It’s a mobile world, but we haven’t completely given up on desktop computers yet. Real computing work (and a lot of gaming) requires a complete personal computing system. To get the most out of it, you need software.
The software can be expensive, but free programs have been the mainstay of the desktop experience for decades, and today’s offerings are powerful. You can find a wide variety of free audio and video editors, office suites, file utilities, organizers, photo converters, and more. To stay free, software developers can adopt an ad-based model, create donationware, or use a shareware/freemium model to charge for additional features.
To be included in this roundup, software must be obtained directly from the developer/creator/original publisher. It should (usually) have a Windows-based download – we don’t include browser extensions because we don’t all use the same browser. However, we offer a web-based application that is as good or better than most downloadable programs.
More requirements are included here: If the software is sold under a tiered model, the free version cannot be trialware; it must offer at least one lifetime free option. Preferably the program has been updated within the past year or two, and the program should have little or no advertising to support it.
Always watch out for crapware installers: To make a living, many great free software creators, or services that offer free program downloads, bundle something you don’t want – ie crapware. Worse, the installation steps are often obscure, so you may inadvertently give installation permissions to unwanted programs.
Related pro tip: Only download desktop software directly from the software manufacturer. It’s not foolproof — after all, developers want to eat too — but it’s helpful.
Did we miss any free programs you can’t live without? Let us know in the comments.
Best Free Audio/Video Software
bold
Windows， macOS， Linux
Open-source Audacity can record and edit audio files on more tracks than you can imagine. Then it outputs exactly what you need. It’s perfect for novices and professionals alike, on any desktop OS.
Handbrake (for Mac)
Windows， macOS， Linux
No one would call Handbrake simple, but it’s hard for any other video transcoder to compete in terms of features and comprehensiveness. Transcoding means conversion; Handbrake can convert almost any video format into another video format. It’s free, it’s open source, and it has years of practice.
shotgun cutting
Windows， macOS， Linux
While it lacks the slick interface found in most other video editors, Shotshot Cut has plenty of other powers that you don’t have to pay for them—you have nothing to lose, only time to experiment. You can undock panels while you work, customizing on-screen editing, which is useful in multi-monitor setups.
Stream Lab OBS
Windows, Web, iOS, Android
Stream your video games using the Logitech Streaming Labs Open Broadcast System (aka SLOBS) directly to YouTube, Twitch or Facebook. You can even switch between gameplay and webcam for some commentary. Due to the power it holds, there may be a learning curve, but you can find a lot of help online.
VLC media player
Windows， macOS， Linux， iOS， Android
The go-to way to watch almost any video, no matter the video’s odd codec, VLC media player has the ability to automatically rotate smartphone videos shot in the wrong orientation and resume playback from where it left off. Seriously, VLC plays anything on all desktop platforms and is guaranteed to be free of ads, tracking or spyware.
Best Free Communication Software
Discord
Windows， macOS， Linux， iOS， Android， Xbox， PlayStation
Millions of people around the world use Discord for text, voice chat, and video chat—mostly when kicking each other’s ass in online games or watching game streams on Twitch or caffeine. Even Microsoft wanted to buy it. You can pay a monthly ($9.99) or annual ($99.99) fee to get better video/audio quality and upload larger files.
team viewer
Windows， macOS， Android， iOS， browser
PCMag’s top pick for software that can control other computers is Team Viewer. Almost everything you need is free for personal use: desktop sharing, file transfer, and chatting with remote users. The setup couldn’t be easier. Control the remote computer via an internet connection, or use a browser (including Chrome OS) Team Viewer ( Ext. WARNING: Remote Access Tool can be misused, so do not open Remote Access Tool unless you are on the phone with someone who allows access .and make sure to close it when you’re done.
zoom meeting
Windows， macOS， Linux， web， iOS， Android
Want to host an online meeting for you and 100 of your closest friends? Zoom Meetings lets them all in for up to 40 minutes for free from any device, even a smartphone. Competitively priced premium plans with additional features are also available. Zoom, the winner of a PCMag Editor’s Choice Award, also made our list of the best tech products of 2021.
Best Free Writing and Design Software
Scribbs
Windows， macOS， Linux
Scribbs (opens in new window) is the open-source equivalent of Adobe InDesign for desktop publishing, or as close to it as possible. It has built-in color separations and management, and more, all for free.
Terrelby
Windows, Linux
Do you consider yourself a budding screenwriter but lack the funds for high-end tools like Final Draft? Terrellby does a great job of helping you format properly, remember character names, and import and export to the formats used by Hollywood.
yWriter
Windows, macOS, iOS
yWriter ‘s highly structured interface can help budding or seasoned novelists really grasp their story and the characters who may be trying to move beyond it. The program is filled with statistics on what you write, giving you a data-driven writing experience. The program doesn’t have the depth of Scrivener, but it does cost a lot less — it’s free, or you can make a donation.
Shakespeare
Windows, Mac OS
Pronounced as you might guess, Shakspier is like a simpler version of our top-rated Scribner, with a very useful “everyone” free tier, though pros might consider the $7.99 per month subscription with additional Functions. You get the full manuscript builder, world-building notebook, progress tracker, offline use and cloud backup for free.
