Top necessary programs for pc. Useful and necessary programs for your computer
Required 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 ready for work after installation. In principle, not only Windows 7, but 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. The Windows kit contains only a few programs useful for the user.
These are several toys, the most unpretentious 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, a program for maintaining a PC and OS. That's actually all that our favorite OS is rich in. With Windows 10, things are a little better. Microsoft has gone a lot further. 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 not ready in part, 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. Hence the time has come 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 essential programs for windows 10 - 7
Archivers
1. The very first thing we need to establish is the ARCHIVATORS. On the Internet, all programs are compressed or packed by some kind of archiver. This allows less disk space wasted for storing information on servers and faster transmission of packets over the Internet. Each PC must have at least one archiver, and preferably two. The first WinRar - it works very quickly and supports the ability to unzip a large number of various popular archives. And the most important thing is its own, very specific, highly protected Rar format. The passwords set by this archiver have not yet been decrypted by anyone. 
Second archiver 7-zip... Perhaps this archiver is even more needed than the first one. 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 need to download are in zip, rar and 7z formats.
If you are working with a site and you need to create archives in the GZIP format, then the 7-zip archiver will provide 2-10% compression better than any other archiver.
These two archivers will help you solve almost any problem of archiving / unzipping software packages obtained from the Internet.
Codecs
2. The second most important thing will probably be the installation of codecs for playing audio and video files of various formats, without which not one audio / video player does not work. Of all the great many 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 necessary to play media files in browsers (Internet browsers) such as IE, Mozilla Firefox, Opera. It is already built in Google Chrome and Yandex browser.
Browsers
4. It will be important to install a whole set of browsers. I recommend installing all popular ones, these are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Yandex... Why so many? Can I get by with IE (Microsoft's Internet Explorer)? No, not enough! Any of the suggested browsers are much better than IE. Firstly, they are faster, more stable, and make it easy to manage add-ons. Why is it necessary to install everything? The point is that they are all different and have different useful features that IE does not. 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 content of the pages. Google Chrome can upload many files at the same time.
Mozilla Firefox just not replaceable for those who create and debug sites. It has a huge number of different useful add-ons that other browsers do not have.
Opera one of the fastest browsers in the world. This is especially noticeable on slow Internet channels, when he uses a lot of streaming of downloading pages and files, and additional compression of information on his server using special algorithms.
Yandex browserdevelopment from Yandex. Very similar to Google Chrome and compatible with its add-ons. Has some limitations. The latest versions of this browser are very fast. Overall a good browser.
There is a great add-on for all these browsers Neiron Search Tools - this extension provides the ability to simultaneously search for information on the Internet through Google and Yandex, and the joint convenient display of search results. Searching becomes much more efficient with this app. I highly recommend using it.
File upload 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, almost in no way inferior to paid foreign counterparts. Provides multichannel, fast download, is able to download files after a 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 application.
Google Chrome has created many obstacles for this application to work. Now SaveFrom.net doesn't install well on Google Chrome, but it works great from the Internet. Use it to your health. No problems were found on other browsers.
If you only need YouTube to upload videos, then there is a program for this. UmmyVideoDownloader... UmmyVideoDownloader is specially designed for YouTube video downloader. A very comfortable and high quality item.
Programs for audio / video communication
6. To communicate on the Internet you need at least the Skype program. There are a lot of programs for text, audio, video communication, but most people use skype and it has such capabilities that other programs do not have. So we must install skype. You will probably need it.
Text editors and processors
7. We replace the slightly functional text editor from the Windows package with a more functional one AkelPad or even more advanced Notepad ++ (HIGHLY RECOMMEND). Notepad ++ allows you to work with a large number of documents at the same time. Remembers the situation when turned off and restores it automatically the next time it is turned on. Allows you to follow links directly from the edited text. It's simply not replaceable for programmers, as it recognizes the code of more than 20 programming languages \u200b\u200band helps to check it for errors. Detects mistakes in words and underlines them. The presence of such an editor on every PC is a must.
8. To create documents of different formats and automated tables, you will need an advanced word and spreadsheet processor such as Win Word and Win Excel from the Microsoft Office package. The MS OFFICE package contains many more useful programs. For example email client, presentation manager, slide show ... On the Internet you can find advanced packages with many add-ons.
File managers
9. Convenience in working with files will be provided by the 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! An unusually convenient and useful program. Would highly recommend to everyone!
