Essential Stuff for Windows

These are some of the software that I found useful from my time using Windows. Added bonus is that all of them are free and barring some exceptions FOSS. Even though I highly recommend everyone to use Linux, I’m pretty sure that it’s not a viable solution for many out there. So here they are :

  1. VCRedist

All in one Visual C++ Redistributables. You’ll need it along the road so its better to install it all early.

  1. DirectX Redist (D3D9,D3D10,D3D11,XInput 1.3), (Alternate Link)

Want to play old games? (From 2002-03 onwards) You’ll need this. First link is from Guru3D and the second one is from Microsoft. Both files are same though.

  1. JPEGView

Amazing image viewer. Lightweight and Lightyears faster than the garbage that is Default Windows Photos App.

  1. mpv

Best Video Player in existence. F**k VLC. Fight me.

  1. Everything

A better search tool for Windows.

  1. 7-zip

Don’t use WinRAR, It’s a meme.

  1. QBittorrent

For you know ‘downloading stuff’. Basically μTorrent minus the Cryptominer and shady stuff.

  1. Sharex

When you want to screenshot and record gifs. Windows Snip tool is fine for most use cases.

  1. OBS Studio

Screen Recorder.

Could be useful/Niche

  1. WinCDEmu

For mounting ISO files. Alternative for stuff like PowerDVD and Daemon Tools.

  1. Handbrake

Video Encoder.

  1. GIMP

Photoshop but free.

  1. darktable

Lightroom but free.

  1. Krita

For drawing stuff.

  1. Natron

AfterEffects but free.

  1. AIMP

Winamp but not dead.

  1. Inkscape

Vector Drawings.

  1. Universal Watermark Disabler

When “Activate Windows”.

  1. Keypirinha

Spotlight but for Windows.