Top necessary programs for pc. Useful and necessary programs for a computer

Necessary programs for windows 10 - 7

Hello Readers of my blog! In this article I will tell you about the most necessary programs for windows 10 - 7. As you probably remember, Windows is not yet ready for work after installation. In principle, not only Windows 7, but also any 8 8.1 xp immediately after installation is not yet ready for work. Even after installing drivers and security settings, there are practically no useful and necessary programs on board your computer. There are only a few useful programs for the user in the Windows kit.

These are several toys, the simplest text editor "Notepad", an advanced text editor "WordPad", a calculator, an Internet browser (IE-Internet Explorer), a media player, "Paint" - a program for processing simple graphics, programs for servicing PC and OS. That's actually all that our favorite OS is rich in. With Windows 10, things are a little better. Microsoft has come a long way. And it included Skype and a student office suite. By the way, the installed IE and the media player are not ready for work either. IE is partially unprepared, as it can only view text pages and pictures. And the media player is not ready at all, since it needs codecs to play music and video. Therefore, it is time to install the necessary programs for windows. The programs that we will consider in this article, I believe, should be installed on almost every computer running Windows 7 - 10. So let's start.

The most necessary programs for windows 10 - 7

Archivers

1. The very first thing we need to install is the ARCHIVERS. On the Internet, all programs are compressed or packaged by some kind of archiver. This allows you to spend less disk space for storing information on servers and transfer packets faster over the Internet. Each PC must have at least one archiver, and preferably two. First winrar- it works very fast and supports the ability to unzip a large number of various popular archives. And the most important is its own, very specific, highly protected Rar format. The passwords set by this archiver have not yet been decrypted by anyone.

Second archiver 7zip. Perhaps this archiver is even more necessary than the first. You will need it to unpack archives of the new, rapidly gaining popularity, 7z format. The archiver is very fast, while providing a high compression ratio. Most of the archives on the Internet that you will have to download are in zip, rar and 7z format.

If you are working with a website and you need to create GZIP archives, then 7-zip will provide 2-10% better compression than any other archiver.

These two archivers will help you solve almost any task of archiving / unarchiving software packages received from the Internet.

Codecs

2. The second most important will probably be the installation of codecs for playing audio and video files of various formats, without which not one audio / video player works. Of all the great variety of different collections, perhaps the best, most stable and generally recognized is K-Lite Codec Pack. According to the developers, their brainchild supports about 400 audio/video formats. In addition, this package is absolutely free and contains a small but very high-quality player. Therefore, it is a sin not to use it. Highly recommend. After installing this codec pack, all your audio / video players will play almost all media file formats.

Adobe Flash Player

3. The next important step is to install Adobe Flash Player . This program is required to play media files in browsers (internet explorers) such as IE, Mozilla Firefox, Opera. It is already built into Google Chrome and Yandex browser.

Browsers

4. It will be important to install a whole set of browsers. I recommend installing all the popular ones, these are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Yandex. Why so many? Can IE (Microsoft's Internet Explorer) be dispensed with? No, you can't do it! Any of the suggested browsers is much better than IE. Firstly, they are increasingly faster, more stable, and make it easy to manage add-ons. Why is it necessary to install everything? The fact is that they are all different and have different useful features that IE does not have. Secondly, in the event of an unexpected failure of one browser, you always have another at hand.

Google Chrome integrated with Google translator. When loading foreign pages, it can automatically translate them into Russian. Translation is often sufficient to understand the contents of the pages. Google Chrome can download many files at the same time.

Mozilla Firefox simply indispensable for those who create and debug websites. It has a huge number of different useful add-ons that other browsers do not have.

Opera one of the fastest browser in the world. This is especially noticeable on slow Internet channels, when it uses a lot of threading for downloading pages and files, and additional compression of information on its server using special algorithms.

Yandex browser development from Yandex. Very similar to Google Chrome and compatible with its add-ons. Has some limitations. Latest Versions this browser is very nimble. Overall a good browser.

For all these browsers there is a great add-on Neiron Search Tools- this extension provides the ability to simultaneously search for information on the Internet through Google and Yandex, and a convenient joint output of search results. Search with this application becomes much more efficient. I strongly recommend to use.

File download managers

5. Fast, convenient and reliable downloading of files of any size from the Internet will be provided by the download manager Download Master. The program is free, Russian, practically in no way inferior to paid foreign counterparts. Provides multi-channel, fast download, able to resume files after disconnection or power outage.

SaveFrom.net application for all popular browsers. Allows you to download videos from more than 20 Internet resources. A very useful app.

Google Chrome has created many obstacles for this application to work. Now SaveFrom.net installs poorly on Google Chrome, but works great from the Internet. Use on health. No issues found on other browsers.

If you only need YouTube to upload videos, then there is a program for such a thing. UmmyVideoDownloader. UmmyVideoDownloader is specially designed for downloading YouTube videos. Very comfortable and quality item.

