( Credit: René Ramos; Tabor Chichakly, Foxstudio / Adobe Stock; Handbrake; Google; Grammarly; Proton; Signal Technology Foundation)
Software can be expensive, but free programs have been a mainstay of the desktop experience for decades, and today’s offerings are more powerful than ever. To keep things free, software developers will typically release an ad-based model, create donationware, or use a shareware/freemium model that charges for extra features. Thankfully, some benevolent devs make their software open-source. Our experts have found a wide range of no-cost audio and video editors, office suites, file utilities, organizers, photo converters, and more.
To be included in this roundup, software must be available directly from the developer, creator, or original publisher. It should have a Windows-based download—we’re not including browser extensions because not everyone uses the same browser.
Additional requirements for inclusion: If the software operates on a tiered sales model, the free version must not be trialware; it must offer a free option. Preferably, the program has been updated within the last year or two and should not display advertisements. Finally, this list focuses on software for productivity; there are plenty of other places to find free PC games.
Some tips: Always be on the lookout for bloatware installers. To make ends meet, some software creators (or the services that offer free programs for download) bundle in things you don’t want. Worse, the installation steps are often obfuscated, with the goal of tricking you into providing a program with unwanted access to your system. For more about how to spot and avoid this problem, read How to Remove Bloatware From Your New PC.
Whenever possible, download desktop software directly from the creator. That’s because the services that offer free programs may sometimes put sketchy “extras” on an installer in a way that the original developer never intended. It’s not foolproof—after all, developers may resort to tricks—but it helps.
For more free software, check out our collections of The 100 Best iPhone Apps and The 100 Best Android Apps, many of which come at no cost.
Did we miss any free programs you can’t live without? Let us know in the comments.
Best Free Audio/Video Software
Best Free Audio-Editing Software
Windows, macOS, Linux
Open-source Audacity can record and edit audio files on more tracks than you can imagine. It then outputs exactly what you need. It is perfect for noobs and pros alike and works on any desktop OS.
MSRP Free
Best Free Simple Video Editor
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web
While it seems like most video editing today takes place on phones, at least one mobile video editor has jumped to the desktop: ByteDance’s CapCut is on Windows; it’s even in the Microsoft Store. In our review of the mobile version, we found it to be fast, easy, and powerful.
MSRP Free
Best Free Advanced Video Editing
Windows, macOS, Linux
How on earth does Blackmagic Design make DaVinci Resolve so capable as a video editor yet still offer a free version? The hope is that as users get better at making videos, they’ll buy the full suite for the extras, even if it costs $395. Meanwhile, the free version can handle almost any 8-bit format up to 3,840 by 2,160 pixels for editing, color correction, VFX, motion graphics, and audio.
Starts at Free
Best Free Video Converter
Windows, macOS, Linux
No one would call HandBrake simple, but few video transcoders—software that converts almost any video format into another video format—can compete when it comes to power and comprehensiveness. It’s been around for over two decades and remains open-source.
MSRP Free
Best Free Cartooning Tool
Windows, macOS, Linux
Open-source and multiplatform, the Pencil 2D Animation tool is what it sounds like: a way to quickly create two-dimensional animations by penciling in each frame. The site is full of video tutorials to help you get the gist.
MSRP Free
MSRP Free
$0.00
at
Pencil2D Animation
Best Free Video Editing
Windows, macOS, Linux
While it lacks the slick interface found in most other video editors, Shotcut’s got lot of power. It offers a phenomenal number of features and gets frequent improvement updates. Just don’t expect it to feel like an Adobe product.
MSRP Free
Best Free Video Player
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
The premier way to watch just about any video, no matter the clip’s weird codec. VLC media player can auto-rotate smartphone videos taken at the wrong orientation and resume playback from where you left off during a previous session. Seriously, VLC plays back anything on all desktop platforms, and it guarantees no ads, tracking, or spyware. (For more, read How to Play DVDs and Blu-ray Discs in Windows.)
