Microsoft Office - Microsoft Office 365 Software Microsoft Office is undoubtedly one of the most popular software suites for PC (and Mac) users. Offering a whole suite of productivity programs – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, among others – Microsoft Office is useful for students, businesses, families, and just about everyone else. Microsoft Office offers a number of upfront and subscription-based pricing plans. We recommend Microsoft Office 365, which has a ton of benefits over traditional Office products. You can read more about 365 in our article 9 Reasons to Upgrade to Microsoft Office 365 Today. Extremely useful productivity apps Link: www.microsoft.com
Adobe Reader If you ever need to open and read PDF files – which you most likely will at some point or another – you’ll need a specialised program. Adobe Reader is the most popular PDF reader for Windows computers. It’s easy to use, and has fantastic functionalities; you can open, create, and edit Page. Link: get.adobe.com
Avast Free Antivirus Avast Free Antivirus All Windows computers are at risk of malware attacks. Installing a good-quality antivirus software should be at the top of your to-do list when you purchase a new computer. Avast Free Antivirus is a great place to start. It’s free, intuitive, and pretty effective. Of course, free software won’t give you the level of security offered by higher-grade software, but it’s certainly better than nothing. Link: www.avast.com
VLC Media Player VLC is unarguably one of the best video players for Windows. Why? It plays just about every video file format known to man. Whether you’re catching up on your favourite TV series, or revisiting old home movies, VLC will get the job done. Link: www.videolan.org
CCleaner CCleaner CCleaner removes temporary and other unnecessary files from your system which could be negatively impacting your computer’s performance. Again, CCleaner is fast, free, and simple to use, and is a great tool for keeping your device in top condition. Do be aware, once your files are deleted by CCleaner, they are gone for good. Link: www.piriform.com
Adobe Flash Player Adobe Flash is essential for anyone who wants to watch video or play games online. Without it, even sites like YouTube won’t function properly. Link: get.adobe.com/flashplayer
Skype Skype for Windows Connect with colleagues, friends, and family via your Windows computer with Skype. Skype is a popular video call and conferencing software ideal for both personal and business use. Link: www.skype.com
Dropbox or Google Drive Cloud storage is becoming more and more popular with computer users, and two of the leading providers are Dropbox and Google Drive. Cloud storage allows you to open and work on your files from any internet-connected device, anywhere in the world. It also makes sharing files quick and easy – say goodbye to huge email attachments! Link: www.google.com/drive/pricing and www.dropbox.com
Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox Most of us choose not to use Internet Explorer, Windows’ built-in web browser. Instead, we download either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox – the two most popular browsers in the world. Google Chrome is fast and sleek, and offers an attractive, minimalist browsing experience. Mozilla Firefox is incredibly stable and secure. You should be happy with either option. Link: www.google.com/chrome and www.mozilla.org
WinRAR If you need to create or open compressed .zip, RAR, and other files, WinRAR is your best bet. While this isn’t necessary for everyone, of you tend to download or upload large files, it could come in handy. Link: www.win-rar.com