Programs for audio / video communication

6. To communicate on the Internet, you need at least Skype. There are a lot of programs for text, audio, video communication, but most people use Skype and it has features that other programs do not have. So skype must be installed. You will probably need it.

Text editors and processors

7. A little functional text editor from the Windows package is replaced with a more functional one AkelPad or more advanced Notepad++(HIGHLY RECOMMEND). Notepad++ allows you to work with a large number of documents at the same time. Remembers the situation when you turn it off and restores it automatically the next time you turn it on. Allows you to follow links directly from the edited text. For programmers, it is simply not replaceable, since it recognizes the code of more than 20 programming languages ​​and helps to check it for errors. Detects mistakes in words and underlines them. The presence of such an editor on each PC is simply necessary.

8. To create documents of different formats and automated tables, you will need an advanced word processor and spreadsheet such as win word and win excel from the Microsoft Office suite. The MS OFFICE package contains many more useful programs. For example, an email client, a presentation manager, a slideshow... On the Internet, you can find advanced packages with many add-ons.

File managers

9. Convenience in working with files will provide you file manager Total Commander. It has great functionality. The menu of the vehicle itself, the menu of necessary or frequently used programs, two independent windows. In each window, you can open an unlimited number of tabs, have your own FTP manager, archiver, file viewer, media player .... In general, EVERYTHING is at hand! Extremely convenient and useful program. Highly recommend to everyone!

Programs for viewing PDF files

10. Foxit Phantom required to read PDF documents. The program is 10 times smaller than its analogue Adobe Acrobat, much faster and, in addition, allows you to edit PDF documents. I recommend. The program itself is paid, but it can be found for free on the Zver-DVD disc image. If you do not need editing functions and do not want to upload a huge image, then you can use the free analogue Foxit Reader or PDF Reader. There are a lot of programs of this class, but I think this will be enough.

Programs for removing locked files

11. Unlocker will help you unlock and delete locked files and folders that cannot be deleted in other ways. A couple more programs of this class that support the Russian language: lockhunter, IObit Unlocker. If, when trying to delete, you often encounter messages like “Uninstallation is not possible”, “Access denied”, “Used by another application”, “You do not have enough rights” and the like, then these programs will definitely help you.

Programs for downloading files from torrent servers

12. UTorrent- reliable, fast manager for downloading files from torrent servers. A very convenient and reliable program for downloading music, movies, disk images.... The second program mediaget fairly new, but has about the same functionality. Both programs are free.

Image Viewers

13. FastStone Image Viewer- excellent, free, small, fast, lightweight image viewer, has the ability to edit the image file, overlay captions on the picture, optimize the image code ... Highly Recommend!

Quick search for files on your computer

14. Everything designed to search for files on your computer. Incredibly fast. Gives search results when you click on each letter, like hints when searching the Internet. Highlights the found combination of letters in the names of files and folders. Displays file paths. Very fast and convenient program. Free.

The necessary programs for windows, described above, in my opinion, are the most important and necessary, and are able to meet the needs of a wide variety of users. I believe that these programs, or at least similar ones, should be present on every computer.

Less important programs

Programs for capturing images and videos from the screen

15. FastStone Capture- takes screenshots from the monitor screen and captures video. Can record system sound or from a microphone. The program is very small and fast. Has many useful little things. There are a lot of programs capable of performing high-quality video capture from the monitor screen: Bandicam, HyperCam, ScreenCamera, Techsmith Snagit, UVScreen Camera, VirtualDub. All of them have fairly similar functionality.

Programs of this class are all paid. Some of them have demo versions - shareware, heavily cut down with poor functionality, sometimes with inscriptions on the screen that prevent you from watching the video.

The most important leader in this field is considered to be a highly professional Camtasia Studio. It allows not only to capture images from the screen, but also to mount the captured videos using different effects.

Text recognition software

16. If you have a scanner or already scanned documents, or images with text, then you will need a text recognition program to convert them to text format. The best of its kind ABBYY FineReader.

Automatic keyboard switches

17. For those who write a lot of texts using the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets, a great helper will be Punto Switcher, which automatically switches the keyboard layout depending on the words you type and fixes persistent errors. The program is absolutely free, developed by Yandex laboratory programmers.

Audio and video players

18. Lovers of music and video will need a player winamp, which has quite rare codecs with its package and is able to play recordings from video recorders and surveillance cameras, and also allows you to turn on several copies of the program at the same time, create playlists, adjust the sound tone and much more .... Free.

There are a lot of players: Daum PotPlayer, AIMP, BSPlayer, GOM Media Player, KMPlayer, iTunes, ComboPlayer, Ace Stream Media, VLC Media Player, 1by1, Media Player Classic Home Cinema, Light Alloy, TV Player Classic, QuickTime Alternative. They have different functionality. Any user will be able to satisfy all their needs.

