Best Apps For Surface Book 2

With the release of the Surface Book 2, Microsoft has once again redefined what a laptop can do. The Surface Book 2 is a powerhouse of a machine that can go toe-to-toe with any laptop on the market—and it’s also one of the most versatile laptops out there.

Whether you’re looking for something to use at home or in the office, the Surface Book 2 has you covered. It’s a great choice for graphic design, video editing, and other creative tasks. But if you want something more business-focused, there are plenty of options out there that will meet your needs just as well.

Below are some of our favorite apps for Surface Book 2:

Best Apps For Surface Book 2

Loads of cool apps for Surface devices can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store app store or elsewhere online. However, from the various Windows 10 stock and cryptocurrency price apps to the numerous photo and video editors, it can be hard to sort through all of the software listings and find the best Surface app for each task. It doesn’t have to be though. Here are 14 of the best apps for Surface Laptop, Surface Pro, Surface Go, and other Microsoft Surface devices worth downloading and checking out.

01
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Best Surface App for Instagrammers: Instagram
Instagram Stories in the Windows 10 Instagram app.
What We Like
Instagram Stories look great in this app and shine when projected to a larger screen.

Most of the main features seen on the mobile apps can be found here.

What We Don’t Like
Lack of support for uploading content.

No Windows 10 Live Tile support.

Due to a renewed effort by Instagram to update their Windows 10 app with a better UI and more functionality, the official app is now one of the best ways to consume Instagram posts on a Microsoft Surface. This app lets you like, comment, and share posts made by others. You can also search the social network for more content, and access your messages.

The Instagram app doesn’t support the uploading of posts but this can still be done on Windows via the Facebook Creator Studio website.

The highlight of the Windows 10 Instagram app is its support for Instagram Stories, which look significantly better when viewed on a Surface screen as opposed to on a smaller mobile device. In addition to the video being larger, several stories are now displayed at the same time, giving you more control over what you watch next as opposed to just blindly swiping like before.

Download For:

Windows
02
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Best Microsoft Surface App for Print Publishing: Affinity Publisher
Windows 10 Affinity Publisher on Surface.
What We Like
All of the tools professionals need to design print and digital layouts.

No subscriptions or paid upgrades required.

What We Don’t Like
This Surface app can look intimidating but Affinity does provide a lot of free tutorials to help beginners get started.

Affinity Publisher is a fully-featured app designed for creating, editing, and publishing content both in print and on the web. It can be used for throwing together basic pamphlets and posters, though it also boasts a massive range of professional-grade tools for producing some genuinely stunning book covers and magazine layouts as well.

Unlike its rival, Adobe InDesign, which requires a recurring paid subscription, Affinity Publisher is fully unlocked after its initial purchase, which makes it a much cheaper option for Surface owners expecting to use it for years to come. It also receives free updates on a very regular basis and doesn’t pressure users into buying a new version every year or so.

Download For:

Windows
03
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Best Microsoft Surface App for Crypto Trading: Crypto Chart
Windows 10 Crypto Chart cryptocurrency app on Surface.
What We Like
Live updates of all major cryptocurrency prices in a streamlined format.

Cryptocurrency price alerts are easy to set up and manage.

What We Don’t Like
Portfolio feature can be a hassle if you buy crypto on a regular basis.

News feed doesn’t support stories by mainstream publications.

Crypto Chart remains one of the best finance tracking apps for Surface users dedicated solely to Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and other cryptocurrencies. The app, which is completely free, supports price tracking of all major cryptocurrencies and displays them in a simple graph format that’s easy to understand and manage.

Crypto coin prices can be viewed over a variety of time periods while the portfolio feature lets anyone manually enter their purchases to track in one place. One particularly useful tool is the price alert which can be used for staying up-to-date on a coin’s price. Just set the coin and the target price point and you’re alerted within the Windows 10 Action Center whenever the price increase or decrease happens.

Download For:

Windows
04
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Best Windows Surface App for Stock Market Tracking: MSN Money
Windows 10 MSN Money app on Surface.
What We Like
A comprehensive collection of stock, currency, and market tracking tools.

The built-in mortgage and currency calculators are easy to use and convenient.

What We Don’t Like
No global or international setting for the news content.

MSN Money is an all-in-one finance app that tracks stocks, currencies, funds, and global markets in addition to curating a collection of the latest industry news. By default, it displays the assets currently attracting the most attention on its front page but it also lets users add their own custom stocks that can be tracked via the Watchlist tab.

