· Download.com is the mother of all software download websites. It’s the oldest of its type and was established about 14 years ago. This site is owned by CNet, one of the biggest names in Technology News and Products reviews on the Internet.
FileHippo is one my favorite freeware download website. It offers freeware as well as shareware.It also offers the FileHippo Update Checker, a small program that scans your computer for installed software from the FileHippo site and suggests available updates for it. Keeping computer software updated is an important step in keeping your computer secure. The FileHippo update checker helps you helps you do that with ease.
ZDNet’s Software Directory is the Web’s largest library of software downloads. Covering software for Windows, Mac, and Mobile systems, ZDNet’s Software Directory is the best source for technical software. They list both Freeware and Shareware downloads.
Softpedia is a Romanian website that indexes information and provides downloads for software. The site also indexes major technology, science, health, and entertainment news.Software categories are arranged hierarchically and are modeled after Windows filesystem paths, such as “C: > Mobile Phone > Tools > Nokia.” Users can sort by criteria such as the date of the last update, the number of downloads, or the rating. There are three viewing modes, normal, freeware, or shareware, which allows users to screen out certain types of software.
Tucows (originally an acronym for The Ultimate Collection Of Winsock Software, a name which has long since been dropped) . It has a popular website directory of shareware, freeware, and demo software packages available to download.A system of mirror sites are maintained to allow the traffic to the site to be distributed among several world-wide server locations. Tucows has software for many major computer platforms including Windows, Linux and Macintosh, and also older versions of Windows (most notably the Windows 3.x series). They also cover web-based Apps and Services.
FreewareFiles, as the name indicates a website dedicated to Freeware software and have a number of Open Sources programs listed. They have over 15800 freeware programs available for download on their website. The programs are arranged in categories and it’s quite easy to navigate and find the ones you are looking for.
MajorGeeks is here to help you get the most out of your computer mainly by offering tools to the beginner or advanced user. It was previously known as TweakFiles in 1997, but since have been renamed. This site is run and maintained by 2 friends Jim and Tim, and their excellent sense of humor gives this site a more personal touch.Many of the files found here give you a nice interface and even explain things for you in simple terms. Many do not even make modifications until you apply them.The files provided for download are checked for quality before they are posted. This simply means every program is checked to be sure it basically does what it promises and is spyware and virus free. MajorGeeks has an excellent user community who help new users with computer issues as well as keep a tab on irregularities in software.
SnapFiles is another veteran download website. Established in 1997 it has a huge software collection and was previously known as WebAttack, but they have now rebranded as SnapFiles. Good move, since WebAttack sounds more like a hackers website(just kidding). You can still access Snapfiles from webattack.com.
FileCluster is one of the newer download websites. It’s established in 2006 and has since provided visitors with the latest and updated software. The site provides both Freeware and Shareware programs. They also list WordPress Themes and Latest News about Software Companies.
GearDownload is another new site on the block with a decent software collection. They might not be the biggest website in this niche, but have carved out a name for themselves because of regular updates. Geardownload also checks all uploaded files for Malware and only clean files are approved for download.
Soft32 was established in 2003 and since has updated its software directory regularly. It covers freeware and shareware software for Windows, Mac and Linux along with Mobile/PDA and has a special iPhone apps section.It has a repository of 87587 programs, and features a Windows forum for getting help with Windows OS issues.
Softonic was established in 1997 and is Europe’s leading software download site with more than 105,000 freeware, shareware and trial version software titles available with reviews written in Spanish, German, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese and Polish.The English language portal was launched in November 2005.Softonic International is committed to offering the latest software for all users, on all platforms, with reviews in the world’s most popular languages. One of the cool features of Softonic is a unique software comparison tool that allows you to evaluate multiple programs side-by-side.
Freewarehome is a download site dedicated to freeware downloads only. No Shareware programs are listed. It has an old school design with navigation menu in the left frame and the details in the right frame.The programs are listed in categories and the navigation is easy to understand.FREEWAREHOME-Update – It seems this site has been infected by malware after a hacking attempt. We have removed the link to this website, until we receive a confirmation that the website is safe to visit. I’d advice you to be cautious while downloading any software from this site.
Freedownloadcenter was established in 2001 and is another site with an old school design. It has over 30000 software titles to download. They list both Freeware and Shareware downloads, which are neatly categorized which makes it easy for visitors to find and download the required software.
