When setting up a fresh Windows installation, the operating system comes bundled with a selection of programs and tools intended to enhance the initial user experience, making it convenient to get started without any concerns. Nevertheless, many users find these default Windows programs to be too basic or overly focused on Microsoft’s own services, which can detract from the overall user experience.
Fortunately, there are superior alternatives available, offering more comprehensive features, and today we’ll present our top recommendations:
- Web Browser: Google Chrome
- Among the first changes users typically make when installing Windows is selecting a different web browser. Although Microsoft includes Edge by default, a Chromium-based browser that is decent, there’s room for improvement.
- Our preferred choice is Google Chrome, the world’s most widely used web browser. It provides a complete, user-friendly experience with a strong focus on secure internet browsing.
- File Compressor: WinRAR
- Windows has been capable of handling ZIP files since the Windows XP era, and from Windows 11 23H2 onwards, it can also handle other compressed file formats like RAR, TAR, and 7Zip without additional software installation. However, the default options, particularly for compression, are limited.
- For a versatile file compressor compatible with various formats, we recommend WinRAR. It’s the only program that can create RAR compressed files and boasts a rich feature set.
- File Explorer: Files
- File Explorer has been criticized for its limitations, despite improvements in 2023, such as tabbed browsing and a more consistent appearance with the Windows 11 theme. An open-source project called “Files” offers a modern file explorer with extensive features beyond what Microsoft provides.
- Files is a program that drastically enhances the file navigation experience, available for download from the Microsoft Store.
- Media Player: VLC
- While Windows includes its multimedia player, it often falls short in terms of performance and compatibility. To replace it, we recommend VLC, a free and open-source program known for its compatibility with virtually all multimedia file formats, as well as support for local network and IPTV playback.
- Notepad: Visual Studio Code
- Windows Notepad, a basic text editor, may not meet advanced needs. An open-source alternative from Microsoft, Visual Studio Code, doubles as a capable plain text editor with extensive features, user-friendly interface, and syntax highlighting for program configuration files.
- PDF Viewer: Sumatra PDF
- While Windows uses Edge for opening PDFs, some users prefer independent alternatives. Sumatra PDF, an open-source program, provides a simple yet effective solution for viewing PDFs and additional document formats like CBR/CBZ and EPUB.
- Mail and Calendar: Thunderbird
- Windows’ Mail and Calendar app, now Outlook, aims to keep email addresses and daily schedules organized but often falls short. For a more comprehensive email client with an agenda, calendar, and synchronization capabilities, we recommend Thunderbird.
- Screenshots: ShareX
- Windows offers tools like Print Screen and the Snipping Tool for taking screenshots but lacks advanced features. To gain more control and editing options before and after capturing screenshots, we recommend ShareX, a free and open-source screenshot utility.
- Image Editing: GIMP
- While Windows includes Paint, it’s limited in functionality. For comprehensive image editing and retouching, GIMP is a powerful and free alternative, offering features suitable for the majority of users. It’s a worthy replacement for MS Paint.
