Top 10 Must-Have Software for Windows PC

Windows runs on roughly 72% of desktop computers worldwide — and yet most PCs are shipped with almost nothing useful beyond the operating system itself. Whether you’ve just bought a new laptop, had a virus removed, or simply haven’t audited your software in years, this list tells you exactly what to install first.

We’ve been repairing computers and setting up PCs in Melbourne for over 15 years. These are the programs we recommend — and in many cases install ourselves — when a client gets a new machine or a freshly cleaned system.

Productivity Suite — For Everyone

Microsoft 365 — Productivity Suite

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook have been the backbone of office computing for decades. The Microsoft 365 subscription keeps them genuinely current — and through 2025 Microsoft has been rolling out Copilot AI features across the suite, including draft-assist in Word, formula suggestions in Excel, and slide generation in PowerPoint for subscribers.

If you’re a student, freelancer, small business owner, or home user in Melbourne, Microsoft 365 is almost certainly the productivity suite you need. It also includes 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user — which doubles as your backup solution (see #8).

LibreOffice is the strongest free alternative. It reads and writes Microsoft Office files reliably and is a sensible choice if you rarely collaborate on documents. The perpetual Office 2024 licence ($199 one-off) is worth considering if you dislike subscriptions and don’t need the ongoing Copilot additions.

PDF Reader — Free Basic Version

Adobe Acrobat Reader — PDF Viewer

PDF is the default format for contracts, invoices, government forms, instruction manuals, and tax documents. Adobe Acrobat Reader remains the most compatible option for viewing and annotating them. The free version lets you highlight text, add comments, fill in most forms, and sign PDFs digitally.

Microsoft Edge has a decent built-in PDF viewer for casual reading — if you only open the occasional PDF, you may not need anything extra. But for annotations, digital signatures, or complex form fields, Acrobat Reader handles them more reliably than Edge or Chrome’s built-in viewers.

Paid plans (Acrobat Standard / Pro) add the ability to convert PDFs to Word, merge documents, and apply password protection.

Antivirus & Malware Protection

Windows Security + Malwarebytes — Antivirus & Malware Protection

Windows Defender (Windows Security) has improved significantly. Independent testing labs such as AV-TEST now rank it alongside paid antivirus products. If you’re on Windows 10 or 11, it’s already installed and running in the background — you don’t need to purchase separate antivirus software to be adequately protected, provided you keep Windows updated.

Malwarebytes Free fills a genuine gap: it catches adware, browser hijackers, and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that traditional antivirus tools often miss. Running a Malwarebytes scan once a month, alongside Defender’s real-time protection, gives solid layered coverage without paying for anything.

If you suspect your PC is already infected, our virus and malware removal service in Melbourne covers complete removal — including hard-to-detect threats that automated tools miss. We also offer professional antivirus installation and configuration for those who’d prefer expert help.

Virus removal — Melbourne

Media Playback — Free & Open Source

VLC Media Player — Free & Open Source

VLC plays essentially any file you throw at it — MP4, MKV, AVI, FLAC, HEVC, and dozens of others — without needing separate codec packs. It’s free, open source, has no ads, and handles network streams, Blu-ray/DVD playback, and audio files cleanly in a single interface.

Windows Media Player received a redesign in Windows 11 and handles basic MP3 and MP4 playback. But the moment you hit a .MKV, .FLAC, or unusual video format it can’t open, you’ll be glad VLC is already installed. For enthusiasts who prefer something more polished-looking, MPC-HC is a popular alternative that stays lightweight.

System Cleaning & Optimisation

CCleaner — System Cleaning & Optimisation

CCleaner removes temporary files, browser cache, and leftover data from uninstalled programs. On a machine that hasn’t been cleaned in a while, a single run can recover several gigabytes of disk space and noticeably speed up the system.

The free version handles the essentials. Its startup manager is particularly useful — it shows exactly what’s loading when Windows boots and lets you disable unwanted programs without digging through Task Manager or the Registry. This alone can make a meaningful difference to boot times on older machines.

Windows 11 has its own Storage Sense built in, which automatically clears temporary files on a schedule. It’s a decent alternative if you prefer to stay within Windows tools.

Professional PC Tune-Up

Password Manager — New to This List

Bitwarden — Password Manager

The previous #6 slot went to Adobe Flash Player — permanently shut down in December 2020. If you still have Flash installed, uninstall it immediately. It contains serious, unpatched security vulnerabilities and no browser will run it anyway.

Its replacement is a password manager — a tool that belongs on this list and should have been here years ago. Reusing passwords across accounts is the most common reason people get hacked. A password manager fixes this completely: it generates a unique, strong password for every site and stores them securely behind a single master password.

Bitwarden is our pick because the full-featured version is completely free, it is open source and independently audited, and it works across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and all major browsers. LastPass and 1Password are solid paid alternatives, but Bitwarden’s free tier covers everything most home users need.

Video Calls & Messaging — Skype Was Retired May 2025

Microsoft Teams or Zoom — Video Calls & Messaging

Microsoft Teams Free is the direct landing spot for former Skype users. It covers one-on-one and group video calls, messaging, and file sharing at no cost. Sign in with your existing Microsoft account.

If Teams feels too corporate for personal calls, Zoom is the most straightforward alternative. The free tier allows unlimited one-on-one meetings and group calls up to 40 minutes. Google Meet is another strong option that requires no download — it runs entirely in your browser. For casual groups, Discord is popular and handles both voice and video.

For Melbourne businesses needing Teams configuration, our computer setup service handles full deployment including user accounts, meeting rooms, and integrations.

Cloud Storage & Backup

OneDrive or Google Drive — Cloud Storage & Backup

Cloud storage has moved from a nice-to-have to something most people rely on daily. Having files automatically backed up online means a stolen or failed hard drive doesn’t mean losing everything.

Microsoft OneDrive is the logical first choice for Windows users. It’s built into Windows 10 and 11, launches automatically, and Microsoft 365 subscribers get 1TB included. Google Drive is the better option if you’re already in the Google ecosystem — the free tier gives you 15GB across Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos.

Cloud storage is an excellent first layer of backup, but it’s not a complete solution. Most users should maintain at least two forms: cloud plus a local external drive or NAS. If you’ve already lost files, our data recovery service in Melbourne recovers data from failed drives.

Backup setup — Melbourne

Web Browser

Google Chrome or Firefox — Web Browser

Microsoft Edge has improved considerably since it was rebuilt on the Chromium engine in 2020. For many users, it’s entirely adequate. But most people still install Chrome or Firefox for practical reasons: a larger extension library, cross-device syncing, and familiarity.

Google Chrome holds around 65% of desktop browser market share on Windows. It’s fast, extensions are plentiful, and bookmarks, passwords, and tabs sync across devices via your Google account. The trade-off is that it’s RAM-hungry and Google collects browsing data by default.

Firefox is the pick if privacy matters to you. It blocks third-party tracking cookies by default, has a strong extension library, and is maintained by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation. Brave is a third option with aggressive ad and tracker blocking built in — it runs on the same Chromium engine as Chrome, so extensions are compatible.

File Compression — Free & Open Source

7-Zip — File Compression

Windows handles standard .zip files natively without extra software. But the moment you see a .7z, .rar, .tar.gz, or .iso file, you need something extra. 7-Zip handles all of them — and lets you create encrypted archives using AES-256 encryption if you need to send sensitive files securely.

WinRAR was the go-to tool for years and is still solid. But 7-Zip is free, open source, and produces smaller archive files. Note: Windows 11 version 22H2 added native support for additional formats including .rar, which reduces how often you need a dedicated archiver — but 7-Zip remains the most reliable option when you do.