Recommended tools
Popular free software for everyday users
Use these tools for documents, PDFs, browsing, security, passwords, cloud backup, remote support, media and basic utilities. Download from official websites only.
LibreOffice
Free office suite for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
Best for: Home users, students and basic office work
Good free alternative, but complex Microsoft documents may need checking.
Visit official websiteONLYOFFICE
Free document editor with strong Microsoft Office compatibility.
Best for: Users who work with Word, Excel and PowerPoint files
Check licensing if used across a business environment.
Visit official websiteMicrosoft 365 Web Apps
Free web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Best for: Users with a Microsoft account and internet access
Requires internet and may have fewer features than paid Office.
Visit official websiteGoogle Docs
Free browser-based documents, sheets and presentations.
Best for: Collaboration and cloud-based document work
Requires a Google account and internet access.
Visit official websiteWPS Office Free
Free office suite for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
Best for: Basic home and office document work
Free version may show upgrade prompts or adverts.
Visit official website
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Official PDF reader from Adobe.
Best for: Opening and signing PDF documents
Decline optional extras if offered during installation.
Visit official websitePDF24
Free PDF creator, merger and converter.
Best for: Creating and combining PDFs
Use the official PDF24 site only.
Visit official websiteFoxit PDF Reader
Popular lightweight PDF reader.
Best for: Users who want an alternative PDF reader
Free version may promote paid features.
Visit official websitePDFsam Basic
Split, merge and rotate PDF files.
Best for: Combining and splitting PDF documents
Choose PDFsam Basic for the free desktop version.
Visit official website
Google Chrome
Popular web browser with strong website compatibility.
Best for: General browsing and Google services
Can use more memory on older computers.
Visit official websiteMozilla Firefox
Privacy-focused browser and solid Chrome alternative.
Best for: Older computers and users wanting more privacy
Some business portals may still prefer Chrome/Edge.
Visit official websiteMicrosoft Edge
Windows browser with Microsoft integration.
Best for: Windows and Microsoft 365 users
Already included on most Windows 10/11 devices.
Visit official websiteBrave Browser
Privacy-focused browser with built-in blocking features.
Best for: Users wanting cleaner browsing and less tracking
Some sites may need shields disabled if they do not load correctly.
Visit official website
Microsoft Defender
Built-in Windows security protection.
Best for: Most Windows 10/11 users
Keep Windows Update active for best protection.
Visit official websiteMalwarebytes Free
On-demand malware scanning and cleanup.
Best for: Second-opinion scans after suspicious activity
Free version is mainly on-demand scanning.
Visit official websiteBitdefender Free
Free antivirus protection from Bitdefender.
Best for: Home users needing basic antivirus
Check current free availability for your region.
Visit official websiteESET Online Scanner
One-time online malware scan.
Best for: Checking suspicious Windows computers
Not a replacement for full ongoing protection.
Visit official websiteVirusTotal
Checks suspicious files and links using multiple engines.
Best for: Checking a file or link before opening it
Do not upload private/confidential business files.
Visit official website
Bitwarden
Free password manager for secure passwords.
Best for: Home and small business users
Use a strong master password and enable two-factor authentication.
Visit official websiteProton Pass
Password manager from Proton.
Best for: Users who want privacy-focused account tools
Check free vs paid feature limits.
Visit official websiteKeePassXC
Offline password database manager.
Best for: Advanced users who want local password storage
You must back up your password database safely.
Visit official website
Google Drive
Cloud storage and file syncing.
Best for: Google account users
Free storage is limited.
Visit official websiteMicrosoft OneDrive
Microsoft cloud storage built into Windows.
Best for: Microsoft 365 and Windows users
Sync problems can happen if storage is full.
Visit official websiteDropbox Basic
Simple cloud storage and file sync.
Best for: Basic cloud backup and sharing
Free plan has limited storage.
Visit official websiteMEGA
Cloud storage with desktop sync.
Best for: Users wanting extra cloud storage options
Understand the free storage and transfer limits.
Visit official websiteSyncBackFree
Free backup and sync software.
Best for: Local backups to external drives
Set backup jobs carefully to avoid overwriting files.
Visit official website
AnyDesk
Remote desktop tool for support sessions.
Best for: Fast remote help sessions
Only allow access to trusted technicians.
Visit official websiteTeamViewer
Remote support and access tool.
Best for: Occasional remote support
Check personal vs commercial use rules.
Visit official websiteRustDesk
Open-source remote desktop tool.
Best for: Privacy-aware remote support users
Use only from the official website.
Visit official websiteChrome Remote Desktop
Google remote desktop tool through Chrome.
Best for: Simple remote access with Google account
Requires Chrome/Google account setup.
Visit official websiteMicrosoft Quick Assist
Microsoft remote assistance app.
Best for: Windows users needing help from a trusted person
Only share security codes with someone you trust.
Visit official website
VLC Media Player
Plays most video and audio files.
Best for: Opening media files without codec problems
Download only from VideoLAN.
Visit official websiteZoom
Video meetings and webinars.
Best for: Meetings and remote support calls
Keep it updated for security.
Visit official websiteMicrosoft Teams
Meetings, chat and Microsoft 365 collaboration.
Best for: Business and school communication
Best with Microsoft 365 accounts.
Visit official websiteWhatsApp Desktop
WhatsApp on Windows or Mac.
Best for: Messaging customers from a computer
Use the official WhatsApp app only.
Visit official websiteOBS Studio
Free recording and streaming software.
Best for: Screen recording and basic streaming
Needs setup for audio/video sources.
Visit official website7-Zip
Free archive and compression tool.
Best for: Opening ZIP, 7Z and archive files
Use the official 7-Zip website.
Visit official websiteWinRAR
Archive manager with a trial/free evaluation model.
Best for: Opening RAR files
WinRAR is not fully free; check licensing.
Visit official websiteCCleaner Free
Cleanup utility for temporary files.
Best for: Basic cleanup on older PCs
Use cautiously; avoid aggressive registry cleaning.
Visit official websiteRecuva
Deleted-file recovery tool.
Best for: Recovering deleted files quickly
Stop using the drive before recovery.
Visit official websiteCrystalDiskInfo
Checks hard drive and SSD health.
Best for: Detecting failing drives
Backup immediately if health warnings appear.
Visit official websiteSpeccy
Shows computer hardware information.
Best for: Checking specs before upgrades
Use official source only.
Visit official websiteNotepad++
Advanced text editor.
Best for: Editing text, logs and code files
Excellent for technicians and power users.
Visit official websitePaint.NET
Simple image editing software.
Best for: Basic photo and graphic editing
Use official download options.
Visit official websiteGIMP
Free image editing program.
Best for: Advanced image editing
More powerful but has a learning curve.
Visit official website