Windows cleaners / boosters / optimizers

19. ccleaner useful for fast and easy cleaning system from temporary files, from unnecessary entries in the registry, etc. The program does not have the greatest functionality, but it performs the necessary minimum perfectly. Free. There are a lot of similar and more powerful programs: Carambis Cleaner, AVG TuneUp, Wise Care 365, Advanced SystemCare, Glary Utilities, Auslogics BoostSpeed, Kerish Doctor, Advanced System Optimizer, System Mechanic, MAGIX PC Check & Tuning. All of them have similar, but still different functionality.

If you are very concerned about the cleanliness and reliability of your Windows, then of course any one package will not be enough for you. So, as always, in other packages there will be functions that you do not have. Even just registry cleaners, everyone checks different parts of the registry and sometimes they find something like this ... In general, there is something to choose from.

To clean the registry, along with other programs, I recommend using trashreg. This is a very small and specific program. Cleans the registry of abandoned keys that many demo programs leave in the system. After such cleaning, you can install demo versions again and use their features.

Recovering deleted files

Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - Power Data Recovery

20. Power Data Recovery is a simple yet powerful tool to recover deleted data. Allows you to recover:

1. deleted files and folders;
2. files from lost/deleted/damaged partition;
3. data from a poorly readable CD / DVD;
4. digital media data.

I would say the program is very important, but since not everyone needs it, that's why it is in the second section. Here are a couple more high-quality, free representatives of such programs: Recuva, Pandora Recovery. I must say that there are products of higher functionality, but they are paid: Hetman Partition Recovery, R-Studio, Wondershare Data Recovery.

Graphic editor

21. Adobe Photoshop- unsurpassed raster graphics editor. Just a necessary tool for creating, modifying pictures and adjusting photos. Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - CorelDraw

22. CorelDraw- the best vector graphics processor. Virtually indispensable in this area. The program is not super required, but essential for creating scalable vector images.

Programs for creating animation

23. Easy Gif Animator will be needed when creating animated pictures or videos. It has the entire arsenal of functions necessary for this. Free.

Disk imaging software

24. Ultra ISO will be needed for those who create images of CD / DVD discs. Works with the standard ISO disk image format. Allows you to create and edit simple and bootable disk images. Uses third-party disc burning software such as Burning Rom.

Programs for mounting disk images on a virtual drive

Necessary programs for windows 10 - 7 - Daemon Tools

25. Daemon Tools Lite allows you to mount an image of a CD / DVD disc on a virtual drive, which makes it possible to see how the image will work on a real drive. The program has a fairly wide functionality: Emulation of IDE drives, Emulation of DT and SCSI drives, Mounting disk images, Creating physical disk images, Converting and editing images, Burning disks with images, data and music. Allows you to simulate a large number of different disc copy protection. Allows you to run disk toys not from DVD, but from a hard drive, which makes it possible for them to work much faster. A very useful utility for gamers and those who do not write images to discs, but keep them on the computer. Free.

Postal managers or clients

Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - The Bet

26. Email clients are perhaps the most important applications in modern human computing life. Most users have several accounts in different mail services. Mail clients have been created to provide convenient management of all mail flows. I will give a dozen well-known, and perhaps the best of the mass of mail clients that are available:

The Bet- a great helper for those who have an active Emai correspondence. Allows you to download mail from a huge number of mailboxes and organize it into folders. It has a filter designer and much more.

MS Outlook included in the package Microsoft programs office. The program is very sophisticated. I would even say over the top. But maybe it's all useful to someone.

Mailbird the program is lightweight, undemanding to resources, easy to use and visually appealing.

eM Client- this mail client has all the necessary basic functions.

Inky has a trial version that works for free for 14 days. It has a wide range of possibilities.

Claws Mail rather complex application is intended for advanced users who are not afraid to set everything up manually.

Zimbra Desktop is a free and open source email client. Zimbra is a cross-platform solution for Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

touchmail- a convenient mail client for owners of tablets or convertible laptops.

Thunderbird by Mozilla is a unique application. The built-in extension system allows you to increase the functionality of the client with the help of numerous tools created by the Thunderbird community.

Programs for reading DjVu files

Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - DjVu

27. DjVu is one of the scanned document formats. It is used as a rule for the storage and distribution of books, manuscripts, magazines in which there are many images, diagrams, drawings, formulas. And also for storing scans of historical documents, when accurate reproduction of the shade and texture of paper is required, the most reliable display of all defects, page folds, manual marks and corrections, prints, ink blots, etc.

You can view these files using the following programs: WinDjView, ICE Book Reader Professional, Evince Document Viewer, DjvuReader.

Programs for recording and processing sound

Required programs for windows 10 -7 - Audacity

28. There are also quite a lot of such programs, but perhaps the best will be a small but powerful one. Audacity. The program works with a mixer built into the personal computer system, as well as with external sound sources. It is designed to record sound files of unlimited size.

Allows already written files:

1. clean from interference: hiss, static noise, hum;
2. change volume;
3. cut into pieces and mount as you like;
4. as well as compress.