PDF viewers
10. Foxit phantom required to read PDF documents. The program is 10 times smaller than the analogue of Adobe Acrobat, much faster and in addition allows you to edit PDF documents. Recommend. The program itself is paid, but you can find it for free on the Zver-DVD disk image. If you do not need editing functions and do not want to upload a huge image, then you can use the free analog 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 unblock and delete locked files and folders that cannot be deleted by other methods. A couple more programs of this class that support Russian: LockHunter, IObit Unlocker... If, when trying to delete, you often encounter messages "Unable to delete", "Access denied", "Used by another application", "You do not have sufficient 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, disc 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, light program for viewing images, has the ability to edit an image file, overlay text on a picture, optimize the image code ... Highly Recommended!
Find files quickly on your computer
14. Everything is designed to find files on your computer. Incredibly fast. Produces search results as each letter is pressed, like hints when searching on the Internet. Highlights the found combination of letters in the names of files and folders. Displays the file paths. A 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 satisfy the requests 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
Screen capture software
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 a lot of useful little things. There are a lot of programs capable of efficiently performing video capture from the monitor screen: Bandicam, HyperCam, ScreenCamera, Techsmith Snagit, UVScreen Camera, VirtualDub... They all have quite similar functionality.
All programs of this class are paid. Some of them have demo versions - shareware, heavily cut down with poor functionality, sometimes with captions on the screen that make it difficult to view the video.
The most important leader in this field is considered a highly professional Camtasia Studio... It allows you not only to capture images from the screen, but also to edit the footage with the use of different effects.
OCR programs
16. If you have a scanner or already scanned documents, or images with text, then to convert them into text format you will need a text recognition program. The best of its kind ABBYY FineReader.
Automatic keyboard switches
17. Those who write a lot of texts using the Latin and Cyrillic alphabet will be an excellent assistant Punto Switcherwhich automatically switches keyboard layouts based on the words being typed and fixes persistent errors. The program is absolutely free, developed by programmers of the Yandex laboratory.
Audio and video players
18. Lovers of music and video will need a player Winamp, which has with its package quite rare codecs and is able to play records from video recorders and surveillance cameras, as well as allows you to include several copies of the program at the same time, create playlists, adjust the tone of the sound and much more .... Free.
There are a great variety 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 very different functionalities. Any user can satisfy all their needs.
Windows cleaners / accelerators / optimizers
19. Ccleaner useful for quick and easy cleaning of the system from temporary files, from unnecessary entries in the registry, etc. ... The program does not have the greatest functionality, but it does the required minimum perfectly. Free. There are a great many 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... They all have similar, but still different functionality.
If you are very concerned about the cleanliness and reliability of your Windows, then of course one package will not be enough for you. So, as always in other packages there are functions that you do not have. Even just registry cleaners, everyone checks different parts of the registry and sometimes finds something like that ... In general, there is a lot 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 from abandoned keys that many demos leave on the system. After this cleaning, you can reinstall the demos and use their capabilities.
Recovering deleted files
Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - Power Data Recovery 20. Power Data Recovery - simple yet powerful tool for recovering deleted data. Allows you to recover:
- deleted files and folders;
- files from a lost / deleted / damaged partition;
- data from a hard-to-read CD / DVD;
- digital media data.
I would say the program is very important, but since not everyone needs it, that's why it's 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. An essential tool for creating, modifying pictures and adjusting photos. 
Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - CorelDraw
22. CorelDraw is the best vector graphics processor. Practically irreplaceable in this area. The program is not super required, but necessary to create scalable vector images.
Animation software
23. Easi Gif Animator will be needed when creating animated pictures or videos. Has the entire arsenal of functions necessary for this. Free.
Disk imaging software
24. Ultra ISO needed by those who create images of CD / DVD discs. Works with the standard ISO disc image format. Allows you to create and edit simple and bootable disk images. Uses third-party programs for burning discs such as Burning rom.
Programs for mounting disk images to a virtual drive
Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - Daemon Tools 25. Daemon tools lite allows you to mount a CD / DVD disk image to a virtual drive, which makes it possible to see how the image will work on a real drive. The program has a fairly broad functionality: Emulation of IDE drives, Emulation of DT and SCSI drives, Mounting disk images, Creating images of physical disks, Converting and editing images, Burning discs with images, data and music. Allows you to simulate a large number of different disc copy protections. Allows you to run disc toys not from a DVD, but from a hard drive, which makes them work much faster. A very useful utility for gamers and those who do not write images to disks, but keep them on the computer. Free.