More information on individual stocks can be viewed by tapping their names within the app. You can also pin individual assets to your Windows 10 Start Menu as tiles that display the latest price changes and related news. Need to calculate a mortgage or convert some currency? The MSN Money app’s built-in calculators can do both.

Download For:

Windows
05
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Best Surface App for Writing: Word
Microsoft Word on Surface Pro.
What We Like
Word can be used for basic and professional writing tasks.

Lots of free templates for every project imaginable.

What We Don’t Like
Microsoft 365 subscriptions can be expensive for casual Surface users.

When it comes to writing on your Surface, it’s hard to beat Microsoft Word. This classic word processor app can be used for jotting down some basic notes or for writing an entire novel with specific formatting requirements. It really is a writing app for everyone.

Microsoft Word features built-in spelling and grammar tools, support for collaboration with friends or colleagues, and an absolutely massive library of templates ranging from restaurant menus and pamphlets to wedding invitations and business cards. You can get Microsoft Word as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription, which also gets you other useful apps like PowerPoint and Excel. A free online version of Microsoft Word is also available.

Download For:

Windows
06
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Best Surface App for Streaming on Twitch and YouTube: OBS Studio
OBS Studio streaming app on a Surface running Windows 10.
What We Like
Supports all major streaming platforms.

Lots of advanced features for experienced streamers.

What We Don’t Like
The interface is a bit intimidating for beginner streamers.

UI isn’t optimized for touch controls.

OBS Studio is one of the most popular apps for live streaming and screen recording from a Surface device and it’s also one of the best. It’s free to use and contains almost everything you need to create a broadcast and send it to all of the major streaming platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and even Twitter.

Stream layouts can be created from scratch within OBS Studio or imported from a third-party service such as StreamElements. There’s also support for multiple webcams, microphones, and other media sources which means you can make your broadcast as simple or as complex as you like.

Download For:

Windows
07
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Best Surface App for Audio Editing: Audacity
Windows 10 Audacity audio editing app.
What We Like
Lots of professional audio editing tools for podcasters and musicians.

Audacity is free to download and requires no premium upgrades.

What We Don’t Like
The UI is too small to use with touch controls or stylus.

When it comes to editing sound files on a Surface, it’s hard to beat Audacity. This audio editing app launched way back in mid-2000 and has garnered an incredibly large and loyal userbase over the years due to its ease of use, continued support, and long list of tools. It’s also completely free to download and use.

Before you download and use Audacity, be sure to review its privacy policy to ensure you’re comfortable with its terms.

Audacity is frequently used by podcasters to edit and save episode recordings on Windows computers and tablets though it also boasts loads of other features as well that have made it a kind of all-in-one sound editing app. Audacity can remove background noise from a recording. Audacity can also record a phone call on your computer.

Download For:

Windows
08
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Best Windows Surface App for Video Editing: DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve video editing app on Windows 10.
What We Like
Professional video editing software that’s completely free to use.

Support for modern film features such as HDR and 3D audio.

What We Don’t Like
A bit too complex for casual users looking to just shorten a holiday video.

By default, DaVinci’s UI text size is very small on a Surface, but this can be adjusted.

DaVinci Resolve is a powerhouse video editing app for editing both small clips and major film projects. It supports all of the usual editing functions for importing, trimming, and manipulating footage and also boasts a wide variety of transition and title tools as well.

Impressively, most of the video editing features found in expensive Adobe software packages can be found in DaVinci Resolve for free. The only major downside is that its UI appears incredibly small on a high-resolution Surface screen but this can be fixed in under a minute by changing some Windows 10 settings.

To make DaVinci Resolve’s text larger on your Microsoft Surface, right-click its desktop shortcut, click Properties > Compatibility > Change high DPI settings > Override high DPI scaling behavior and select System (Enhanced).

Download For:

Windows
09
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Best Surface App for Audio Books: Audible
Windows 10 Amazon Audible app on Surface.
What We Like
All content can be downloaded for offline listening.

Large icons make it easy to use with touch controls.

What We Don’t Like
The built-in shop feature often doesn’t work.

The lack of Live Tile support is disappointing.

Amazon’s official Windows 10 Audible app is a necessary download for Surface owners who consume a lot of audiobooks from Amazon. Once logged in, the app syncs all of your Audible purchases and listening from the cloud so you can seamlessly continue listening from where you left off on your smartphone or tablet.