All the sites that we have listed before this focus mainly on Windows software. Open Source Mac is a simple list of the best free and open source software for Mac OS X. The site isn’t trying to be a comprehensive listing of every open-source mac app, instead they try to showcase the best, most important, and easiest to use.
Your computer's BIOS - Basic Input/Output System - is a chip on the motherboard which contains enough information to allow it to start up before the main operating system begins to load. Here's everything you need to know about how to update a PC BIOS, whether traditional or the newer UEFI standard.
When you should update a PC's BIOS
Before you start, heed this warning: if something goes wrong during the BIOS update, your computer could be rendered useless. If there's a power cut, or the computer gets turned off while updating, it could mean that it's unable to boot at all.
For this reason, it's worth checking whether you really need to update your BIOS. Read the release notes of the latest version (and each version back to the one currently installed) to see whether it will add the features you need or fix a problem you're having. If not, there may be little point in taking the risk by updating.
Sometimes you will need to update the BIOS in order for the motherboard to properly support a new processor or other hardware, or to fix bugs and improve stability or performance.
In most cases, nothing will go wrong at all, but it's important to know that there's an associated risk and not to treat the process too lightly.
How to update the BIOS
It's good to have a spare copy of all important files from your PC before you start. Though a failed BIOS update doesn't endanger the data on your hard drive directly, you will be able to access your files and continue working with them on another PC or Laptop without delay if you have a backup on a removable drive.
Similarly, creating a backup of your BIOS is also a good idea. Sometimes this will be done automatically as part of the updating process, but if it requires you to do it manually, be sure not to skip this step.
Step 1: Identify the make and model of your motherboard
The easiest way is to look in the user manual of your mainboard. Additionally, the full model name –such as P5E3 Deluxe – is usually found somewhere on the board itself. It’s important to get the full name as there are ususally subtly different versions. Plus, you should note down the revision number – for example REV 1.03G as it may require a different BIOS file to previous revisions.
If you have a laptop, you need only to find the make and exact model of the machine itself.
Step 2: Find out the current BIOS version
Identifying your BIOS version is easy: hold down the Windows key+ R to bring up the Run command prompt and type in msinfo32. In the System Information window which appears, select System summary on the left and look for the entry BIOS Version/Date on the right.
S tep 3: Download the latest BIOS file
Head to the motherboard or laptop manufacturer's website and look for a support link. You should be able to search for the model and see a list of available downloads, which might include manuals, drivers and BIOS files.
If a BIOS update is indeed among them, it‘s time to check the numbers: Did you type in the name of your mainboard correctly? Is the update newer than your current version? And if so, does it state that your specific problem will be addressed in the documentation? If everything applies, upgrading your BIOS is likely a worthwhile idea.
Most update packages consist of a flash program which is responsible for the setup and the actual BIOS-Update, often accompanied by a text file of some sort detailing the release notes.
At this point, it's well worth reading any instructions on the manufacturer's website about the exact updating process for your BIOS. They do vary, and you may need to configure some things before starting the update process, such as disabling secure boot modes and fast boot modes.
Step 4: Updating in Windows
These days it's common to download an executable file which runs in Windows and updates the BIOS with only a couple of clicks. The process is automatic and doesn't require you to type any commands at a prompt.
However this isn't always the case, even for new motherboards or laptops, and it's possible that you will have to create a bootable CD or USB drive and copy the files to that. Even if the BIOS update is designed to be run from a floppy disk you can usually use a USB flash drive, but you may need to first enter the BIOS to tell it to boot from the CD or USB drive instead of the hard drive. Typically you won't need to as a PC or laptop will be set up to look for a removable disc or drive before trying to boot from the hard drive. Alternatively, look for a 'Press F10 for boot options' or similar as your computer is starting to bring up a list of drives.
Step 5: How to make a bootable USB drive
Update the BIOS with a USB flash drive
To make a USB drive bootable, you will need a utility such as Rufus or Unetbootin. You will need a ISO image as well, and FreeDOS is the most appropriate for installing BIOS updates. Once you have the bootable drive, copy all necessary BIOS and update utility files onto it which you downloaded from the manufacturer's website
Step 6: Performing the BIOS update
In Windows
To begin with the update proper, start up the Live Update utility of your respective manufacturer – in our case Asus Update. As mentioned in step 6, you often get the option of doing a backup of your BIOS beforehand. Look for an entry along the lines of "Save current BIOS data" and select a folder of your choice to store it in. If something happens to go awry during the updating process, refer to step 10 for instructions on how to use it.