Mail managers or clients
Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - The Bet 26. Mail clients are possibly the most important applications in modern human computer life. Most users have multiple accounts with different email services. To provide convenient management of all mail flows, mail clients have been created. I will cite 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 are active in Emai correspondence. Allows you to download mail from a huge number of mailboxes and put it into folders. Has a filter constructor and much more.
Ms Outlook included in the Microsoft Office suite. The program is very sophisticated. I would say even too much. But maybe all of this will be useful to someone.
Mailbird the program is lightweight, undemanding to resources, easy to use and visually attractive.
eM Client - this email client has all the basic functions you need.
Inky has a trial version that works for free for 14 days. Has quite extensive capabilities.
Claws mail rather complex application is intended for advanced users who are not afraid to configure everything manually.
Zimbra Desktop is a free open source email client. Zimbra is a cross-platform solution for Windows, Linux and Mac OS.
TouchMail - a convenient email client for owners of tablets or laptops-transformers.
Thunderbird from Mozilla is a unique application. The built-in extension system allows you to enhance the client's functionality with numerous tools created by the Thunderbird community.
DjVu file readers
Required programs for windows 10 - 7 - DjVu27. DjVu is one of the formats for scanned documents. It is used as a rule for storing and distributing books, manuscripts, magazines in which there are many images, diagrams, drawings, formulas. And also for storing scans of historical documents, when an accurate reproduction of the shade and texture of the paper is required, the most reliable display of all defects, page folds, hand-made marks and corrections, prints, ink marks, etc.
You can view such files using the following programs: WinDjView, ICE Book Reader Professional, Evince Document Viewer, DjvuReader.
Sound recording and processing software
Required programs for windows 10-7 - Audacity28. There are also a lot of such programs, but perhaps the best will be a small but powerful Audacity... The program works with a mixer built into the personal computer system, as well as external sound sources. It is designed to record sound files of unlimited size.
Allows already recorded files:
- clean from interference: hiss, static noise, hum;
- change the volume;
- cut into pieces and assemble as you like;
- as well as compress.
The program is used to record and process digital files. As well as digitization of outdated audio carriers: gramophone records and cassettes. Besides its own AUP format, it supports a number of popular extensions. In addition to professional functionality, it is also free.
All the necessary programs for windows 7 - 10 that we have covered 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 "Zver 2016.3 Windows 8.1 Pro x64" disk are only 64-bit. And, accordingly, they will not work on 32-bit OS.
This kit provides a list of the most essential 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 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 on our website.
Multifunctional 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 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 all the necessary tools to work effectively and safely on the Internet.
Good file archiver
3 Then you can install the shareware archiver. Most of the files on the Internet are distributed in zipped form, and in order to extract the content from them, you need a special program. We recommend that you download the very good WinRAR application and install it as your main tool for working with archives. 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 the need to additionally install 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 down its work. For such cases, we recommend downloading a special utility CCleaner, a program for cleaning and optimizing the system. With this application, you can easily delete all unnecessary records and junk files that accumulate during active use of your laptop.
Here are the 5 main programs that should be installed on your laptop. If this list does not satisfy your needs, then you can always choose our site 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 constantly come up with new applications for Android that make our life easier and allow us to pass the time.
Nevertheless, their excessive abundance in the Play Store often forces us to download unnecessary or not quite high-quality products. Therefore, it will be useful to learn about the 20 most popular free applications in the Play Market.
1. Instagram on Android (Download)
Photo: Instagram on AndroidIt's hard to find someone who doesn't have an account here. The application is designed for quick publishing of photos and videos. Before uploading it is suggested to process the 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 the events and lives of friends and easily share the moments of your life with them.
2. Facebook (Download)
When Facebook switched to the Android mobile platform, 1 billion users immediately downloaded the 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 its work is to transfer any files between various devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop, PC, android, iOS). The transmission is carried out only over a short distance, however, it does not require absolutely any waste of traffic and network connection.
This is a good alternative to bluetooth, as SHAREit transfers files many times faster. It is clear that it is 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. A lot of functions and possibilities give real emotions and good mood. There are also a dozen entertaining mini-games available in the application.
Photo: My Talking Tom 5.100 doors (Download)
Continuing the theme of games, it is worth noting the application of 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 like challenging tasks. Solve tasks and puzzles to open the 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 500 million downloads. The developers managed to create a bright and simple program for communication.