MSRP Free
MSRP Free
$0.00
at
VideoLAN Organization
Best Free Game-Recording/Streaming Software
Windows, Web, iOS, Android
Stream your video game sessions with Logitech’s Streamlabs Desktop directly to YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook. You can switch between gameplay and your webcam, so you can show your face as you make commentary. There may be a learning curve, but you can find plenty of help online.
MSRP Free
Best Free Communication Software
Best Free Remote Access
Windows, macOS, Linux, web, iOS, Android, ChromeOS
PCMag’s top pick for software that can control other computers is TeamViewer, which is only free for personal use. That version has everything you need: desktop sharing, file transfers, and chat with remote users. The setup couldn’t be easier. Take control of a remote PC over an internet connection with the app, or use a browser with the TeamViewer extension. Just keep in mind that remote-access tools can be abused, so don’t turn one on unless you’re on the phone with the person you’re allowing access to. And make sure to turn them off after you’re done.
Per Year, Starts at $298.80
Best Free Messaging Software
Windows, macOS, Linux, web, iOS, Android, Xbox, PlayStation
Millions of people worldwide use Discord for text, voice chatting, and video chatting—mainly while kicking one another’s arses in online games or watching gameplay streams on Twitch or Caffeine. You can spend a fee (starting at $2.99 per month) to go premium for better video and audio quality and to upload larger files.
Per Month, Starts at $2.99
Best Free Secure Messaging
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
PCMag’s Editors’ Choice Award winner for secure messaging (for mobile or desktop) is Signal, which you may recall from a recent high-level scandal. It does it all: group chat, voice chat, and video chat, all with mandatory end-to-end encryption. You need Android or iOS to register to use Signal, which requires the mobile app, but it also works on your desktop OSes. Perhaps best of all, it’s owned by a nonprofit with no incentive to sell your data.
MSRP Free
Best Free Video Conferencing
Windows, macOS, Linux, web, iOS, Android
Want to host an online meeting for you and 100 of your closest friends? Zoom Workplace will let them all in for free, with a 40-minute time limit. They can join from any device, even a smartphone. Competitively priced premium plans with additional features are also available. Zoom is a PCMag Editors’ Choice award winner for communications (with end-to-end encryption) and productivity (even the free version has team chat and whiteboards). Also, check out our top Zoom tips.
Per User, Per Month, Starts at Free
Best Free Friends and Family Messaging
Windows, macOS, Linux, web, iOS, Android
If you want to avoid the giant corporations that run messaging services, maybe WhatsApp (which is owned by Meta) isn’t for you. But it is a massive service with a loyal user base, an easy-to-use interface, and self-destructing messages and images. It even uses the Signal protocol, so the folks at Meta can’t read what you send. But then again, you could just use Signal. Still, you might opt for WhatsApp if you have an existing platoon of friends and family using it.
MSRP Free
Best Free Writing and Design Software
Best Free Freeform Drawing
Windows, iOS
You may think of Adobe Fresco—the company’s painting app—as strictly for mobile devices. But it is also available for Windows, whether you use it in tablet mode or not. The free version has its limits, but overall makes the feeling of drawing on a screen as close as you can get to doing so on paper.
MSRP Free
Best Free AI
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Does ChatGPT hallucinate and make mistakes? You better believe it. But it’s still the most advanced and mature generative AI available today, especially considering you can do a lot with it for free (like get unlimited access to the GPT-4o mini, the fastest model offered by parent company OpenAI). It’ll generate text and images (a limited amount per day) and even let you use the Deep Research function five times per month. You can do quite a bit without an account, but signing up unlocks features like saved chat history. And if you don’t want to use it on the web, you can download ChatGPT apps for the operating systems above.
For more, read our full review and note this disclosure: Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
MSRP Free
Best Privacy Chatbot
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Claude doesn’t do everything the other chatbots do (no image generation here), but it does take your privacy more seriously. Claude is not limited to the browser; it can be downloaded for desktop and mobile devices. Our review says Claude “has competent complex reasoning, creative writing, file processing, and web searching skills.” It’s free to use with the older 4.0 model, but you’ll have to pay for the more advanced versions.