The program is used to record and process digital files. And also digitization of obsolete sound carriers: gramophone records and cassettes. In addition to its own AUP format, it supports a number of popular extensions. In addition to professional functionality it's also free.

All the necessary programs for windows 7 - 10, which we reviewed in this article you mentioned in the article "". However, there is one note. Programs present on the ZverDVD disk - earlier versions can be installed on OS of any bitness. Many programs located on the disk "Zver 2016.3 Windows 8.1 Pro x64" have only a 64-bit version. And accordingly, they will not work on 32-bit OS.

This set provides a list of the most necessary programs that are perfect for installing on a new laptop or device with a new Windows operating system.

Good antivirus protection

1 The first thing to install is, of course, good protection. Without a good antivirus, visiting any pages on the Internet, using third-party applications or devices, can lead to the infection of your computer with dangerous viruses and Trojans. To do this, we suggest you use the new, free antivirus solution 360 Total Security, which you can download from a special page of our website.

Feature rich browser

2 Further, to visit sites on the Internet, you must have an installed, modern browser. There are many applications, but each of them is unique in its own way. If you want to spend your time as efficiently and safely as possible while visiting Internet resources and using various services on the network, then we recommend that you download and install the free Yandex browser. This program has everything necessary tools for efficient and safe Internet browsing.

Good file archiver

3 Then you can install a shareware archiver. Most files on the Internet are distributed in archived form, and in order to extract the contents from them, you need a special program. We recommend that you download the very good WinRAR application and install it as your main archive tool. You can learn more about it and download it by clicking on the button below.

Multimedia

4 For playing music and watching videos, we recommend that you pay attention to the KMPlayer player and the AIMP player. By downloading and installing the proposed programs for working with multimedia files, you can easily listen to music and watch any video without having to install additional codecs.

Optimization

5 During the use and installation of additional programs on a laptop, various unnecessary information and records accumulate in the system, which load your computer and significantly slow it down. For such cases, we recommend downloading the special utility CCleaner, a program for cleaning and optimizing the system. With this application, you can easily delete all unnecessary entries and junk files that accumulate during active use of the laptop.

Here are 5 essential programs that should be installed on your laptop. If this list does not meet your needs, then you can always visit our website and select from the list all those applications that you want to download to your computer.

The use of smartphones is no longer possible without a variety of applications and games. Resourceful developers are constantly coming up with new Android applications that make life easier for us and allow us to pass the time.

However, their excessive abundance in the Play Store often makes us download unnecessary or low-quality products. Therefore, it will be useful to learn about the 20 most popular free applications of the Play Market.

1. Instagram for Android (Download)

Photo: Instagram on Android

It's hard to find someone who doesn't have an account here. The application is designed for quick publication of photos and videos. Before uploading, it is proposed to process images with filters or other tools.

There is the possibility of live communication on the air, creating personal stories, editing videos, chatting with friends in Instagram Direct.

The application is very convenient, it allows you to keep abreast of events and the lives of friends and easily share moments of your life with them.

2. Facebook (Download)

When Facebook switched to the Android mobile platform, 1 billion users immediately downloaded this application.

Photo: Facebook on Android

The application largely duplicates the functionality of the web version of Facebook.

However, many users often complain about the imperfection of the program and various technical problems. It is hoped that in the new updated versions all problems will be fixed.

3. SHAREit for Android (Download)

A useful and simple application for Android.

The essence of his work is to transfer any files between various devices(smartphone, tablet, laptop, PC, android, iOS). The transmission is made only over a short distance, but does not require absolutely any traffic and connection to the network.

This is a good alternative to bluetooth, as SHAREit transfers files many times faster. It is clear that they are not used every day, but such an application should still be at hand.

4. My Talking Tom (Download)

One of the most popular games that resembles a modern and improved version of Tamagotchi.

Raise your virtual pet, monitor its health and mood, give it a name. Choose your own coat color and various accessories for the animal. Many functions and possibilities give real emotions and good mood. Also in the application is available a dozen entertaining mini-games.

Photo: My talking Tom

5. 100 doors (Download)

Continuing the theme of games, it is worth noting the application 100 doors (100 rooms). This is a whole series of entertaining puzzles, in each of which you need to go through exactly 100 levels.

These applications for android will appeal to those who love challenging tasks. Solve challenges and puzzles to unlock next door. Interestingly, you can use all the features of the phone - tilt it, turn it over or shake it. Hours of play will pass unnoticed.

Photo: 100 doors on Android

6. Snapchat (Download)

This is another social mobile app that has broken the 500 million downloads mark. The developers managed to create a bright and simple program for communication.

A variety of effects for photos, unique stickers and pictures, easy communication with friends, as well as publications from famous publications.

Photo: Snapchat on Android

They not only allow you to quickly access the Internet, use mail, maps, a translator, download and store various files and photos, but also set up useful functions on your phone (for example, etc.)

Photo: Google on Android

9. Line free calls (Download)

An excellent application for communication, which is popular in many countries.