To download the update, you will now need to look for an option that has a similar name to "Update BIOS from the Internet" and click on it. If the default server does not respond, you can usually find an "Auto Select" option nearby to switch to another one. In the unlikely event that a newer version of your updating software is available, you will likely be required to download it first, so don't worry about that. After finding a newer version of your BIOS software, download it and click on "Update BIOS from a file" to select it for the process. Depending on your updating utility, you might arrive at a final page that compares the information of your old BIOS version with the new one – this is your last chance to check of everything is in order. If you are absolutely positive to start to process, click on "Update" or "Flash". After the process is done, reboot your PC for the changes to take effect.
In DOS
It's finally time to use that USB stick or floppy disk that has been prepared in step 3 and 4. Insert it into the USB port or floppy drive and turn your PC on. If you have adjusted your boot sequence accordingly as described in step 7, your PC should load it up automatically, resulting in the display of a DOS prompt. Enter the name of the flash tool – in the case of an Award-BIOS "awdflash" – and press Enter. The flash tool should now give out some information about your BIOS-ID and the age of the build. First, take a look around and evaluate your options at the lower area of the screen. If you can, create a backup of your BIOS before continuing on (usually with the B-key). Otherwise, select the file you wish to update your BIOS with, wait for it to compatibility analysis to finish and confirm the updating process.
In the BIOS
Instead of booting from DOS, enter the BIOS UI instead and search the menu for an option like "EZ Flash 2" (try the tools section). Conveniently, the installation assistant provided is usually quite similar, if not identical to the one in DOS, so just refer to the above section for guidance.
Step 7: Check BIOS settings
Once the flashing tool has successfully finished updating, you can theoretically restart your PC immediately and resume working with the new BIOS. However, we recommend checking some things first.First, enter the BIOS using the appropriate key, which should be displayed during boot up. Check the main settings to ensure the date and time are correct, that the boot order is how you want it, and make sure everything else looks correct. Don't worry too much about the advanced settings unless you experience any problems. If you noted down your previous BIOS settings or know them by heart, configure them accordingly. Make sure to save your changes before exiting again.
Checking the drivers
More often than not, the point of a BIOS update is improved hardware compatibility. Consequently, after applying the update, Windows is usually confronted with a number of previously unknown devices at once. To check if all drivers have been installed correctly, take a look at Device Manager in the Control Panel. If there are any yellow exclamation marks left, it's best to check for appropriate drivers manually. Make sure your processor is showing correctly, with the right number of cores.
Step 8: The update has failed – what now?
In spite of every precaution and safety measure, the update can still fail - whether it be due to unexpected incompatibility issues, an unfortunate blackout or the cat walking on the keyboard. Here's what to do: If still functional, do not turn your PC off. This applies to both DOS and Windows: Close the flash updating tool and restart the updating process anew to see if it works. If you made a backup of the BIOS, you can try selecting that file to isntall instead of the newer one. Some motherboards have a backup BIOS, so you may be able to restore the information from that: check your manual or instructions online for how to do it.
In case that doesn't do the trick you may want to try contacting the manufacturer of your mainboard. They will propably either ask you to send the BIOS chip in directly or redirect you to a hardware specialist who can reprogram it back to factory default. Unfortunately, this it unlikely to be cheap.
Alternatively, it is also worth checking out whether or not the manufacturer sells its BIOS chips directly over an online shop, which more often than not turns out to be much cheaper. An example for ASUS mainboards can be found here. BIOS Motherboard Software Dowloads
AAEON
Abit (USA)
Acorp
Acma
Acqutek
Acrosser
Adastra Systems
Advance Creative (DTK;currently down)
Advanced Logic Research (Gateway)
Advantech
Advantech (Taiwan)
Amax
Amax (Hong Kong)
Amptron
A-Open
A-Open (Taiwan)
Arima
Aristo
Arvida (Seanix)
AST (before 2/99)
Asus (USA)
Asus (Taiwan)
Atrend (Taiwan)(??)
Atrend(FTP)(??)