As with the mobile Audible apps, this version for Microsoft Surface also lets you send audiobooks to friends, create clips to post on social media and download files to listen to when offline. The built-in store can be a bit buggy but this isn’t generally an issue as you can always buy an audiobook from the Amazon website in a web browser. Any purchase made on the web appears within the app moments later.

Download For:

Windows
10
of 14
Best Microsoft Surface App for Podcasts: Spotify
Windows 10 Spotify music streaming app.
What We Like
Massive selection of podcasts in every genre imaginable.

Podcasts can be downloaded for offline listening.

What We Don’t Like
Spotify Premium is needed to download podcast episodes.

The UI can be confusing at first.

Spotify is one of the best platforms for discovering and publishing podcasts with its absolutely massive library of shows for pretty much every demographic and interest. The company’s Surface app features almost all of the features found on the Spotify iPhone and Android apps and is actually easier to use thanks to its focus on basic menu links instead of the mobile apps’ confusing filter system.

Another improvement over the mobile versions is the social feature on the right side of the app that displays what your Facebook friends are listening to in real-time. Songs and podcasts can be downloaded to your Windows 10 device for offline listening, though this functionality is limited to Spotify Premium members only.

Download For:

Windows
11
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Best Surface App for Reddit: Legere
Legere Reddit app on Windows 10.
What We Like
Easier and faster to use than the official Reddit website.

Ability to scroll comments while also browsing a category is a game-changer.

What We Don’t Like
Very easy to get lost after exploring several links.

There are many third-party Windows 10 Reddit apps but Legere is the best. Browsing Reddit can often be intimidating given the number of links and menus on the official website but this app streamlines the experience with a spacious layout and the ability to scroll through three columns of content simultaneously.

Legere supports a number of Windows 10 features such as Live Tiles, Windows Timeline, and background notifications. It can be used whether you’re logged into Reddit or not. It also supports multiple Reddit accounts, which is a boon for those sharing a Surface with others.

Download For:

Windows
12
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Best Windows Surface App for Exercising: Fitbit Coach
Windows 10 Fitbit Coach app.
What We Like
Good selection of free workouts of varying difficulties.

Easy to track workout history and personal progress.

What We Don’t Like
Need to be online to start each session.

There are quite a few cool apps for Surface owners interested in getting fit but few have the polish of the Fitbit Coach app. This beautifully designed Windows 10 fitness app features a massive library of individual exercises that are mixed and matched to create a solid library of workout sessions of varying intensities and themes.

The Fitbit Premium subscription from the main Fitbit app unlocks all paid features in Fitbit Coach.

The real highlight is the Programs feature that generates dynamic sessions based on your own feedback after each workout. Found the burpees too hard? Fitbit Coach asks you to do less next time. Too easy? The app adds more. Around a fifth of the workouts are completely free, which should be enough for most, though a $9.99 monthly subscription to Fitbit Premium unlocks the rest.

Download For:

Windows
13
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Best Streaming App for Surface: Netflix
Netflix app on a Windows 10 Surface.
What We Like
Most episodes and movies can be downloaded on your Surface.

Massive selection of films, shows, and documentaries in multiple languages.

What We Don’t Like
You need to pay extra if you want to view Netflix content in 4K.

The Windows 10 Netflix app gives you full access to the streaming service’s massive library of cartoons, movies, TV series, and documentaries. Content can be streamed on your Surface via the app while online or downloaded for viewing when offline.

A basic monthly Netflix subscription costs $8.99 a month, although you need to pay $13.99 a month for HD video and $17.99 for 4K content.

Shows and films can be downloaded in either Standard or High quality while the amount of free space you have left on your Surface is clearly displayed. Netflix’s Smart Downloads feature is genuinely useful as it, once enabled, automatically deletes a movie or episode after it’s been watched. This makes managing disc space far easier.

Download For:

Windows
14
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Best Microsoft Surface Search Engine App: Bing
Windows 10 search tool.
What We Like
Search feature is integrated into the taskbar.

Often much faster than opening a web browser and searching.

What We Don’t Like
No option to change the search engine being used.

Believe it or not, the best Surface app for searching the web isn’t an app at all, it’s actually part of the Windows 10 operating system. The Windows 10 search feature is built directly into the taskbar that runs along the bottom of the screen. All you need to do is type whatever phrase you want to know more about and it immediately performs a web search in a popup box without you having to open a web browser and navigate to a search engine’s website.