Various effects for photos, unique stickers and pictures, easy communication with friends, as well as publications from well-known 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 in your phone (for example, etc.)
Photo: Google on Android 9. Line free calls (Download)
An excellent communication application that is popular in many countries.
Photo: Line Free Calls The principle of its operation practically does not differ from many other messengers. Free messages, calls, video calls, group conversations and chats (up to 200 interlocutors simultaneously). Simple and colorful design, unique and themed mood stickers. The optional Keep function 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 currently playing song, finds its words and video. Now you don't have to rack your brains for days, remembering a melody that has stuck in your head.
You can add your favorite songs to the playlist. The collection of songs and clips to 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)
The cleaning 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. Additional features include battery saver, device cooling, and virus scanning.
Photo: Clean Master on Android 
Based on 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 through 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 straightforward, there is complete confidentiality, conversion of many currencies is supported. It is in no way inferior to the full version of the site. Directly from your mobile device, you can select a product, place an order, pay, and then track your package. In addition, there is an additional discount for some products 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 short, it 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 acquaintances for pleasant communication or romantic relationships. Browse through 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 app, the concept of “getting to know” has changed a lot. Finding friends while traveling or quickly organizing a party is now a snap.
The application is easy to use. Due to its specificity, it has an age limit of 18+.
15. Weather (Download)
Weather is a very functional and fairly accurate weather forecast application.
The data is regularly updated, so it is possible to find out the current temperature in real time. Forecasts can be short-term (for 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 gives you quick access to all the videos on the site.
Convenient design and navigation helps you find the videos you want, subscribe to channels, upload your own videos. Videos viewed or liked are saved in separate tabs.
Photo: YouTube on Android 
17. Liters (Download)
The most popular free book reading app.
The virtual library has more than 50,000 works, its assortment is constantly growing. All books are divided into many categories for ease of search.
The pleasant interface does not irritate the eyes after prolonged reading. All books are completely free, so you have to endure 5 seconds of advertising.
Photo: App Liters 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 do all the exercises at home. The set of exercises is composed correctly and competently. Physical activity increases gradually, which is not harmful to 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)
Back to the most popular games again. Marvel Contest of Champions is a colorful and realistic RPG inspired by your favorite comics.
All Marvel heroes are present here who are constantly fighting evil. Gather your team, invite friends, develop a combat strategy.
20. Hay Day (Download)
The very kind and equally popular game Hay Day rounds off the list.
This is a well-known farm that is popular with over 100 million users. Take care of your land, harvest, trade, buy equipment and equipment. Gorgeous graphics, interesting tasks, new functions and opportunities will be able to 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.
For a long time I chose a new computer, and finally here it is - standing on the table, the Windows splash screen is on the screen, but what to do next, what programs need to be installed? Somewhere I saw something, somewhere I heard, in general, a mess in my head! Let this article be a small guide to the TOP of the most essential computer programs, according to the site.
No matter how Microsoft tried to refine 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 free programs alone are not enough, it comes out somewhere 50-50. I in no way call for the use of hacked 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 that is enough for your head. But paid software is usually more user-friendly and comes with more features. But they are needed for voluminous work or for professional activities.
Antivirus is essential protection
I have already touched upon the topic of antivirus more than once, it is an absolutely necessary program that I download on any computer immediately after installing Windows. Perhaps antivirus is the program that is better to buy and live in peace. Paid versions eliminate the headache of finding updated keys and signature databases. The most common with us:
Which one to choose is a personal matter. No one will give 100% protection, so choose just which one you like best.
The free ones are good:
Alternative browser
For the convenience of using the Internet, you will need to install one to replace the standard Internet Explorer / Edge. Popular in our area:
They are all free and very useful programs. Today, the Yandex browser is rapidly gaining popularity. It is undoubtedly one of the best browsers out there, but each has its own preferences.
In terms of speed and system resource consumption, I prefer Opera. And those who like 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 their west only zip is used by everyone. I install a shell that supports all the required archive formats, including “.zip”. WinRAR is built into the operating system, allowing you to work with archives from the context menu in the explorer.
Alternatively, I can recommend the 7-Zip program. It also has all the necessary functions, but it cannot pack in the “.rar” format. But it can unpack the ".7z" format.