Atrend (2nd FTP; timed out)
Azza
Azza (Taiwan)
B
BCM Advanced Research
Biostar Europe
Biostar Group (USA)
BioStar (Taiwan)
Biostar (manuals)
BoardRunner (dud)
C
Caliber Computer Corp
California Graphics
Chaintech
Champion-First
Chicony (Notebooks only)
Clevo (slow)
Commate
Compaq
Concord (AVT)
Cybernet Manufacturing
CompuTrend Systems
Cycle Computer (currently down)
D
DataExpert
Dell
Deskstation Technology
Diamond (Micronics)
Diamond Flower (DFI USA)
Digicom Group
Digital(currently down)
Domex (Taiwan)
Domex (USA; use Wayback)
DTK(try Wayback)
DTK (Taiwan)
E
Eagle (Espco Comp.)
ECS
ECS (PC Wave)
EDOM Int.l Corp (try Wayback)
EFA Corp.
EliteGroup (ECS) (Taiwan)
Elite Group (USA)
Elpina (Site GONE)
ENPC (currently down)
EPoX
Epson
Eupa Computer (Domain Expired)
Eurone
Eurone (Taiwan)
Expert Computer Int.
F
Famous Technology
Fastfame
FIC USA (1st Int'l Computer)
Fine-Pal Company Ltd.
Flexus
Freetech
Flytech
G
Gainward
Gateway 2000
Gemlight (currently down)
Giga-Byte Technology
Global Circuit Technology (try Wayback)
GVC
H
Heisei
Hewlett Packard
HOLCO (Shuttle)
Hongfaith (Gemlight)
Hope Vision (try Wayback)
Houston Technologies (try Wayback)
Hsin Tech
I
IBM
Impression Products, Inc.
Industrial Computers (try Wayback)
INSIDE Technology(try Wayback)
Intel
IWill Corp. (Taiwan)
Iwill (USA)
J
Jamicon (Kaimei)
Jaton Jaton (Europe)
J-Mark (Jet)
J.Bond (site gone)
Jetway
Jetway(Taiwan)
JDR (2 The Max)
K
Kam-Tronic (try Wayback)
Kam-Tronic (Megastar; use Wayback)
Kapok
Koutech/Kouwell
L
Lanner Electronics
LAN Plus
Leadtek
Legend (QDI)
Leo Systems (currently down) Lucky Star
M
M Technology (currently down)
Magic Pro
Magic-Pro (Famous Technology)
Matsonic
Matsonic (Eurone)
Maxtium
Megatel
MegaStar (currently down)
Megatrends
Mega System
Micron Electronics
Micronics (personalpage)
Micronics(Diamond)
Micro Star (MSI)
Microway
Midwest Micro-Tek
Mitac
Mitac (Taiwan)
Mitsuba (sex site)
Modcomp
Motorola
MPL
MSI (Micro Star)
Mycomp/TMC
Mylex
Mynix (currently down)
N
NewStar Tech
Niagra Technology
NEC (Packard Bell)
NewStar Engineering
NMC (try Wayback)
Nucleus Electronics
O
Ocean Office Automation(Octek)
Ocean Int'l (USA)
Omnibyte
Opti
P
Packard Bell(NEC)
PC Chips
PC Wave (PC Chips)
PC-Partner
PC Ware / PC Max / PC Quest /
Pep Modular Computers
Phytec
Pine Group
Pine Support
Pine USA
Portwell
Powercolor
Predator (APC)
Premio PC
Pride (Freetech)
Procomp
ProTech
Promise Technology
Pronix (Epox)
Q
QDI
QDI USA
QDI Computer (Europe)
R
RadiSys
Recortec
RIAS Corp (Atrend)
Rioworks
Rise (Mtech)
Rise Computer Inc. (Taiwan)
S
Samtec
SBS
Seanix
See Thru Data Systems (try Wayback)
Servex (Australia)
Servex (not much!)
Shuttle (Spacewalker)UK
Shuttle Silicon Integrated Systems (SIS)
S-MOS Systems (Epson)
Soltek
Sonic/Concord (try Wayback)
Sono (try Wayback) Sono (Canada)
Sowah Group
Soyo Computer (Taiwan)
SuperMicro
Super Tek (try Wayback)
T
TandexBR> Taken (try Wayback)
Tatung (Taiwan)
Tatung (USA)
Tekram
Tempustech Inc
Texas Micro
TMC (Taiwan MyComp)
Transcend
TriGem
Tripod Technology
Tyan
U V
USI
US Logic
Vextrec (now nudies; try Wayback)
VOBIS Germany
VOBIS Netherlands
Vtech/PC Partner
VTI (now nudies; try Wayback)
VIP
W
Wedge Technology (try Wayback)
Warpspeed (try Wayback)
Winco Electronic Co. Ltd. (no info)
X Y Z
Chipset company
Motherboard company
Drivers page
Drivers and BIOS page
2 The Max (JDR)
Office Suite
1. Libre Office – Libre Office is a great free alternative to Microsoft Office, and it packs all the office tools you’d ever need for your office tasks.