MSRP Free
Best Free Painting Software
Windows, macOS, Linux
Krita is a powerful, full-fledged painting tool for digital artists. It does come with a bit of a learning curve, but the nonexistent price tag and the vibrant community behind it make it more than worth digging into, especially if you’ve got artistic skills but no desire to pick up paint and brushes IRL.
MSRP Free
Best Free World-Building Tool
Windows, macOS
Pronounced like the playwright, Shaxpir is essentially a simplistic version of our top-rated Scrivener, with an “everyone” free tier that is very useful. For no charge, you get the full manuscript builder, world-building notebook, progress tracker, offline use, and cloud backup. Still, pros might consider the $7.99-a-month subscription with extra features a bargain after the 30-day trial.
MSRP Free
Best Free Desktop Publishing Tool
Windows, macOS, Linux
Scribus is the open-source equivalent of Adobe InDesign for desktop publishing, or as close as you can get to it, with a history that goes back almost a quarter century. It has built-in color separation, color management, and a lot more—including its own wiki for documentation.
MSRP Free
Best Free Screenwriting Tool
Windows, Linux
Do you fancy yourself a budding screenwriter but lack the funds for high-end tools like Final Draft? Trelby does a fine job of helping you format scripts correctly, remember character names, and import and export to formats used in Hollywood.
MSRP Free
Best Free Writing Tool
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
The highly structured interface of yWriter can help anyone, from budding to experienced novelists, get a real handle on their story and its characters. The program is full of stats on what you have written, providing you with a data-driven writing experience. It doesn’t have the depth of Scrivener, but it’s free (or you can make a donation).
MSRP Free
Get Our Best Stories!
All the Latest Tech, Tested by Our Experts
Sign up for the Lab Report to receive PCMag’s latest product reviews, buying advice, and insights.
Sign up for the Lab Report to receive PCMag’s latest product reviews, buying advice, and insights.
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Best Free Entertainment Software
Best Free Maps Software
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, iOS, Android
As if high-end software that lets you virtually fly across the globe isn’t cool enough, Google Earth Pro for the desktop is totally free. It includes advanced features such as high-resolution printing, distance measuring, and global guided tours. Although it also comes in web and mobile versions, the desktop version is the only one that lets you view satellite images of the moon and Mars. Plus, it has star maps and will even let you go back in time.
MSRP Free
Best Free Android Emulation
Windows, macOS
For a hot second, Windows 11 had an Android simulator that could play apps from the Amazon store, but that got shut down. The next best option is BlueStacks, which only takes up about 5GB of space and can access the Google Play Store. The emulator will help you map your mouse and keyboard to work with Android games. For more info, read Ways to Run Android Apps on Your PC for Free.
MSRP Free
Best Free Media Center
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Xbox, PlayStation, Smart TVs, media hubs, NAS devices
If you don’t know or care what a media server is, but you just want to stream your videos and music collection around the house, Plex could work well for you. Install it on all your devices, point it at some media, and those audio and video files become available on everything—even remotely. For more, read How to Set Up a Plex Server, How to Share Your Plex Libraries, How to Organize Your Plex Media Library, and The Expert’s Guide to Managing Your Plex Server.
MSRP Free
Best Free Social Photo Sharing
Windows, Web
Social media apps don’t have to just be on your phone. Like TikTok, you can get to the ‘Gram on your desktop with this app found on the Windows Store. It’ll show you all the amazing images shared by people and brands you follow, as well as the Reels they generate.
MSRP Free
Best Free Social Media Software
Windows, Web, iOS, Android
You probably think of TikTok as a mobile-only phenomenon. However, not only can you access the video wonderland on the desktop at TikTok.com, but there’s also a well-done app for it right in the Windows Store. TikTok for Windows won’t work with your webcam, but you can use it to upload videos you edit to perfection with desktop video tools. It’s all free but has ads for support—just like on the mobile version, they show up looking like videos you might want to see.
