Best Apps For Laptop

Laptop computers are one of the most important developments in computing history. Though they’re no longer as compact and easy to carry as they were in the early days, they’re still very portable. That makes them a perfect companion for today’s busy life. But what do you do if you need to check emails while waiting at the doctor’s office or write a business letter at a coffee shop? That’s where this list of best apps for your laptop comes in handy.

Best Apps For Laptop

1. Internet Browser: Google Chrome
   Google Chrome 2021
   Unsurprisingly, Google Chrome is still our top browser pick. It’s super-speedy, includes little conveniences like letting you instantly search Google for an image, and has a vast library of Chrome extensions. Throw in cross-platform syncing that lets you open your desktop tabs on your phone and vice-versa, and you’ve got a fantastic browser for all purposes.

Chrome isn’t without its faults, however. Plenty of people want to avoid Google’s pervasive tracking in Chrome, and it gobbles a lot of RAM. But the good news is that you have plenty of other fantastic browsers to choose from, like Firefox and Opera.

Even the built-in Microsoft Edge is now based on Chromium, so give it a try if you prefer Microsoft’s approach over Google’s.

Download: Google Chrome (Free)

Download: Firefox (Free)

Download: Opera (Free)

2. Cloud Storage: Google Drive
   Google Drive 2021
   If you only pick one cloud app service, Google Drive is the one you should install. It offers 15GB of free storage, which is shared across your Google account with Google Photos and Gmail too.

Google Drive offers an app for every major platform, so you can take your files anywhere. In addition to syncing files you place in the dedicated Google Drive folder, the desktop app makes it easy to back up folders on your computer and external devices, too.

It’s also super easy to share files with others, plus the service plays well with Google’s productivity suite. Whether you use it as part of your backup plan, as a cloud flash drive, or for setting up shared folders with others, Google Drive is an essential Windows 10 app pick.

Paired with OneDrive that comes built into Windows 10 or another free cloud storage provider, you can get plenty of storage space and separate your files logically by service.

Download: Google Drive (Free, subscription available)

3. Music Streaming: Spotify

Years ago, listening to music on your desktop meant painstakingly importing and organizing a collection of MP3s. That’s no longer the case; music streaming services eliminate the need for buying individual albums physically or digitally.

There are many music streaming services in the market, but we think the essential pick for Windows 10 is Spotify. Its ad-supported free plan lets you listen to as much music as you like, and there are several Spotify Premium plans that are worth it for avid listeners. Spotify is also home to hundreds of podcasts, making everything available in one convenient place.

Spotify also has a dedicated Windows app, unlike some of its competitors. If you’re already invested in another ecosystem, though, Apple Music or YouTube Music might be a better choice for you.

Download: Spotify (Free, subscription available)

Visit: Apple Music (Subscription required, free trial available)

Visit: YouTube Music (Free, subscription available)

4. Office Suite: LibreOffice

Chances are you’ll need a tool that lets you work with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations at some point. You might think that paying for Microsoft Office is the only way to do this, but that’s far from the truth.

No Windows user should go without LibreOffice. It’s a completely free and powerful office suite that includes alternatives to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and more. Once you get used to a few small aesthetic differences from MS Office, you’ll be flying through your work with LibreOffice.

Note that OpenOffice, a once-popular alternative, is basically dead now. If you don’t want to use LibreOffice, try FreeOffice. You can use web apps like Word Online or Google Docs too, but we’re focused on full desktop downloads here.

Download: LibreOffice (Free)

Download: FreeOffice (Free)

5. Image Editor: Paint.NET
   Paint.Net Single Pixel Transparent
   Whether you want to try your hand at basic image manipulation, need a way to blur sensitive info in screenshots, or want to retouch old photos, everyone should have an image editing program installed. Photoshop is the gold standard for this, but there are plenty of free tools that are more accessible.

Paint.NET is a must-have Windows app for your image editing needs. It’s far more powerful than Microsoft Paint, but doesn’t overwhelm you with loads of confusing tools. You can easily blur out parts of an image, auto-level photos to make them look better, and add text and shapes to your pictures in just a few clicks. Plenty of plugins allow you to expand its functionality, too.

If you find Paint.NET too basic, GIMP is a more advanced solution, and it’s also available at no charge.