Photo: Line free calls

The principle of its work practically does not differ from many other messengers. Free messages, calls, video calls, group conversations and chats (up to 200 interlocutors at the same time). Simple and colorful design, unique and themed stickers for mood. An optional Keep feature saves important files, photos, or forwarded messages.

10. Shazam (Download)

One of the best Android apps in the Music category.

Photo: Shazam on Android

Instantly identifies the player this moment song, finds its words and video. Now you don’t have to rack your brains for days, remembering the melody that has settled in your head.

Favorite songs can be added to the playlist. The collection of songs and clips for them is constantly updated. The latest news, top and time-tested legendary hits are always available for listening.

By the way, many famous artists also use Shazam (for example, Pitbull).

11. Clean Master (Download)

Cleanup Wizard will be a useful assistant in every phone.

The application filters and removes various spam, cache, unnecessary notifications. Improves and speeds up the phone, optimizes memory. To additional features include battery saving, device cooling, and virus scanning.

Photo: Clean Master on Android

Judging by the reviews and the number of downloads (almost 1 billion), this application can be considered one of the best in its category. The program is free, it works at the expense of paid advertising.

12. AliExpress Shopping App (Download)

The application is popular with all fans of this trading platform.

Photo: AliExpress Shopping App

The application is simple and clear, there is complete confidentiality, it supports the conversion of many currencies. It doesn't yield to anything full version site. Straight from mobile device you can choose a product, place an order, pay, and then track your parcel. In addition, some products have an additional discount in the application.

13. Microsoft Word (Download)

A useful application for Android that allows you to use a convenient text editor on any smartphone.

The program was created specifically for those people who need to work with documents quickly and on the go. The design is quite familiar, practically does not differ from the version on the PC. Convenient touch control allows you to use numerous functions. In a word, this is almost a full-fledged Word on the phone.

Photo: Microsoft Word on Android

14. Tinder (Download)

The dating app Tinder has been recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the most popular and successful.

Tinder allows you to find new friends for pleasant communication or romantic relationship. View a huge number of photos of participants and choose the ones you like. Their contacts or location will immediately appear on your screen. Since the release of the application, the concept of "getting to know each other" has changed a lot. Now finding friends while traveling or quickly organizing a party will not be difficult.

The app is easy to use. Due to its specificity, it age limit 18+.

15. Weather (Download)

Weather is a very functional and reasonably accurate weather forecast app.

The data is updated regularly, so it is possible to find out the current temperature in real time. Forecasts can be short-term (every hour) or long-term (up to 9 days).

If necessary, additional information is displayed on the screen, such as humidity or atmospheric pressure.

It is worth noting the colorful design and convenient widgets for the main screen of your android.

16. You Tube (Download)

The official YouTube app for Android provides quick access to all videos on the site.

Convenient design and navigation helps you find the videos you need, subscribe to channels, upload your own videos. Viewed or liked videos are stored in separate tabs.

Photo: YouTube on Android

17. Liters (Download)

The most popular free book reader app.

The virtual library has more than 50,000 works, its range is constantly updated. All books are divided into many categories for easy searching.

Pleasant interface does not irritate the eyes after long reading. All books are completely free, so you have to endure 5 seconds of advertising.

Photo: LitRes application

18. Fitness plan 30 days (Download)

Android apps that help you lose weight, eat right and exercise are becoming incredibly popular.

One of the best in this category will be "Fitness - plan 30 days."

This is a personal home trainer. The training course is divided into a month. Clear and high-quality video tutorials teach you how to perform all the exercises at home. The set of exercises is designed correctly and competently. Physical exercise grow gradually, which does not harm health.

It is possible to record your achievements and parameters. Convenient notifications and reminders will not allow you to miss a workout.

19. Marvel Contest of Champions (Download)

We return to the most popular games again. Marvel Contest of Champions is a colorful and realistic RPG inspired by your favorite comics.

Here are all the Marvel heroes who are constantly fighting evil. Gather your team, invite friends, develop a combat strategy.

20. Hay Day (Download)

The list is completed by a very kind and no less popular game Hay Day.

This is a well-known farm, which is a success with more than 100 million users. Take care of your land, harvest, trade, buy inventory and equipment. Gorgeous graphics, interesting tasks, new features and capabilities can drag you into the game for a long time.

Photo: Hay Day on Android

This was a selection of the best free Android apps that will come in handy for all occasions.

Dear readers! If you have any questions or comments on the topic of the article, please leave them below.

I chose a new computer for a long time, and finally here it is - standing on the table, on the Windows splash screen, and what to do next, what programs need to be installed? Somewhere I saw something, somewhere I heard, in general, porridge in my head! Let this article be a small guide to the TOP of the most necessary programs for a computer, according to the site.

No matter how hard Microsoft tries to ennoble its operating system, a clean OS can only be used in limited conditions - for example, at work, where the installation of additional programs is prohibited or there are no rights.

