The Best Free Software of 2. Windows and mac. OS dont get the attention they used to in todays mobile world. But we have not fully abandoned the desktop. The real work and a lot of the play of computing requires a full personal computer system. To get the most out of that, you need software. Software can be expensive if youre not smart about it. Free programs have been a mainstay of the desktop experience for decades, and the offerings only get more powerful and fascinating each year. As PCs compete with smartphones, it gets even better. Software developers can adopt an ad based model, donation ware to keep things afloat, or a sharewarefreemium model that charges for extra features. List of top best free software downloads, open source software, freeware, free utilities tools for Windows 10 computer. Available as free download. Something to always watch for crapware installers. To make ends meet, many creators of otherwise great free software, or the services that offer the programs for download, bundle in things you dont want. Worse, the installation routine obfuscates the steps, so you provide the unwanted program tacit permission to be installed. For more about how to spot and avoid this problem, see How to Clean Crapware From a New PC, and check out the Uninstaller section of this very free software collection. One tip that helps prevent the extra crapware onslaught only download desktop software from the maker of the software directly. Best Disk Imaging Software Windows 8.1' title='Best Disk Imaging Software Windows 8.1' />Its not foolproofafter all, developers want to eat, toobut it helps. Thats why one of the criteria for inclusion here is that the program has to be available directly from the maker. Other criteria The software has to typically have a Windows based download we mark it if it has a version for other platforms, even mobile or cloud based see the Legend below. Best Disk Imaging Software Windows 8.1' title='Best Disk Imaging Software Windows 8.1' />If youre using Microsoft Windows 8, Windows 8. Windows 10, you do not need to download 3rd party ISO mounting software. Windows 8 and Windows 10 come. Hard Disk Manager for Windows manages hard drives, including partitioning, backup, cloning, OS management and recovery. Disc image software can make your life easy when switching your Hard disk to SSD. Disk imaging or Disc cloning software is copying the entire hard disks sector by. Total Backup Recovery is based on FarStones patented data backup and recovery technologies as seen in previous versions and boasts with innovative features. In some cases, weve included Web app versions that are as good, or better, than some downloadable programs. If its on a tiered sales model, the free version cannot be trial ware that doesnt work after a time. The program should have little or no advertising to support it. Some freemium software depends on showing ads to exist, however. Software for productivity is what this list is about theres plenty of other places to find free games. So take a look at the list of 1. We are a software download site without ads, fake download buttons or crapware. This site is 100 supported by donations. Please consider making one if you like. Windows Data Recovery Software. By using the latest scanning and recovery techniques, Windows Data Recovery provide s the best solution for any kind of data loss in. Tell us in the comments if we missed your absolute favorite piece of free software. LEGEND for compatibility Windowsmac. OSLinuxi. OSAndroidAmazon Fire. OSChrome. OSPortable runs on USB flash drives you can take with youWeb app runs in a web browserLesser used smartphones and devices are listed individually. For more free software, check out The 1. Best i. Phone Apps of 2. The 1. 00 Best Android Apps of 2. Anti Malware. Avast Free Antivirus 2. Avast scours more than just your PC. Itll go out on the network and check your router for security holes. Its built in phishing protection is better than ever theres even a basic password manager this year. Best Disk Imaging Software Windows 8.1' title='Best Disk Imaging Software Windows 8.1' />Every third party testing lab rates the free version of Avast very well albeit not as good as a paid service gets. Read our review of Avast Free Antivirus 2. AVG Anti. Virus Free 2. When an antivirus tool like AVG gets a new look, its worth noting. Better yet, AVG has built in new technology to make its free version all the more effective. Labs tests show it really works. Read our review of AVG Anti. Virus Free 2. 01. Panda Free Antivirus 2. Its not going to outpace the paid anti malware tools for effectiveness, but the easy to use Panda is more than capable of keeping up with the freebies. It will even automatically check USB drives you insert and launch a vaccination against launched processes on the USB drive. Just watch out during Panda installation as it tries to reset some of your defaultsthe price you pay for free. Read our review of Panda Free Antivirus 2. Want more options Read The Best Free Antivirus Protection of 2. Audio. LMMSDont have the cash for Pro Tools or even GaragebandThis freebie works on all desktop OSes and could have you PC cranking out melodious multi track recordings in no time. Audacity. Open source Audacity can record and edit audio files on more tracks than you can imagine. It then outputs exactly what you need, even to MP3 if you use a plug in. It is perfect for noobs and pros alike, on any desktop OS. Back Up Synchronization. Dropbox Windows Phone. One of the most popular synchronization services ever simply put files in your Dropbox folder on the desktop, they get uploaded to the cloud, and are instantly synchronized with any other PC on the account. Virtual Serial Port Wifi Speed there. Files are also accessible via apps or the Web. If you delete a file by accident, you can use the site to get it back. You get 2. GB of free online storage, which you can bolster by sharing on social media and downloading the mobile apps. Read our review of Dropbox, plus Tips to Turbocharge Dropbox. Microsoft One. Drive Windows Phone, Xbox. Consider One. Drive the most flexible and all encompassing sync and back up tool going. Its the official cloud storage for users of Microsoft Office and Windows 1. OS. One. Drive throws in 5. GB of free online storage you earn extra by referring friends or backing up smartphone cameras. If you subscribe to Office 3. Home, that storage jumps up to 1. TB. Read our review of Microsoft One. Drive, plus Tips to Help You Master Microsoft One. Drive. Box Personal Windows Phone, Black. Berry. With 1. 0GB of free online storage, Boxs Personal service now is one of the more robust free offerings. Box also limits file sizes to 2. MB each. It does more than sync and have online access it also offers tools for commenting on or editing documents it wont replace an office suite like Google Drive, which youll find below in Office Suites, though it could just as easily go in this category. Read our review of Box Personal. IDrive Windows Phone, NAS devices. You get 5. GB free from IDrive to back up files from all your devices. Thats not a lot, but if its enough, youll find this service more than up to your needs. Itll even back up your photos and videos from Facebook. Read our review of IDrive. Ease. US Todo Backup Free. Backup wasnt always about sending stuff to the cloud. Ease. US Todo is more old school, providing methods to clone your entire hard drive, back up just a partition of a hard drive to another drive, provide instant recovery, and even check backups for damaged files. Itll also back up your Outlook emails. Browsers. Mozilla Firefox. A new design for a venerable old browser brought Firefox back to the topits now our Editors Choice. Thats because its highly customizable, strong on security and privacy and performance, and supports a slew of new standards. Its even on i. Phone now. Read our review of Firefox, plus Hidden Firefox Functions for Browsing Like a Boss. Google Chrome. Its been a leading browser since its debut in 2. Chrome still ranks high as a browser to keep in your arsenal. Especially if youre a devotee to Google productsand its built right into the Chrome. OS on Chromebooks so much that it practically is the OS. However, its probably not the browser you want if youre a privacy advocate. Read our review of Google Chrome, plus Hidden Chrome Features That Will Make Your Life Easier. Opera. The Opera browser has been keeping up with the big boys for years, and it does so now by incorporating features no other browser has, in particular a built in VPN service to keep your browsing secure, as well as ad blockers, a turbo mode, and even a battery saver that lets your laptop run longer than other browsers accessing the same content.