It’s worth noting that the Windows 10 search tool is limited to using just Microsoft’s Bing search engine for results.

best free apps for surface pro

This article covers the must-have apps for Surface Pro 7 users looking to get the most out of their new Microsoft Surface device. Programs range from the best drawing app for Surface Pro 7 to some of the more popular Windows 10 apps for consuming audiobooks, podcasts, and movies. We also included a couple of the best productivity apps.

01
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Best Audiobook App for Surface Pro 7: Audiobooks from Audible
Windows 10 Audible app on Surface Pro 7.
What We Like
Listening progress syncs seamlessly between Surface Pro 7 and other devices.

App icon displays audiobook cover artwork when pinned to your Start menu.

What We Don’t Like
Cover artwork is a bit low res when viewed fullscreen on a Surface Pro.

The Stats screen and badges are incredibly clunky and unintuitive.

Audiobooks from Audible is one of the best apps for Surface Pro 7 for listening to audiobooks. This free Windows 10 app fully syncs your Audible audiobook library from your Amazon account and remembers where you left off on different titles no matter what device you were previously using.

You will need to be connected to the internet for audiobook progress to sync between devices.

In many ways, this Windows 10 Audible app is much easier to use than the mobile versions on iPhone and Android as the larger screen on the Surface Pro 7 allows for more titles to show on the screen at the same time. It makes finding the audiobook you’re looking for much easier, especially if you have difficulty reading the text or controls on your smartphone.

The only negative thing to say about Audiobooks from Audible is the Stats screen, and its badges are a bit awkward to navigate. Neither is used much by users, though, so this likely won’t inconvenience many.

Download For:

Windows
02
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Best Music App for Surface Pro 7: Spotify Music
Windows 10 Spotify app on Surface Pro 7.
What We Like
Absolutely massive library of music and podcasts to listen to.

Facebook integration adds a social aspect lacking on mobile.

Can play audio files off of your Surface Pro 7 as well.

What We Don’t Like
Streamlined menu can be inconvenient at times.

Occasional ads if you don’t have Spotify Premium.

If you like to listen to many podcasts and music, the Windows 10 Spotify app is a must-have. Spotify Music syncs all of your Spotify playlists, favorites, and preferences from the mobile app, making it great for existing users who frequently switch devices. You can also use this app to play locally stored audio tracks that have been downloaded or transferred to your Surface Pro 7 from somewhere else.

You can listen offline if you have an active Spotify Premium subscription.

One of the coolest aspects of the Windows 10 Spotify app is that it can connect to Facebook and display a live feed of what your friends are listening to. If they’re online, their name, photo, and current track or podcast episode will appear at the top of the list. If they’re offline, they’ll appear under the online friends in order of most recent activity. All of the track information is clickable, so you can check out what they’re into with a single click. It’s an excellent feature for those wanting to feel more connected to others or are looking for something new to listen to.

Download For:

Windows
03
of 07
Best Image Editor App for Surface Pro 7: Adobe Photoshop Express
Windows 10 Photoshop Express app on Surface Pro 7.
What We Like
Lots of quality filters are easy to preview and apply to photos.

Crop, rotate, resize, and red eye tools are all here.

What We Don’t Like
You need to sign in with an Adobe, Facebook, or Google account to use.

Adobe Photoshop Express is an entirely free Photoshop app designed for those who need to do some basic image editing before sharing a photo with friends and family or posting it on social media.

While Windows 10’s native Photos app does feature some basic image editing functionality, Adobe Photoshop Express is still one of the best apps for making changes to photos on Surface Pro due to its wide selection of tools and filters. In addition to the usual crop tool and filters, Photoshop Express also boasts red-eye removal for both humans and animals, a blemish removal tool, and default image sizes for specific use cases such as Facebook cover images, Twitter headers, and Pinterest posts.

Download For:

Windows
04
of 07
Best Drawing App for Surface Pro 7: Sketchable
Sketchable Windows 10 app on Surface Pro 7.
What We Like
Professional grade digital drawing and painting tools.

Lots of tutorials and tips to help new users.

Great support for Microsoft’s Surface Pen stylus.

What We Don’t Like
$24.99 paid upgrade required to unlock all features.

This Surface Pro drawing app can be very intimidating at first.