2. Calligra – Calligra Office Suite includes all the office tools including a word processor, a spreadsheet processor, and a presentation maker to help you with your office tasks. In addition to that it also has a visual database creator that helps you create databases on your PC.
3. SoftMaker FreeOffice – SoftMaker FreeOffice is free for both personal and professional use and is a complete office suite to match all your office task requirements.
4. WPS Office Personal Edition – This one is the perfect multi-language office suite solution for your officemanagement. In addition to office tools, it has PDF tools to help you work with the PDF files on your PC.
5. Zoho Docs – Zoho Docs is a cloud-based office suite that has a word processor, a spreadsheet maker, and a presentation maker to help with your tasks.
6. Google Docs – Google Docs is Google’s online office suite, and it’s a widely used tool for personal use as well as professional. And it’s free, too.
Note-Taking Apps
7. Evernote – Evernote is a great note-taking app that helps you jot down your thoughts in the form of notes and save them online to be accessed from any of the supported devices.
8. OneNote – Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking app that helps you give a shape to your ideas when you jot them down in this app.
9. Google Keep – Google Keep is Google’s note-taking app which is simple yet powerful. You can create notes like sticky notes and drag them around your screen to place them in various categories.
10. Apple Notes – Apple Notes is a note-taking app that works in the cloud and helps you access your notes on all your devices including your Windows PC.
Web Browsers:
11. Google Chrome – Google Chrome is one of the most popular web browsers available, and it has a number of features as well as extra features that can be added using extensions.
12. Mozilla Firefox – Firefox is also one of the more popular web browsers, and it comes with many great features, plus it has its own add-ons repository for you to add new features to it.
13. Vivaldi – Vivaldi is a browser that makes you fall in love with it, as it’s super customizable and powerful and has features like notes to take notes while on a webpage, web panels for side-by-side viewing, and support for mouse gestures.
14. Maxthon – Maxthon is a cloud-based browser that claims to be the fastest browser available for many of the popular devices including Windows PCs.
15. Yandex Browser – Yandex Browser is a secure and quick browser alternative to the other popular browsers available in the market. It’s faster because it has turbo mode that gets enabled when your Internet speed slows down so you don’t suffer.
Media Players
16. VLC Media Player – With support for dozens of file formats, the VLC Media Player is your go-to media player for playing all your media files. It comes at no cost and plays almost all the file formats.
17. KMPlayer – KMPlayer is a freeware tool that helps you play a number of media file formats on your PC including the CD and DVD formats. It comes with 36 different languages if you’d prefer to have it in your native language.
18. SMPlayer – SMPlayer is an open-source media player that comes with the most codec for you to be able to play all the formats of media files on your PC. It also allows you to watch YouTube videos and download and use subtitles for your files.
19. Potplayer – Potplayer plays almost all types of media formats as it supports OpenCodec where you can add your own codec whenever you want. It uses hardware acceleration to provide users with a smooth media playing environment.
File Compression
20. WinRAR – WinRAR helps you extract a number of archive formats including ZIP and RAR on your computer. The software also lets you see files inside an archive before you actually extract the files. It’s a popular software, and you should definitely get it on your computer.
21. jZip – jZip lets you create, open, and extract all the major formats of archives on your PC. It also supports the disk image format ISO to be extracted on your computer.
22. IZArc – IZArc helps you zip and unzip files and also helps you encrypt your files so that no unauthorized person can access them. It supports 7-ZIP, RAR, TAR and many other formats for extraction.
23. PeaZip – PeaZip is an open-source archive extraction utility built for Windows and Linux machines. The utility helps you extract RAR, TAR, and ZIP files and also helps you encrypt them for better security.
Instant Messaging
24. Telegram – Telegram is a really great alternative to WhatsApp, and it has native apps for many of the popular platforms including Windows. The app lets you send and receive messages from your contacts, and it also helps you interact with the bots.