MSRP Free
Best Free Imaging Software
Best Free File Viewer and Converter
Windows only
View, manage, and compare your images with this fast and intuitive freebie. FastStone Image Viewer supports a wide range of image formats, including unprocessed raw files from specific digital camera manufacturers. (For more, read What Are Raw Camera Files and Why Should You Use Them?.) It also has companion apps for screenshots and photo resizing.
MSRP Free
Best Free Graphics Software (Vector Editing)
Windows, macOS, Linux
Adobe Illustrator is the high bar of vector image editing, but it has a premium price to match. You can still get cross-platform Scalable Vector Graphic image creation with the free Inkscape. You’ll have to work a little harder to learn it, but it may be exactly what a talented (but cash-strapped or subscription-shy) artist needs.
MSRP Free
Best Free Graphics Software (Bitmap Editing)
Windows
Is Paint.net a perfect replacement for Photoshop? Nothing is as powerful as Adobe’s program, but at this price—free—Paint.net comes close. For any minor (and even some major) picture manipulation, it’s fast, comprehensive, and easy to use.
MSRP Free
Best Free Photoshop Replacement
GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
Windows, macOS, Linux
GIMP is a stalwart of the open-source world. It’s a full-featured Photoshop alternative with all the functions—including layers, filters, masking, and plug-ins—that image editors need. It may lack the polish and AI extras you get with Adobe’s product, but GIMP more than makes up for that by being really, truly free. You can get it for Windows in the Microsoft Store.
MSRP Free
Best Free Productivity Software
Best Free Grammar Help
Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android
If you use the internet, you’ve probably heard of Grammarly—the ads are everywhere. The free version provides plenty of insights and suggestions to improve all the words you put on the screen in almost any program. And, yes, it really can up your writing game.
MSRP Free
Best Free PDF Reader
Windows, macOS
Just about any browser can read a PDF. But Foxit PDF Reader is free, not just for reading but also for annotation and collaboration on files. The program allows you to send signed and edited PDF files to friends or coworkers and works seamlessly with the Foxit PDF Editor on mobile platforms. For more, read How to Convert PDFs to Word Documents and Image Files.
MSRP Free
Best Free Kanban Project Management
Windows, macOS, Linux
If you do any kind of projects or organizing that involve index cards, then you have probably embraced the Kanban board approach. Kanri is a great, free way to Kanban your desktop without signing in or creating an account—it doesn’t even need you to be online. As a bonus, it can import boards from big-name products like Trello.
MSRP Free
Best Cross-Platform Note Taker
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, iOS, Android
Our review of Joplin calls it “the ideal note-taking app for users who value simplicity.” It lacks some advanced features, but the open-source tool works on all major platforms to do what you need most: store unlimited notes. You only pay if you want to get into sharing and collaboration. It even has a web clipper browser extension for grabbing notes as you traverse the internet.
MSRP Free
Best Free Office Suite
Windows, macOS, Linux
There aren’t many free office suites, and only one is a free, open-source download available for the major desktop operating systems. LibreOffice could be a bit more polished, lacks collaboration features, and sports an overstuffed toolbar interface that might remind you of Microsoft Office a decade ago. But it’s powerful nevertheless, and it easily converts and imports files from other systems. It comes with a word processor (Writer), a spreadsheet component (Calc), a presentation program (Impress), a vector drawing program (Draw), and even a full database (Base) and math-formula editor (Math).
MSRP Free
Best Free Note-Taking App
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web
Once just a part of Microsoft Office, the sublime OneNote has become a free, standalone powerhouse for note-taking across all the major operating systems. It still works with Office, syncs data across all platforms, and has full online access via Office.com, with storage on OneDrive. That’s why it’s our Editors’ Choice pick for note storage.
Per Year, Starts at $69.99
Best Free Browser
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
The venerable browser Firefox remains highly customizable and strong on security, privacy, and performance. It stays cutting-edge without the backing of Big Tech—in fact, the Firefox website brags that its parent, Mozilla, has been “billionaire-free for 20+ years.” Mozilla also owns Pocket, so you can easily use Firefox to save what you see online to that read-it-later service. For more, read Which Browser Is Best? and Top Firefox Tips.