What to choose, paid or free programs

It just so happens that some free programs are not enough, it turns out somewhere 50 to 50. In no case do I call for the use of cracked versions, but such is our reality that “cracked” programs are used everywhere. In my experience, to solve almost any problem, there is at least one free program, which is enough with the head. But paid software is usually more convenient and with big amount functions. But they are needed for bulk work or for professional activities.

Antivirus - necessary protection

I have already touched on the topic of antivirus more than once, this is an absolutely necessary program that I download on any computer immediately after Windows installation. Perhaps the antivirus is the program that is better to buy and live in peace. Paid versions save you the headache of looking for updated keys and signature databases. Our most common:

Which one to choose is a personal matter for everyone. 100% protection will not give any, so just choose which one you like best.

Of the free ones are good:

Alternative browser

For the convenience of using the Internet, you will need to install one of them to replace the standard Internet Explorer / Edge. Popular in our area:

All of them are free and very necessary programs. Today, the browser from Yandex is rapidly gaining popularity. This is undoubtedly one of the best browsers, but everyone has their own preferences.

In terms of speed and system resource consumption, I prefer Opera. And who likes flexibility in customization can choose Mozilla FireFox. If you stay on the standard Internet Explorer, then at least update it to the latest version.

Archiver

By default, Microsoft Windows does not know how to work with such a common archive format as “.rar”. Probably in the west everyone only uses zip. I install a wrapper that supports all the necessary archive formats, including ".zip". WinRAR is built into the operating system, allowing you to work with archives from the context menu in Explorer.

As an alternative, I can recommend the 7-Zip program. It also has all the necessary functions, but it does not know how to pack in the “.rar” format. But it can unpack the “.7z” format.

Office software package

Mandatory thing for working with texts and tables: Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Although I included this in the mandatory list, it is still not for everyone. But I have yet to see a laptop without Microsoft Office or its free OpenOffice counterpart. Of the lighter office suites, I would recommend WPS Office.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read PDF books. PDF is the most common format for documentation, books, and manuals. It will work without a special program, but the functionality will be limited to the simplest actions. Acrobat Reader is completely free software.

Messenger, internet phone

Programs for free communication around the world via the Internet:

• Skype - the most famous, but outdated, there is a detailed
• Viber - actively gaining popularity
• WhatsApp is one of the most popular in the world

All programs support voice, video and chat. An indispensable thing for communication, in addition to social networks. For this, headphones and a webcam (for video communication), as well as an installed program on both devices of the interlocutors. Messengers also allow you to call landlines and mobile phones, but this is no longer free.

In order for you to be able to communicate with relatives and friends, you need to find out what programs they themselves use. But usually they install everything at once. I note that in order for Viber and WhatsApp to work on a PC, they must be installed on a smartphone too.

I showed the main programs for the laptop in a minimal variety. For the more advanced, I will recommend another pack of software.

After installing the drivers, first of all I install the file manager. This program provides convenient access to the file system, replacing the standard Windows Explorer. It is much more convenient to copy, move, change files. I advise everyone! With the launch of Total Commander, my work with the computer begins.

Mail client

To check their email, a person usually goes to a website like gmail.com and looks at their inbox. But it is much more convenient to use special programs - mail clients, especially if you have several email boxes.

The program connects to the server and downloads all mail to the computer. You can view it without browser delays, quickly switching between boxes. I recommend either Mozilla Thunderbird. Not bad is the standard Microsoft Outlook (built into Windows XP/7 and Microsoft Office) and the Mail app in Windows 10, but The Bat! I like it more because it's very easy to transfer mail to another computer or to a new operating system without the risk of losing important information.

Convenient video and audio player

I recommend to replace the standard Windows Media Player to install individual videos and audio players. No matter how the developers try, they cannot combine both the video and audio player in one program so that everyone likes it. For these purposes, it is better to use separate programs. For playing videos, they have proven themselves well:

Torrent download

Today, something worthwhile can be downloaded for free on the Internet either from file hosting services or using torrents. You will need uTorrent for this.

Password Manager

In order not to remember all the logins and passwords that you will certainly begin to acquire, I recommend using one of the password managers. The program remembers all your passwords and stores them on the server. Subsequently, they can be used from anywhere, on any computer and browser. I recommend using or LastPass .

RoboForm is the first thing I install because it stores all my access to internet services and applications on my computer. I also have an add-on to the Mozilla Firefox browser on my smartphone, with the help of which I always have up-to-date logins and passwords on my phone.

CCleaner System Cleaner

I'm sure a useful thing for any system running Windows 7/8/10 is the CCleaner program. Designed for periodic, about once a month, cleaning operating system and programs from the accumulated garbage. Basically, these are various temporary folders, files, caches, which not only clog free disk space, but also often worsen computer performance. Especially useful for improving the performance of browsers that start to slow down over time.

Optional settings

Useful only if you have special system requirements.