25. Viber – If you’re looking for free and good quality voice and video calls, then Viber is a great choice for you, as it has all these features plus the feature for texting your friends. A native app is available for Windows OS.
26. Line – Line is for free calls and messages, and one great thing it has is a vast collection of stickers that you can send in your chats with your friends.
27. Nimbuzz – Nimbuzz has been on the market for years and is a tool that helps you make free calls and chats. It also supports group chats for you to collaborate on a project together with others.
Email Clients
28. Mailbird – Mailbird lets you bring all your email accounts to one place and manage them all from there so that you don’t need to go to multiple places to manage your multiple email accounts.
29. Inky – Inky is designed especially for encrypted and digitally signed emails so that they remain secure while they are transmitted through the Internet. It works with most email types and is a good email client for your daily use.
30. Claws Mail – It’s a user-friendly email client that claims to be faster and more lightweight than any other email client. It’s easily configurable, and you can get going with it in a matter of seconds.
31. Opera Mail – Opera Mail is a lightweight and customizable email client for Windows PC. The software makes it really easy for you to read your emails, label them however you want, and also do filtering to get to the emails you actually want to read.
Torrent Managers
32. BitTorrent – BitTorrent is one of the most popular torrent client available with support for torrents as well as magnet links. It also supports playing media files directly from the torrent which is an exclusive feature for Windows users.
33. qBittorrent – qBittorrent is a free alternative to uTorrent that was built by developers in their spare time and has all the standard features that you expect from a torrent client.
34. Deluge – Deluge, as the company says, is a feature-rich BitTorrent client for popular operating systems. It has GTK+, the Web, and console interfaces for its users.
35. BitLord – BitLord is the easiest way to download torrents and to also stream them on your PC. It has the playlist feature for you to keep your torrents in order and also lets you read and write comments for the torrents.
Anti-Spyware and Anti-Virus
36. Malwarebytes – Malwarebytes keeps your PC safe from harmful threats and makes sure you always have a secure environment on your PC.
37. AdwCleaner – AdwCleaner helps you clean Adware and Toolbars from your PC that have been installed by other software on your computer. It’s a must-have tool if your PC has a lot of toolbars and adware, and you want to get rid of all it.
38. Kaspersky TDSSKiller – Kaspersky TDSSKiller is an anti-rootkit tool that lets you remove rootkits from your PC. Root-kits are utilities that help malware hide on your PC.
39. Norton Power Eraser – Norton Power Eraser is a virus removal tool that detects viruses that cannot be found by other anti-virus tools and helps you remove them from your PC.
40. USB Disk Security – A well-known source of threats is a USB drive, and USB Disk Security helps you keep your PC safe from infections that could come from plugging a USB drive into your computer.
41. Avira – Avira has won awards for being a good anti-virus and helps you remove and stay safe from malware and spyware on your PC.
42. Panda – Panda is an anti-virus that helps you protect your computer from various kinds of spyware and viruses.
FTP Clients
43. Cyberduck – Cyberduck is a popular FTP client that helps you connect to your FTP server and upload and remove files to and from the server.
44. WinSCP – WinSCP is an FTP client and supports both normal FTP and secure FTP connections for you to upload and download files from an FTP server. It focuses on the security of the files that are being exchanged.
45. CoreFTP – CoreFTP has tons of features like FTP, SFTP, SSL, TLS, site-to-site transfers, and so on. It also supports drag and drop of files and file view and editing for you to interact with your files.
46. FOFF – FOFF is an acronym for Free Open FTP Face which is an open-source FTP client written in Python for Windows PCs. The client has a built-in terminal, a text and image viewer, and a media player.
Password Managers
47. LastPass – LastPass is a great password manager for Windows. Not only does it save passwords for you, but it also helps you auto fill forms on websites and generate random passwords.
48. LockCrypt – LockCrypt is a password manager and account manager for Windows. It uses AES encryption to keep your data away from prying eyes.
49. KeePass – KeePass is an open-source password manager that helps you store your passwords in a highly secure and encrypted database which can be opened using a master password.
50. Enpass – Enpass saves your passwords for you so that you don’t need to save those really confidential passwords in simple text files which can be read by anyone. It has auto-fill on the go so that you don’t need to enter your passwords whenever you visit a website where you have saved a password. Not only does it help you save passwords, but it also helps you save bank accounts, credit cards, and passports in a secret and safe environment.