MSRP Free
Best Free Text Editor
Windows
Notepad++ is nothing like the anemic Notepad that Windows users grew used to over the decades. This free download has tabs, color-coded nesting text, WYSIWYG printing, and support for macros. It’s a must for hand-coders or any writer who wants a minimalist interface.
MSRP Free
Best Power-User Note Taker
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Obsidian has a learning curve, but once mastered, it’s the best note-taking tool for power users. The free version is available for personal use—it lacks only support and sync options, but you can work around the sync issue by storing your Obsidian Vault in a location where a cloud service backs it up.
MSRP Free
Best Programming Environment
Windows, macOS, Linux, web
Need to write some code? Use VS Code from Microsoft. It has everything you’d want in a coding environment, from plug-ins to great organization. And it’s easy to get started with this program, even though you have to do a little setup to tweak it to perfection.
MSRP Free
MSRP Free
$0.00
at
Visual Studio Code
Best Free Doc Viewer and Annotator
Windows, Linux
If you seek a free and full-fledged PDF editor, Okular can do the job (on Windows—it’s in the Microsoft Store—and Linux). It boasts annotations and highlights, even digital signature support. It will also read many other formats, including ePub books, comics formats, and many types of images.
MSRP Free
Best To-Do List for Everyone
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
This is our favorite to-do list app, ever. We give the paid version a full five-star review, but even the free version is fantastic. The Todoist interface is simple perfection on all platforms—even wearables and via email (where you can turn messages into tasks). The free version gives you five projects with five collaborators on each (working across 300 possible tasks), supports uploads of 5MB files, and keeps a one-week active history.
Per Month, Starts at Free
Best Free Security Software
Best Free Secure Browser
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Do you want to stop the trackers watching you online dead? Going incognito on a standard browser isn’t enough. You need to use a full-on privacy browser, one that blocks cookies and prevents the fingerprinting of your whole browser and computer. Brave is one of a slew of them with a rating for strong protection from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. For details, read The Best Private Browsers.
MSRP Free
Best Free Desktop Authenticator
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, web
When it comes to multi-factor authentication, the downside to most authenticator apps is that they’re mobile-only. If you don’t have your phone close by when asked for the code, you’re out of luck. So, it’s very nice to have a desktop MFA authenticator. Authy had one but killed it. Ente Auth is here to take up the slack. Set up your MFA logins with it on the phone or tablet, and all the codes sync with the desktop versions. Plus, it’s always previewing your next code, so you don’t have to wait, and it lets you share codes with a team.
MSRP Free
Best Free Antivirus
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Our Editors’ Choice award winner for free antivirus this year is Avast One Basic. It’s a top scorer against malware in lab tests, and it did great in our hands-on tests, too. It offers more free protection than ever.
MSRP Free
Best Free Password Manager
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, multiple browser extensions
Proton already has a great reputation. Its Proton Pass offers the most outstanding password management of the year while charging you nothing. It includes email alias options, dark web monitoring, and password hygiene (it’ll tell you when you have reused or weak passwords that need updating, pronto), all while managing an unlimited number of passwords and credentials. You can pay for extra features like credit card storage and data breach monitoring. For more, read our guide to The Best Free Password Managers.
Starts at Free
Best Free VPN
Windows, ChromeOS, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
You probably should pay for a VPN, but you can save cash with a tool like the PCMag Editors’ Choice award winner ProtonVPN, albeit with a few restrictions. It’s not just our pick for the best free VPN; it’s our best VPN overall. With the free ProtonVPN, your bandwidth is not limited, and the focus is mainly on keeping you secure. For more, read The Best Free VPNs.
Per Month, Starts at $9.99
Best Free Utilities
Best Synchronization of Clipboards
Windows
The clipboard has come a long way, but you can take it further with a tool like Ditto. It’ll not only show you everything you’ve copied, but also handle searches, allow multiple ways to select, and keep the contents of multiple computers’ clipboards synchronized.