A set of codecs for video and audio

By default, Windows can only play the most basic video and audio file formats. To support other formats, you will need one of the codec packs, such as the K-Lite Codec Pack or Win7Codecs . This installation is optional because any modern multimedia player already has all common codecs built in, or it immediately offers to download them.

Disc burning software

DVD drives are less commonly used than they used to be, but are still found in almost every computer. I use the program to burn discs. From the free one, I can recommend JetBee FREE or ImgBurn.

Outdated, somewhere else popular ICQ

A popular client for communication using the ICQ protocol (“ICQ” in the folk language). Previously, every computer used to be the de facto standard for instant messaging over the Internet, such as free SMS, only in a larger volume. You can often see it in contacts on various service sites and online stores.

I use at the same time social media, Telegram and ICQ. Thus, you can keep a constant connection with people. Instead of the cumbersome ICQ program, I recommend installing a convenient QIP client. The program is in Russian, has a simple and intuitive interface.

Bonus - Punto Switcher

This is the minimum of programs that are needed for a computer and I myself use them. Literally opened my start menu and chose the most basic. I do not recommend using various Windows builds, such as "Zver", although some of the necessary software is already built into them. But it is because of them that inexplicable problems with the computer then pop up.

If earlier computers were something inaccessible to an ordinary person and were used by a few, now stationary computer systems, laptops or mobile devices, which can also be attributed to computers, will not surprise anyone. There are tens of thousands of manufacturers, there are hundreds, but each of them contains mandatory and necessary programs for a computer. Let's try to briefly describe what is needed for the normal functioning of any computer system.

Programs required for computer operation

If we talk about the most necessary software, first of all, you need an "OS". We will start from the fact that it is already installed.

What is the required set of programs for a computer? It can be conditionally divided into several main categories: device drivers, software packages for protecting the system (antiviruses), utilities for operating the OS, applications for working with office documents, programs that provide full access to the Internet, archivers, packages for improving the quality of video playback or audio, as well as specialized software responsible for the advanced capabilities of computer systems.

Windows OS programs

So, consider the simplest programs for a computer. The list of Windows operating systems, unfortunately, does not meet all the requirements modern systems. The fact is that after installing the "OS" itself, it contains minimum set, mostly focused on the use of system utilities.

In fact, for the average user, it is of no interest. However, you can find something here. This applies to Windows. But, depending on the version of the operating system itself and the hardware, not all devices may have the appropriate drivers. As it is already clear, the consequence is the partial or complete inoperability of one or another component. That is why the correct installation of the required driver is one of the priority tasks for any system.

Drivers

What programs are necessary for a computer from this point of view? First of all, a "native" utility called DirectX. It was missing in earlier versions and had to be installed manually. Now DirectX is included in the standard set of Windows OS.

It is worth noting that this is a universal utility not only for diagnosing the main hardware or some software components. DirectX is also a computer tuning program and a tool for finding out the versions of device drivers. With its help, you can determine whether it is worth installing a new driver, and in general, whether it is available in the system itself.

Installing missing drivers

To do this, you can use the standard features of Windows. For example, "Device Manager" in the Control Panel. All devices with missing or incorrectly installed drivers are marked in yellow. Using the Properties menu on the tabs, you can find buttons to install, update and uninstall the driver, as well as disable the device itself.

For example, when it is disabled, the system will display a message about the discovery of a new device and offer to install the appropriate software from its own distribution. It doesn't always help. If the installation fails, you will have to install the driver from the original disk, any removable media, or from the Internet if the network connection is active.

The minimum list of necessary programs for a computer in Windows

As already mentioned, in the Windows OS itself, the list of programs is very limited. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for an ordinary user to work with what is available immediately after installing the “OS”, because many of the tools that are so necessary in the work are simply not available. Let's consider the most basic ones. Applications can be found using the sequence "Menu" / "All Programs" / "Accessories".

Installed utilities will be listed here, as well as the “System” folder, which contains the necessary programs for the computer that are responsible for diagnosing, maintaining, administering and restoring the system.

Standard programs

As for the average user, from the entire proposed list (say, in Windows 7), at best, he may need only four applets: Paint, Explorer, Notepad and WordPad.

However, it is worth considering here that the Word document viewer also has extremely limited capabilities, not only for editing the corresponding files. These applications are not yet able to recognize some other formats. That is why it is worth installing additional software that can work with other types of files.

In addition, the Start menu itself contains utilities such as Internet Explorer for browsing the World Wide Web and Outlook Express for basic e-mail operations.

Service Utilities

Among the utilities included in the standard set of Windows, three components are worth noting separately. The most necessary programs for a computer (not counting the rest) are presented here as follows: "System Restore", "Disk Cleanup" and "Disk Defragmenter".

The first utility is responsible, as is already clear, for restoring the system to an earlier working state (checkpoint). The second one provides removal from hard drive unnecessary or unused files and folders. The third allows you to defragment by moving frequently called programs, files and directories to the fastest areas of the hard drive, which significantly speeds up access to them.