Download: Paint.NET (Free)

Download: GIMP (Free)

6. Security: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
   remove spyware by malwarebytes
   Windows 10 includes Windows Defender, which is a good enough antivirus for most users. However, it’s wise to keep a secondary security program installed.

For this, you can’t beat Malwarebytes. The free version lets you scan your system for malware that your antivirus might not catch. And for a powerful blended security solution, upgrading to Malwarebytes Premium is worth the cost.

Download: Malwarebytes (Free, subscription available)

7. Media Player: VLC
   vlc player windows 10
   Thanks to YouTube’s ubiquity, you probably don’t watch local videos too often. However, everyone should still keep a solid video player around on your desktop for when you need to play media files locally. Even if it’s not one of the things you think to download on a new computer right away, it will come in handy someday.

For this task, nothing beats VLC Media Player, which packs a ton of features and is capable of playing nearly every video and audio format imaginable. You might not break it out often, but give VLC a download while you’re setting up your PC. You’ll save yourself the hassle of messing with video codecs or using QuickTime, which isn’t supported for Windows any longer.

Download: VLC (Free)

8. Screenshots: ShareX

Taking a screenshot on Windows is useful for everything from capturing funny moments to having a record of important information. The basic Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch apps only provide a barebones feature set, so you need something better in your pack of essential Windows apps.

You won’t find a more powerful free screenshot tool than ShareX. With tons of capture methods, a solid built-in editor, the ability to run automated steps after you take a screenshot, and extra tools like a color grabber and ruler, ShareX has an impressive feature set for no cost.

If ShareX overwhelms you, give PicPick a try instead. It’s a bit simpler, but doesn’t compromise on features.

Download: ShareX (Free)

Download: PicPick (Free)

9. File Compression and Extraction: 7-Zip

Windows includes native support for simple zipped files, but anything beyond the basics requires a more powerful tool. While this isn’t the most exciting software category, a file extractor is still a must-have PC app so you can work with any kind of archived files you might encounter.

7-Zip is the gold standard for file compression and extraction apps. It’s small and installs in seconds, is easy to use, and stays out of your way when you’re not using it. Those who needs advanced features will still find them in 7-Zip, though.

The only drawback of 7-Zip is its aged appearance. If you can’t get over that, take a look at PeaZip, which is a similar tool with a much more attractive interface. Either way, you certainly don’t need to pay for tools like WinRAR.

Download: 7-Zip (Free)

Download: PeaZip (Free)

10. Messaging: Rambox

Chances are that you use at least one messaging service to stay in touch with your friends during the day. With so many options to choose from, there’s no way we could pick the best messaging service, because it all depends on what your friends use. So why not have all of them in one place?

Rambox is our pick for the best messaging app on Windows. It lets you add accounts from dozens of popular messaging services, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Telegram, GroupMe, Hangouts, Discord, and many more.

The app simply adds a new tab for every service you use, letting you keep up with every group in one window. It includes some extra features that make it more useful than opening these apps in your browser, and you can easily close one program when it’s time to focus.

Best microsoft apps

1. VLC
   Did you know that the popular VLC media player is also available as a Windows 10 UWP app? Well, it is and it looks a whole lot better than the desktop version – that’s one reason why you should get it right away. The app features support for a variety of different video formats, including mp4, mkv, avi, and a lot more.

VLC

On top of that, the app also includes a bunch of additional features, including the ability to add subtitles, sync audio, and video, and use any video as a live wallpaper. VLC is one of the best media players you can get for your Windows 10 device and you should definitely go ahead and download it without thinking twice.

Download VLC (Free)
Download VLC from Microsoft Store (Free — UWP)

2. Spotify Music
   Spotify is also available on the Windows Store, meaning you don’t necessarily have to download the desktop version to enjoy listening to some great music.

The app includes all the features you’d find on the Spotify app on any other platform, making it a must-have for all music (and podcast) lovers, especially those who want to discover great music – Spotify’s recommendations are just that great.

Spotify
The app has a really clean user interface, it’s simple to use and it syncs all of your data across all platforms, so you can seamlessly switch from your desktop to your mobile device without missing a beat.

Download Spotify Music (Free, requires paid subscription)

3. Tidal
   Tidal is another great music streaming service you can get, which, although a bit expensive, should be the go-to app for audiophiles. Not only does Tidal have a larger music library than Spotify, but it also boasts of Hi-Fi audio output which is great for anyone who wants to stream and listen to high-quality music on their Windows 10 device.