Office suite
A must for working with texts and tables: Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Although I included this on the must-have list, still not everyone needs it. But I have not yet met a laptop without Microsoft Office or its free OpenOffice counterpart. Of the lighter office suites, I recommend WPS Office.
To read PDF books, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader. PDF is the most common format for documentation, books and instructions. It will work without a special program, but the functionality will be limited to the simplest actions. Acrobat Reader is completely free software.
Messenger, phone over the Internet
Programs for free communication around the world via the Internet:
- Skype - the most famous, but outdated, there is a detailed
- Viber - is actively gaining popularity
- WhatsApp is one of the most popular in the world
All programs support voice, video and chat. An irreplaceable thing for communication, in addition to social networks. For this, headphones and a web-camera (for video communication), as well as the installed program on both devices of the interlocutors. Messengers also allow you to make calls to 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 would like to note that for Viber and WhatsApp to work on a PC, they must be installed on a smartphone too.
I have shown basic laptop programs in minimal variety. For the more advanced, I will recommend another pack of software.
After installing the drivers, the first thing I do is 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, modify files. I advise everyone! My work with the computer begins with the launch of Total Commander.
Mail client
To check their email, a person usually goes to a site like gmail.com and looks in their inbox. But it is much more convenient to use special programs - mail clients, especially if you have several e-mail boxes.
The program connects to the server and downloads all mail to your computer. You can view it without browser delays by quickly switching between boxes. I recommend either Mozilla Thunderbird. The standard Microsoft Outlook (built into Windows XP / 7 and Microsoft Office) and the Mail application in Windows 10 are not bad, but The Bat! I like it better because it is 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 installing separate video and audio players to replace the standard Windows Media Player. No matter how the developers try, they cannot combine both a video and an audio player in one program so that everyone likes it. For these purposes, it is better to use separate programs. For video playback, the following have proven themselves well:
Torrent rocking
Today, you can download something worth 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 start to grow over, 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 either 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 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 the operating system and programs from accumulated debris. Basically, these are various temporary folders, files, caches, which not only clog up free disk space, but also often degrade computer performance. Especially useful for improving browsers that start to slow down over time.
Optional settings
Only useful 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 need one of the codec sets, such as the K-Lite Codec Pack or Win7Codecs. This installation is optional, because any modern multimedia player already has built-in all common codecs, or he immediately offers to download them.
CD burning software
DVD drives are less commonly used than before, but they are still found in almost every computer. I use the program to burn discs. From the free one can recommend JetBee FREE or ImgBurn.
Outdated, somewhere else popular ICQ
A popular client for communication using the ICQ protocol ("ICQ" by the folk). Previously, every computer was the former de facto standard for instant messaging over the Internet, such as free SMS, only of a larger volume. You can also often see it in contacts on various service sites and online stores.
I use social networks, Telegram and ICQ at the same time. Thus, you can keep in constant touch 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. I literally opened my Start menu and chose the most basic. I do not recommend using various Windows assemblies, 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 surface.
If earlier computers were something inaccessible to an ordinary person and were used by units, now you will not surprise anyone with stationary computer systems, laptops or mobile devices, which can also be attributed to computers. There are tens of thousands of manufacturers, hundreds of them, 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 "operating system". Let's 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 system protection (antiviruses), utilities for operating the OS, applications for working with office documents, programs that provide full Internet access, 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 programs
So, let's consider the simplest programs for a computer. Unfortunately, the list of Windows operating systems does not meet all the requirements of modern systems. The fact is that after installing the operating system itself, it contains a minimal set, mostly focused on the use of system utilities.
In fact, it is of no interest to the average user. Nevertheless, you can find something here. This applies to Windows. But, depending on the version of the operating system itself and hardware, not all devices may have appropriate drivers. As already clear, the consequence is 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 needed for a computer from this point of view? First of all, a "native" utility called DirectX. It was not available in earlier versions and had to be installed manually. DirectX is now standard on Windows.
It should be noted that this is a universal utility not only for diagnosing the main hardware or some software components. DirectX is also a program for configuring a computer and a tool for finding out the version 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 standard Windows features. For example, "Device Manager" in Control Panel. All devices with missing or incorrectly installed drivers are highlighted 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 required programs for a computer in Windows
As already mentioned, in Windows 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 operating system, because many tools that are so necessary for work are simply not available. Let's consider the most basic ones. Applications can be found using the sequence "Menu" / "All Programs" / "Standard".
