Bash for using the unix and GNU tools. Developers need many applications in today’s world. The works are not just a simple point and click. Needless to say that most of the users need a sane browser. It is really difficult to say which are “essential apps” to fit all types of audience. Some are bloggers, some just use Facebook more, some are graphic designers. Also, the way we work significantly changing. Many of the users project their laptop screen on SmartTV. When you are faced with many excellent options, how do you select the best? Here are our suggestions on essential apps to get for your new Windows computer.
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Which Apps to Install on Your New Windows 10 Laptop
For the starters, the Microsoft Store is already full of apps optimized for a Windows computer which makes it more challenging to choose. Moreover, there is also an overwhelming array of choices outside the Microsoft Store to add to the mix. Chrome is a browser which probably you already downloaded.
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Antivirus, anti-malware applications
As Microsoft Windows is vulnerable to various exploits, make sure that some antivirus installed. Additionally, install the free version of Malwarebytes anti-malware app. Run both of them on a regular basis on safe-mode.
VPN and Virtual Private Network application
A significant amount of time you spend on your computer is dedicated to searching the internet and downloading content. A VPN is a useful device to bypass location censorships. It also helps mask your browsing history by using a private network as your gateway to the World Wide Web.
Your choices for reliable VPN services may be limited if you rely on the Microsoft Store alone. As such, you are likely going to search elsewhere for the best. Since a paid subscription is always a better route if you want optimum features, look for a service that is not only fast but has an extensive location coverage. Another helpful feature is a money-back guarantee in case you are sceptical that you will not get your money’s worth from the app.
General productivity applications
Microsoft Windows still lacks some essential apps like PDF reader (you can use Sumatra PDF or Adobe PDF reader). 9 years back, we wrote a guide to speed up Adobe PDF reader. We have not yet tested the trick with Windows 10.
WinZip, WinRAR, 7-ZIP are old popular apps for handling various types of compressed files and folders. Various torrent apps, cloud storage apps like Dropbox has been a choice of these days for backup and/or sharing.
Note-taking application
A note-taking app is quite useful for saving web pages, articles, and pictures so that you can read, organize, and share content more efficiently and mark with a stylus, write on the models with a touchscreen. Evernote and OneNote are two of the most popular note-taking applications available for Windows users. Evernote used to have a free plan which had enough useful features, but the developer added limitations to the free subscription which forces the user to pay to get complete access to the app’s all the features.
OneNote is a Microsoft app which means it is designed for your Windows computer. It is a cross-platform app perfect for individuals with multiple devices running at once. There are Android and iOS versions you can download on your device which you can sync with your computer.
Office suite application
Microsoft is extensively promoting the use of Office 365 via paid subscriptions, which means if you are looking for a free office suite app, it will be hard to come by in the Microsoft Store. An alternative you can use is Microsoft Office Online, which is less popular than Google Docs but still has some impressive features. Perhaps the best thing about it is the native support for all types of document formats in Microsoft.
Nevertheless, Google Docs is still a compelling choice if you prefer their interface for creating documents, spreadsheets, and file sharing for free. Many of the laptop models sell pre-installed Office suite. Libre Office is a free alternative to Microsoft office.
Media player apps
Although Windows has a media player, there are other apps available which offer a better user experience. For example, the VLC app is a favourite for many; it can play any video and music format, it can enhance the viewing quality even if your laptop or computer is not the most high-end model and we have a guide on VLC like playing the live video stream on VLC. Tweaking audio with VLC is a big topic itself.
Photo viewer apps
Windows ships with a basic photo viewer. ACDSee is an old, popular paid app for finer control the media files. Adobe does have a similar app but ACDSee is too great when your collection is too huge, needs tree view to quickly visually find a particular file or folder.
Graphics/photo editor apps
Adobe Photoshop subscription (includes 7 days free trial) is still the choice for heavier needs. Adobe Photoshop feels greater on a touchscreen laptop! However, there are completely free GIMP, Paint.NET which are far better than the paint app offered by Microsoft Windows.
Developer apps
Default Notepad bad than the worse. Notepad++ is an old good replacement for the same need. Sublime Text actually a free text editor. The Sublime Text actually has a lot of plugins and a lot of uses. Microsoft Visual Studio basic is a standard IDE. Arduino IDE is used by Arduino users. We already pointed towards “Windows Subsystem Linux” required to be installed configured, like Ubuntu Bash for using the unix and GNU tools. for the developers which have decreased the need for puTTY. FileZilla is standard FTP software.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing apps to install on a new Windows computer often depends on your lifestyle and needs. The few suggestions above are only some of the most popular and helpful apps most of the Windows users are likely going to use.
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