Microsoft office

Speaking about what are the necessary programs for a computer, one cannot fail to mention such a well-known software package as Microsoft Office. Without it today nowhere.

The applications included in this package allow you to work with almost all the main types of standard documents known today, apart from some specific formats. Let's highlight the most important programs:

Microsoft Word - a text editor with advanced features;

Microsoft Excel - editor of tables and tabular data;

Microsoft Power Point - presentation creation system;

Microsoft Access - a tool for working with databases;

Microsoft Outlook is an application for Email with great functionality.

Of course, there is still a lot of everything, but it is unlikely that an inexperienced user will use absolutely all the programs presented in the standard office suite.

Antivirus

Now let's move on to the cornerstone. Antivirus protection has become an integral part of any system. It's no secret that there are now a huge number of viruses, as they say, for every taste. Here you have viruses, the action of which disables the system, and crackers of the OS and passwords to gain access to confidential information, and trojans, and computer worms, and keyloggers, etc. You just can't list everything. Therefore, in order to be fully confident in their security, each user should use anti-virus packages with the latest databases. It is better if the virus signature databases are updated automatically. But it already depends only on the developer and

It is clear that in this list you can find a lot of packages. There is a choice to be made here. For example, not every free program has enough features and tools to prevent virus attacks, or On the other hand, not everyone can afford paid applications. Here you can install trial versions by renewing the keys (like NOD applications), or use "cracked" utilities, although this is illegal. Which package to choose, you have to decide for yourself. It is worth paying attention to the fact that professional software products such as Kaspersky, although they provide maximum protection, nevertheless, use system resources computer.

However, in any case, such a program for a computer system in terms of protection is mandatory for installation.

System Maintenance

In terms of services, optimization and acceleration, Windows does not have a lot of tools. In this case, it is better to install third-party utilities such as TuneUp Utilities, Ashampoo WinOptimizer, Advanced System Care and others. Such packages can optimize the system "in one click" (1-Click Maintenance) and offer many additional modules.

In fact, any of these applications is a program for setting up a computer in terms of its system part. In some cases, it is worth installing special applications that are responsible for devices or the correct removal of unused ones. However, in most cases they are paid. In general, you can install such packages only at your own peril and risk. Therefore, it is not worth doing much experimentation.

Internet

Many do not like the "native" Windows tool for browsing the Internet (Internet Explorer). And there is a reason. We will not go into technical details. At the very least, this browser seems too slow and awkward to use. Therefore, it is also jokingly called a tool to find and download Opera.

However, there are a lot of browser systems now. These are, say, Opera, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Yandex Browser, etc. The list can be continued almost indefinitely. Here you just need to test each application in order to choose the best option for yourself.

Do not forget about specialized downloaders that can speed up the download of files. It can be anything from the usual "Download Wizards" and programs from to almost illegal programs that work with torrent trackers.

Archivers

The archiver application is an integral part of the system, especially when the user actively uses the Internet, downloads applications, installs new ones from removable media, etc. It's no secret that any programs for installation on a computer are supplied as a Setup installation file (sometimes with additional information files, less often - in the form of dynamic libraries connected to work through hosts such as DX, VST, RTAS, AAX, etc.). But, as a rule, such files take up a lot of space. In order to save disk space, they are packed into special archives that have a smaller size.

Just the same archivers and allow you to extract all the data from files of this type. The most famous here are WinRAR, WinZIP, 7-ZIP, etc. But here, as with browsers, it is better to immediately explore all the features of the application, and only then use it for everyday tasks.

Connecting tablets and smartphones

As for connecting mobile gadgets, which have recently gained incredible popularity, here you can use the "native" utilities that come with your smartphone or tablet. For example, for "apple" devices, this is iTunes, for Samsung gadgets, these are programs like Samsung Kies, etc.

If software it was not included in the kit, on the Internet you can find universal utilities that allow you to work on a computer terminal or laptop with a specific device via communication via a USB connection or Bluetooth.

Multimedia

It is impossible not to say a few words about the playback of audio and video. The problem here is that the system does not always have special codecs and decoders responsible for the correct work with these types of files. Technologies for encoding and decoding audio and video do not stand still. So it's better to install the latest package containing all the tools. by the most simple option may become a software product K-Lite Codec Pack. This, as they say, is a universal remedy for all occasions.

True, when installing, in setting the parameters, you need to select all the components. You may not need some of them, but it's not worth the risk. You never know what situations may arise.

Conclusion

It is important to understand that in this article only short review programs and applications that are necessary for the computer to operate or use its advanced features. However, it is worth noting that this is a basic functional set that no modern user can do without. Naturally, there is still a huge variety of tools that allow not only to expand the functional base, but also to get some convenience when working. However, as is already clear, it is simply impossible to describe them all.

The only thing that can be noted is the desirable installation of hard disk partitioning tools. After all, if the system “flies”, then the information stored in virtual partitions will remain unchanged. And after restoring the system, you can use the saved data as if nothing had happened.