Sketchable is considered by many to be one of the best drawing apps for Surface Pro. It features a massive set of digital painting tools which you can use to make a quick sketch or produce incredible artwork intended to be sold or displayed in a professional setting.

Sketchable is designed to work with Surface devices, such as the Surface Pro 7, and features full support for the Surface Pen stylus for both art creation and navigating the app’s menus and UI. Sketchable truly is a Windows 10 app that allows you to disconnect your Type Cover and mouse and fully use your Surface Pro 7 as a digital canvas like in the commercials on TV.

Download For:

Windows
05
of 07
Best Note-Taking App for Surface Pro 7: OneNote
Microsoft OneNote on Surface Pro 7.
What We Like
Strong support for both typed and handwritten notes.

All content is backed up to the cloud for free.

What We Don’t Like
Switching between notebooks can become a bit confusing once more are created.

The number of options may intimidate casual users.

When it comes to writing notes on a Surface Pro 7, it’s hard to beat OneNote. You can use Microsoft’s free app both for quickly jotting down notes and scribbles or for creating more comprehensive plans, recipes, and checklists.

OneNote supports input via your Type Cover keyboard, touch, or a stylus such as the Surface Pen, and all changes automatically save to the cloud seconds after being made. All notes made in OneNote on your Surface Pro 7 sync for free to the mobile version of OneNote on your iPhone or Android smartphone and vice versa, which makes it a genuinely convenient tool for keeping track of information and ideas wherever you are.

Download For:

Windows
06
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Best Movie and TV App for Surface Pro 7: Netflix
Windows 10 Netflix app.
What We Like
Content can be streamed online or downloaded for offline viewing.

Good file storage management settings.

What We Don’t Like
You’ll need to be a Netflix subscriber to access any of this content.

The official Windows 10 Netflix app is one of the best apps for Surface Pro 7 owners looking to watch movies, TV series, and documentaries. Users can log in with the same Netflix account they use on other devices and either stream content when connected to the internet or download videos for viewing offline.

You can use your Netflix account and this app to watch content when traveling abroad. The available library will automatically change to match the country you’re in, which can be a great way to discover local shows and films when on holiday.

The latter functionality is beneficial when traveling or if your internet connection is too slow to stream media properly. You can delete all downloaded media either manually or automatically by using the rather clever Smart Downloads setting. This feature cleverly erases episodes or films after you finish watching them and downloads the next one in the series so you can keep watching.

Download For:

Windows
07
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Best Email and Planner Apps for Surface Pro 7: Mail and Calendar
Windows 10 Mail app on Surface Pro 7.
What We Like
Both apps are free and come pre-installed on new Surface devices.

Multiple email accounts and calendars can be added to each app.
All changes sync to the cloud via your Microsoft account.

What We Don’t Like
Emails with embedded images need to be resized sometimes.

Navigating months in Calendar can be confusing at first.

Your Surface Pro 7 comes pre-installed with two excellent email and calendar apps, appropriately called Mail and Calendar, respectively. Each app is completely free to use and, while made by Microsoft, works with email accounts and schedules from other services such as Gmail and Yahoo Mail.

You can switch email accounts and calendars via the left navigation menu. All your scheduled appointments are also viewable right away, so you don’t miss anything important. One of the best aspects of these must-have apps for Surface Pro 7 is all of the changes made will sync to your Microsoft account, so, for example, if you create an event in Calendar on your Surface Pro 7, it will be mirrored on your Outlook phone app.

Download For:

Windows
Our Review of Mail
FAQ
Is the Surface Pro 7 a good laptop replacement?
The Surface Pro 7 comes closer to being a suitable laptop replacement than some of its competitors, including the iPad. It’s powerful enough to handle emails, web browsing, streaming, and even light photo editing. All Windows apps should work on the Surface Pro 7, although it won’t replace a gaming laptop.

How do you take a screenshot on a Surface Pro 7?
There are multiple ways you can take a screenshot on a Surface tablet. One method is to long-press the Power and the Volume Up buttons simultaneously. Or, you can long-press the Prt Sc key on your keyboard or use the keyboard shortcut Fn+Windows key+Spacebar.

How do you connect Airpods to a Surface Pro 7?
To connect your AirPods to a Surface tablet, place the Airpods into pairing mode by opening the case. Then, go into Settings and select Devices > Add Bluetooth & other devices > Bluetooth. Select your AirPods in the list of available devices, then long-press the Sync button on the AirPods case until the buds are connected.

Conclusion

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