The installed utilities will be listed here, as well as the "System" folder, which contains the necessary programs for the computer, which are responsible for diagnostics, maintenance, administration and system recovery.
Standard programs
As for the average user, out of the entire proposed list (say, in Windows 7), at best, he may need only four applets: the Paint program, Explorer, Notepad and WordPad.
However, here it is worth considering that the Word document viewer has extremely limited capabilities not only for editing the corresponding files. These applications are not yet capable of recognizing some other formats. That is why it is worth installing additional software that can work with other types of files.
In addition, in the Start menu itself there are utilities such as Internet Explorer for working on the World Wide Web and Outlook Express for the simplest actions performed with e-mail.
Service utilities
Among the utilities included in the standard set of Windows, three components are worth noting separately. The most necessary programs for your computer (not counting the rest) are presented here as: "System Restore", "Disk Cleanup" and "Disk Defragmenter".
The first utility is responsible, as already understood, for restoring the system to an earlier operable state (checkpoint). The second one removes unnecessary or unused files and folders from the hard drive. The third allows defragmentation 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 the necessary programs for a computer are, one cannot but mention such a well-known software package as Microsoft Office. Without him, nowhere.
The applications included in this package allow you to work with almost all major types of standard documents known today, in addition to some specific formats. Let's highlight the most basic 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 e-mail application with a wide range of functionalities.
Of course, there is still a lot of everything, but it is unlikely that an inexperienced user will use absolutely all programs presented in a standard office set.
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 a lot of viruses now, as they say, for every taste. Here you can find viruses that disable 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 completely confident in their safety, each user should use antivirus packages with the latest databases. It is better if the virus signature databases are updated automatically. But this already depends only on the developer and
Obviously, there are tons of packages to be found on this list. There is a choice to be made here. For example, not every free program has enough capabilities and tools to prevent virus attacks. On the other hand, paid applications are not affordable for everyone. Here you can install trial versions, renewing keys (like NOD applications), or use "cracked" utilities, although this is illegal. You will have to decide which package to choose. It is worth paying attention to the fact that professional software products such as "Kaspersky", although they provide maximum protection, nevertheless use the system resources of the computer to a very high degree.
However, in any case, such a program for the computer system in terms of protection is mandatory for installation.
System maintenance
In terms of services, optimization and acceleration of work, Windows does not have many tools. In this case, it is better to install third-party utilities such as TuneUp Utilities, Ashampoo WinOptimizer, Advanced System Care and others. These packages can optimize the 1-Click Maintenance system and offer many additional modules.
In fact, any of these applications is a program for configuring 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. So don't experiment too much.
the Internet
The native Windows Internet browser (Internet Explorer) is not a favorite of many. And there is a reason. We will not go into technical details. At least this browser seems too slow and awkward to work with. Therefore, it is also jokingly called a tool to find and download Opera.
However, now you can find a lot of browser systems. 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 to choose the best option for yourself.
Do not forget about specialized downloaders that can speed up file downloads. It can be anything from ordinary Download Wizards and programs from to almost illegal programs that work with torrent trackers.
Archivers
The archiving 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 is no secret that any programs for installation on a computer are supplied in the form of an installation file Setup (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 with a smaller size.
It is precisely the archivers that allow you to extract all 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 study 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, you can use the "native" utilities that come with your smartphone or tablet. For example, for Apple devices it is iTunes, for Samsung gadgets these are programs like Samsung Kies, etc.
If the software is not included in the kit, you can find universal utilities on the Internet that allow you to work on a computer terminal or laptop with a specific device via communication via USB or Bluetooth.
Multimedia
It is impossible not to say a few words about audio and video playback. The problem here is that the system does not always have special codecs and decoders that are responsible for the correct operation of these types of files. Technologies for encoding and decoding audio and video do not stand still. So it's best to install the latest package containing all the tools. The simplest option is the K-Lite Codec Pack. This, as they say, is a universal remedy for all occasions.
However, when setting in the parameters setting, all components must be selected. Perhaps some of them will not be needed, but you should not risk it. You never know what situations may arise.
Conclusion
It is important to understand that this article provides only a brief overview of the programs and applications that are required to operate your computer or use its advanced features. However, it should be noted 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 you not only to expand the functional base, but also to get some convenience when working. However, as it 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", the information stored in the virtual partitions will remain unchanged. And after restoring the system, you can use the saved data as if nothing had happened.
