Free Software for Windows

7-Zip for archives and compressed files

Choose 7-Zip when someone sends an archive you need to extract, or when you want more control over compressed files. It creates ZIP and 7z archives and extracts RAR files; creating and extracting formats are different capabilities. The official feature list also documents AES-256 encryption for ZIP and 7z.

For a simple ZIP, try the tools already available in Windows first. When sharing a 7z archive, check that the recipient can open it. Keep the original files until you have confirmed that the archive extracts correctly.

VLC Media Player for video and audio playback

VLC opens local video and audio files. VideoLAN describes it as a free, open-source player for many media formats and streaming protocols in its VLC documentation.

Choose it for watching or listening. For assembling clips and adding transitions, look for a video editor. Try a representative file before making VLC your default player, especially with unusual formats or audio settings.

LibreOffice for documents, spreadsheets and presentations

LibreOffice brings several office tools into one package. Writer handles documents, Calc spreadsheets and Impress presentations, as described on the LibreOffice website. It is useful when you want a desktop suite for work that would otherwise require separate apps.

If colleagues use another office suite, try a copy of a real document before switching. Check page breaks, fonts, charts, formulas and macros that matter to your workflow. Save an editable original and inspect exported files before sending them. Browse the office software category if you only need one specific document tool.

GIMP for detailed image editing

Consider GIMP when an image needs more than a quick resize: selections, layers and careful edits give you control over individual parts. The project describes its scope in About GIMP. Allow time to learn its tools.

Keep an editable project file alongside your exported image to revisit layers later. For occasional cropping or screenshot markup, a simpler tool may be enough; compare the photo editors category by your actual task.

Notepad++ for plain text and source code

Notepad++ suits configuration files, repeated text changes and source code. Its official repository identifies it as a Windows source-code editor and Notepad replacement, distributed under the GPL.

Use a text editor for plain text, and a word processor for page layout and styled paragraphs. Before changing settings files, keep a copy and check the expected encoding and line endings. Browse other options in the text and code editors category.

ShareX for screenshots and repeatable capture workflows

ShareX helps with daily screenshot work: showing bugs, annotating instructions and capturing scrolling pages. Its official site documents capture methods, an image editor and configurable tasks that run after a capture.

Spend a minute choosing what happens next. Saving locally, copying to the clipboard and uploading to a host are separate actions. Review upload tasks before capturing confidential material, and cover information you do not intend to share. For a single quick capture, Windows' Snipping Tool may already meet your needs.

PuTTY for remote terminal sessions

PuTTY provides a graphical client for SSH access to a server or device. The PuTTY team maintains the project, and its download page offers both installer packages and individual executable files.

You need the remote address, an authorised account and authentication details. Confirm the server's host key through a trusted channel before accepting a new connection. PuTTY opens a terminal session; if you need graphical browsing of remote folders, choose a file-transfer tool with that interface.

Free software for Windows 11 and Windows 10 can have different requirements from one release to the next. Read the notes for the exact package you choose. For example, LibreOffice lists Windows 10 and 11, while GIMP's download page distinguishes the requirements for its standalone installer and Microsoft Store package.

In Settings, open System, then About, and look for the system type. An x64 package is for 64-bit x86 systems; ARM64 is a different architecture. A label that says only "64-bit" is not enough to choose between them. Publishers such as 7-Zip and PuTTY provide separate choices. Follow the app's own guidance rather than assuming every Windows download will run on every PC.

Application support and operating-system support are separate. Windows 10 Home and Pro reached the end of standard support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft explains the Windows 10 lifecycle and ESU options. An app continuing to run does not mean the underlying Windows installation receives regular security updates.

"Free download" describes a price, not the full set of permissions. Freeware may have restrictions on commercial use or redistribution. Open-source licences provide rights to use and work with source code under stated terms; they are not all the same licence.

For two concrete examples, the PuTTY licence permits commercial use under MIT terms. 7-Zip's publisher says it can be used in commercial organisations, while its code includes LGPL, BSD and unRAR licence provisions. Check the current terms before modifying or redistributing software. Paid support or optional donations are separate from application licensing.

Open the program's catalog page to identify the publisher, then follow the publisher's documented download route. Official projects may use their own servers, GitHub releases, authorised mirrors or a Store listing. A familiar hosting service alone does not establish who uploaded the file.

Before running an installer:

1. Check the domain and the named project or publisher. Avoid download buttons that belong to advertisements.
2. Confirm the version, Windows requirements and architecture. Prefer a stable release for ordinary work.
3. Use the publisher's signature or checksum instructions where supplied. A matching checksum confirms file integrity; it is not a malware guarantee.
4. Read installer choices and keep Windows security protections enabled. Investigate a warning before deciding how to proceed.

Install the tools you need, then keep them updated. If your priority is carrying apps between machines, see free portable software. For a closer look at capture workflows, use the free screenshot software for Windows guide.