Tidal
On the downside, however, Tidal isn’t available in as many locations as Spotify, so some of you might not be able to make use of the music streaming service.

Download Tidal (Free, requires paid subscription)

4. Amazon Music
   Amazon Music is a great music streaming app for people who are already subscribed to Amazon Prime. The app lets you access a curated selection of 2 million songs for free without any ads. You also get unlimited skips and offline music download.

Amazon Music
These are the features that are reserved for the paid tier of other music streaming services like Spotify. You might have noticed that the music selection here is far lesser than what is offered by Spotify (over 30 million songs), however, I rarely found a popular song that was missing on this platform.

This is a great app for music lovers who don’t want to pay extra for streaming music. On the other hand, if you do want a larger selection, you can subscribe to Amazon Music unlimited service that gives you access to 50 million songs at $7.99/month. Non-Prime members will have to pay the full price at $9.99/month.

Download Amazon Music: (Free, Unlimited Plan requires a subscription)

5. Netflix
   In case you’re looking to stream videos, and not music, on your device then you’d be glad to hear that Netflix is also available on the Microsoft Store. Now that you know this, there’s no need for you to watch Netflix on the web and considering the fact that the Netflix app allows you to download videos for offline viewing.

Netflix
I know am not going back to watching Netflix on my browser again. More so, when it supports 4K playback. The Netflix app is a must-have for anyone with a Windows 10 device and a Netflix subscription.

Note: Check out our list of best Netflix Originals, movies, TV-shows, comedies, action movies, and more.

Download Netflix (Free, requires paid subscription)

6. Hulu
   If you’re not much of a “Netflix and Chill” person and swear by Hulu instead, then you’d be happy to know that you can get the Hulu app on Windows as well. With the Hulu app you can watch the latest episodes of your favorite TV show on your device.

Hulu
However, it doesn’t offer as great of an experience as the web version of the service and doesn’t include quite a few features which is rather disappointing. Another thing worth noting that the Hulu app for Windows 10 doesn’t include the option to download videos for offline viewing, which is another major setback for the app.

Download Hulu (Free, requires paid subscription)

7. Kodi
   If you have a big offline media library and want to be able to easily manage it and stream it across devices, you should install Kodi. The best part about Kodi is that it is completely free to use. Once you set up Kodi on your device, you will be able to use it as a home server and stream content using Kodi on any device.

Kodi
Not only that, but Kodi also comes with various plug-ins which lets you enhance its power. For example, you can install Kodi add-ons for Live TV shows and various Kodi repositories to stream content for free. If you are a media buff, there is no better Windows 10 app out there. If you have never used Kodi, be sure to check out our beginner’s guide on Kodi to get started.

Download Kodi: Free

8. Audible
   I have loved books for as long as I can remember. However, as life went on, I found less and less time to read books and I missed doing that a lot. That is until I discovered Audible. Audible is an audiobook service that lets you listen to books on the go. I subscribed to Audible almost a year back and was able to go through 18 books till now.

Audible

I cannot tell you how happy that makes me. Thanks to Audible, now I can consume books when I am traveling, doing chores at home, or just lying in bed sleepless. Now, the jury on reading books vs listening to books is still out there, but I believe that there’s plenty of space for them to co-exist.

I still go for a physical book on the quiet Sunday afternoon but after a hard day at work, nothing relaxes me more than listening to an audiobook on my way home. If you love books, you should install this app on your Windows 10 machine.

Download Audible: (Free (first book), $14.99/month)

Best Windows 10 Educational Apps

9. Duolingo
   One of the highest-rated language learning apps – Duolingo – is also available on the Microsoft Store, allowing you to pick up a new language from the comfort of your home. The app includes support for a number of languages, including widely used ones like Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, etc, and it gamifies the learning course to help you pick up languages quickly.

Duolingo

Duolingo picks up each course right from the basics, but if you’re just looking for a refresher on a language you already know, then you can even tackle higher-level courses on the app itself.

Download Duolingo (Free)

10. WeDo 2.0 LEGO Education
    WeDo 2.0 LEGO Education is a great app for kids that can help them pick up the basics of coding using LEGO bricks. The app has a very simple user interface which makes it easy for kids to pick it up on their own and it can also be used as a tool by teachers to teach their students simple programming skills.

Conclusion

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