MSRP Free
Best Clipping with Annotations
Windows
ClipClip holds multiple copied items in the clipboard, lets you extract text from images to paste, syncs on cloud services, allows history searches, and even does on-the-fly translation. It also allows for full-screen and video captures, plus edits and annotations.
MSRP Free
Best Free Local Search Tool
Windows
Everything has been around a long while and continues plugging along to help people find the things on their PC that built-in search can’t seem to fathom. It can even look inside files, though it won’t index them. If you name files and folders carefully, it will bring you results fast.
MSRP Free
Best Free Backup and Synchronization Software
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
IDrive is a PCMag Editors’ Choice award winner for cloud storage and file sharing. You get 10GB free from IDrive to back up files from all your devices, an upgrade from the original 5GB. If that’s enough capacity for you, you’ll find this service more than up to your needs. It’ll even back up your photos and videos from Facebook. Bonus: At this price tier, you don’t have to give the company a credit card.
Per Year, Starts at $2.95
Best Media Viewer and Annotator
Windows
IrfanView has been letting people view, edit, and organize media and more on Windows for well over a quarter century now. The current version supports Vista all the way up to 11. The list of file format types you can click on, view, and annotate instantly is long, and the program’s ease of use is legendary. And it’s utterly free for personal use.
MSRP Free
Best Free Screen Capture Editor
Windows, macOS
When it comes to screengrabs, if the Snipping Tool in Windows doesn’t do it for you, Gemoo Snap is an excellent alternative. It’s available for desktop, including macOS, or in the Microsoft Store for Windows, or as a Chrome extension if you only need to capture web pages. You can snap a screen, then annotate it, share it, pull out text, or even “beautify” it with edits and new backgrounds.
MSRP Free
Best Free File Compression for Archives
Windows
A lot of people adore the 7-zip archiving software. NanaZip is a fork of the original code, meant to make the archive experience feel more native to Windows 10 and 11 by working right in the context menu of File Explorer.
MSRP Free
Best Free File Manager for Windows
Windows
If you find the Windows 10 and 11 way of dealing with files—via the built-in File Explorer—a chore, consider an upgrade to a third-party file manager. OneCommander has all the extras you’d want, including tab support, file previews, dual-pane browsing, dark and light themes, and a lot more. Best of all: It’s fast. And free for home use.
MSRP Free
MSRP Free
Visit Site
at
OneCommander
Best for Screen Video Capture
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Want to capture more than a still image? ScreenPal (previously called Screencast-O-Matic) will do it. The free-to-use-forever tier will take still shots, up to 15 minutes of video of your screen (with a watermark), and share to social, plus store as much as you want online. The mobile apps will sync your captured files. We gave it an Editors’ Choice award. You can pay $48 a year if you want unlimited full-screen video recording sans watermarks.
MSRP Free
Best Free Power Screen Grabber
Windows
What ShareX lacks in sexiness it makes up for in power, offering just about every option one could wish for in capturing a Windows screen (including video screen recording and GIF exports). It supports image effects add-ons such as backgrounds and borders, optical character recognition, and pre-set actions for processing captures just the way you like them.
MSRP Free
Best Free Screen Capture
Windows
Even those with modest screen-capture needs would say the old Snipping Tool in Windows was…lacking. The new version of Snipping Tool merges it with the Windows Snip & Sketch, which was itself an evolutionary leap. Now it’s more revolutionary, as it can also capture things like video and voice. Plus, you can annotate a screengrab. For more, read The Best Screen Capture Apps.
MSRP Free
Best Free Simple File Backup
Windows
SyncBack dates way back and still rocks at synchronizing backups. That includes the free version, which can copy files in both directions to make a restore as easy as a backup.
MSRP Free
Best Free File Transfer Program
Windows, macOS, Android
Sure, Windows itself copies files between folders and drives just fine. But TeraCopy can take over that job and do it faster, and its interface for making copies is better-looking. Plus, it provides more information and feedback, and it can even recover from transfer errors.
MSRP Free