51. Encryptr – Encryptr is a free and private password manager for your PC that lets you save passwords, generate secure passwords, search for saved passwords, and has zero knowledge cloud so only you know your passwords and even the server.
ISO Disk Image Management
52. DAEMON Tools Lite – DAEMON Tools Lite allows you to back up your CD/DVD/Blu-ray disks into so-called disk images that you can store wherever you want. It also helps with extracting the disk images for you to see what’s inside them.
53. WinCDEmu – WinCDEmu is an open-source CD and DVD emulator that supports most major disk image formats including ISO, CUE, BIN, RAW, and IMG. It helps you mount these disk images as disk drives on your computer.
Download Managers
54. Internet Download Manager – Even after so many years, Internet Download Manager remains one of the best download managers for Windows as nothing beats the functionalities it offers to its users. It helps you download files and manage them in a list, and there are tons of other features.
55. Free Download Manager – As the name implies, Free Download Manager is free and manages downloads for your PC that lets you download files off the Web and save them on your computer. It accelerates downloads so that your files get downloaded quickly.
56. FlashGet – FlashGet puts your downloads into sections and downloads them separately to accelerate the speed of downloads. It also helps you trigger your anti-virus for scanning the files that you have downloaded to your PC.
57. JDownloader – JDownloader is an open-source download manager for Windows that comes with a number of features. It helps you pause and resume downloads, auto extract archives when they have been downloaded, and set bandwidth for the file downloads.
58. Microsoft Download Manager – Microsoft Download Manager makes downloading files simple and reliable for you with its various functions for better downloads of files on your Windows PC.
Screenshot Tools
59. Greenshot – Greenshot is an open-source and free screenshot tool that helps you capture the screen of your PC and save it as an image file on your computer. You have a number of options to choose when you take a screenshot such as if you want to take thea full screenshot or just the selected region.
60. Lightshot – Lightshot lets you take customizable screenshots on your PC. It helps you take either full-screen or selected region’s screenshots, and you can then use the built-in editor to quickly edit the captured screenshot on your PC.
61. ShareX – ShareX is an open-source screenshot tool for Windows that allows you to capture either full-screen or selected regions of your screen and save them as files somewhere on your PC or in your clipboard. It also has a screen recorder and a number of other features for all of your screen-capturing tasks.
62. 7capture – 7capture lets you capture your screenshots in transparent mode which means it lets you have screenshots of rounded corners app windows. Also, it lets you remove the background image from the transparent bars of apps so you get the perfect quality screenshot you want.
63. Lightscreen – Lightscreen makes your screen capturing and managing screenshots tasks much easier with its functionalities. It automates this process for you to have a smooth experience while taking screenshots on your PC.
64. DuckCapture – DuckCapture comes with many features to help you take various types of screenshots on your PC, and it also allows you to edit them with its rich editing tools.
Code Editors
65. Notepad++ – Notepad++ has been on the market for years and is still one of the best code editors out there. The app supports a number of programming languages for syntax highlighting and is available for free.
66. jEdit – jEdit is a code editor that is written in Java and works on a number of platforms including Windows. It supports over 200 languages and is a mature programmer’s code editor – as the company says.
67. Crimson Editor – Crimson Editor is made for professionals to edit source codes on a Windows PC. It’s a text editor, an HTML editor, and supports a few other languages as well.
68. Araneae – Araneae is a simple tool, but don’t judge its features by its looks. It’s been created to create web scripts in the most simplest way possible on a Windows PC.
69. EditPad Lite – EditPad Lite can be a replacement for the Notepad app on your PC. It’s a basic tool with all the features you need to write and edit codes on your computer.
70. ATPad – ATPad is written in pure C and is a good text editor with tabbed interface, customization, word wrapping, and so on.
Photo Editors
71. Pixlr – Pixlr is a web-based photo editor that you can access using a web browser from your Windows PC. It lets you edit your photos and apply various effects to them. All for free.
72. PhotoScape – PhotoScape makes editing your photos much easier than ever with its easy-to-use features and a nice interface.
73. BeFunky – BeFunky is a photo editor that has a bunch of features such as editing photos with various tools, applying effects, and also creating photo collages with the collage maker.
74. PhotoCat – PhotoCat is an online photo editor that helps you edit your photos, retouch them, add filters and frames to them, add text and bubbles, and so on.
eBook Readers
75. NOOK – NOOK gives you an incredible reading experience on your PC and allows you to read a number of ebooks right on your computer.
76. Ice Cream eBook Reader – Ice Cream eBook Reader is a free MOBI and EPUB eBook reader for Windows PCs that lets you read ebooks available in multiple formats, helps you manage your library, and also helps you add notes and bookmarks to your books.
77. Cover – Cover is mostly a comic reader that allows you to read your favorite comics in a really great-looking user interface.
78. Sumatra PDF – Sumatra PDF is not just a PDF reader but also supports the major eBook formats for you to read books on your Windows PC.
79. Calibre – Calibre was designed to make managing your eBooks as easy as possible and does that job perfectly with its neat and clean features.
80. FBReader – FBReader stands for Favorite Book Reader which is a multiple platform-supported eBook reader. It also has support for a number of eBook formats.
Game Emulators
81. ePSXe – ePSXe is a PlayStation emulator that allows you to play the old PlayStation games right on your Windows computer. It can be easily configured, and you can get started within seconds.
82. PCSX2 – PCSX2 is a PlayStation 2 emulator that lets you play almost all of the PlayStation 2 compatible games on your Windows PC. It has a support rate of 80% which means most PS2 games can be played using this emulator on your PC.
83. ZMZ – ZMZ is an SNES emulator that lets you play NES games on your Windows computer.
84. VisualBoyAdvance – VisualBoyAdvance is a Gameboy and GameboyAdvance emulator for your Windows PC that can play a number of games in an emulated environment on your PC.
85. NO$GBA – NO$GBA is the first emulator that supports multiplayer gaming in the Gameboy Advance environment.
86. Project64 – Project64 is a Nintendo 64 emulator that helps you play Nintendo games on your PC.
Internet Sharing
87. OSToto Hotspot – OSToto Hotspot is a freeware that allows you to create a WiFi hotspot on your computer to help you share your Internet connection with others.
88. Baidu Hotspot – Baidu Hotspot helps you turn your cabled Internet into wireless by helping you create a WiFihotspot so that all the WiFi-enabled devices can connect to the Internet using your hotspot.
89. Virtual Router Plus – Virtual Router Plus is a free and portable hotspot creator that allows you to create a hotspot on your Windows computer without actually requiring a wireless router. It’s an open-source tool.
90. Free WiFi Hotspot – Free WiFi Hotspot, as the name says, is a free WiFi hotspot creator for Windows PCs that lets you have a mobile hotspot wherever you go.
91. Connectify – Connectify is a popular WiFi hotspot creator that lets you turn your 3G/4G, WiFi, and ethernet connections into wireless WiFi hotspots.
Backup Programs
92. EaseUS Todo Backup – EaseUS Todo Backup offers comprehensive backup features that lets you quickly create backups and restore the backups when your system is not performing well. When restoring, you can be selective and only choose the files that you want to be restored.
93. Comodo Backup – Comodo Backup allows you to back up your data to various places such as external drives, network drives, FTP, CD/DVD, and also online storage services.
94. Personal Backup – Not only does Personal Backup help you back up your data, but it also protects your data from malware so that your data remains intact, and your computer is not infected with any malicious apps.
95. Genie Timeline – Genie Timeline is a fast and lightweight app that helps you back up your data with just two steps, and it automatically purges to save memory space on your PC. It’s the kind of app that you set once, and then it does everything automatically.
96. Redo Backup – Redo Backup does something that other apps don’t which is it has the bare metal restore so your data can be backed up and restored even at the toughest times like when your hard disk goes haywire.
System Optimization
97. CCleaner – Even after so many years, CCleaner still remains one of the best system optimizers for Windows PCs. The tool cleans up your system to speed it up and also helps you run your programs in an optimized environment.
98. PowerTools Lite – PowerTools Lite helps you fix your registry and clean it up so that it performs well which ultimately helps you optimize your system for better speeds.
99. PC Decrapifier – As the name implies, PC Decrapifier helps you remove the crap out of your system so it runs smoothly and error-free. It helps you remove all the garbage that is contributing to the slow speeds of your PC.
100. JetClean – JetClean helps you optimize your PC with a single-click. It tunes up your system and fixes any errors that might be slowing down your PC. It helps you save yourself from having your PC crash with all the garbage that your PC eventually gets filled up with.
101. Space Sniffer – Space Sniffer allows you to see what some of the items are that occupy a large chunk of your PC’s memory space. You can then drill down further and see what all those files are, and you can then get them removed if you find them to be useless files