Feb 08, 2018  This post will talk about top 10 free software that one must install on his new Windows computer. I’ve tried to limit the article to only those tools which, in my opinion, should be the first 10. Best free office software 2019: alternatives to Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Each of its three programs looks just as slick as the latest versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and is packed. Aug 30, 2019  We've compiled a list of the top 10 best PDF readers for Windows PCs for the year 2019. This list includes the likes of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, SumatraPDF, Foxit Reader, etc. These software.

• Best Free Programs Windows 10
• Windows 10 Must Have Software
• Best Free Win 10 Software

Software Updater doesn't seem to find as many outdated software as some of the other programs from this list. There also aren't any many settings that come bundled with it, so you can't do things like hide programs from being updated or enable beta updates. Best Free Antivirus Software For Windows 10 1. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition. AVG AntiVirus. Panda Free Antivirus. Windows Defender. Comodo Antivirus 10. Avira Antivirus. Adaware Antivirus Free. Jun 18, 2019  These free programs can make your life better on the PC, browser, and beyond. For more free software, check out The 100 Best iPhone Apps and The 100 Best.

From time to time, we have been covering good freeware and free software in our Downloads section. We have also been posting about ‘Best 5’ or ‘Top 10’ software in various categories. I am, in this post, listing links to such type of useful posts, which will help you get the best and most useful freeware for your Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8 or Windows 7 computers. If you don’t want to scroll down the entire list, use CTRL+F to find what you want on this page.

Free Software Downloads For Windows 10

Here is list of some of the best free software for your Windows 10/8/7 PC. They have been categorized as follows:

1. AntiVirus software
2. Firewall
3. Internet Security Suites
4. Change Folder colors
5. File Splitter and Joiner software
6. Media Players
7. Windows Error Code & Message Lookup Tools
8. VPN software
9. Wi-Fi Hotspot software
10. Intrusion Detection Software
11. Anti-Ransomware Tools
12. Ransomware Decryptor Tools
13. Botnet Removal Tools
14. USB security software
15. Anti-hacker software
16. Free Sandboxing software
17. Brightness Control software
18. Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar
19. Free Parental Control Software
20. Free File Manager software
21. Photo Editing Software
22. Batch Photo Editor software
23. Time lapse software
24. Free Uninstaller software
25. Driver Update Software
26. Disk Space Analyzer software
27. CHKDSK alternatives
28. Imaging, Backup and Recovery Software
29. Backup software for VMware & Hyper-V
30. File Deleter Software
31. Free File Compression Software
32. Zip file repair software
33. Time synchronization software
34. Terminate a full-screen application
35. Free FTP Clients
36. Free Registry Cleaners, Junk Cleaners, and Windows Optimizers
37. Game Booster Software
38. Battery Limiter software
39. DRM removal software for eBooks
40. Audio Format Converter software
41. Task Manager alternatives
42. Broken Shortcut Removers
43. Context Menu Editors
44. To-Do list apps
45. Free Password Managers
46. Free Download Managers
47. Shutdown Scheduler Tools
48. Free Partition Manager Software
49. Web Browsers
50. File and Folder Synchronization Freeware
51. Empty folders deleter
52. Bulk Rename files
53. Free File Encryption Software
54. Delete your files permanently
55. Data Recovery Software
56. Free Notepad Replacements
57. Windows Search Alternative Tools
58. Automation software
59. Video Communication Freeware
60. Free Crapware Removal Software
61. Free Video Editing Software
62. Free GoPro editing software
63. Desktop Recorder and Screen Recording Freeware
64. Free Screen Sharing and Remote Desktop software
65. Free CD DVD Data Recovery Software
66. Image Deblurring Tools
67. Color Picker free software
68. Hard disk Monitor
69. Free ISO Burners
70. Free software from Microsoft
71. Translator freeware
72. Free PlayStation Game Emulators
73. Graphic Design Tools
74. Instant Chat Messengers
75. Free Twitter Clients
76. File Integrity Checkers
77. System Performance monitor
78. LAN Messengers
79. Packet Sniffing Tools
80. 3D Printing Software
81. Clipboard alternatives or replacements
82. PDF Readers
83. PDF Unlockers
84. Defragmentation Software
85. Time Tracking tools
86. Tools to Speed Up Firefox
87. Barcode scanner applications
88. RSS Readers
89. Kundli making software
90. E-mail clients
91. Media Converters
92. Word Processors
93. Duplicate Files Finder
94. Measure Startup Time
95. Microsoft Visio Alternatives
96. Windows Media Player Alternatives
97. Bandwidth Monitoring Tools
98. Screen Capture software
99. Watermark Remover software
100. Voice changer software
101. Registry Defragmenter
102. Software Update Checkers
103. Event Log Managers
104. Coding software
105. Explorer replacements and alternatives
106. Rootkit Remover software
107. Remote Access software
108. Software Key Finders
109. Anti-theft Laptop Recovery software
110. Games for Windows
111. Animation Software
112. Finance & Accounting Software
113. Mail Servers
114. Mind Mapping software.

Recommended free AntiVirus software

Installing an anti-virus or security software, after installing Windows is a must. This helps protect our Windows computer from viruses and other security threats. It is also important to keep your security software up to date at all times! Here are some very nice free AntiVirus software available for Windows you might want to check out.

Free Firewall software

A Firewall can block threats that your Antivirus may miss. Not only that, it can prevent hackers from breaking into your computer! The inbuilt Windows firewall is great and just good enough for the regular home user. But if you are looking for a third-party firewall for your computer, there are several free Firewall software available.

Free Internet Security Suites

If you are looking for an integrated, multi-layered protection software you are looking out for, you might want to consider having a look at some of these free Internet Security Suites available for your Windows PC.

Change Folder colors

This post has a list of some good freeware available on the internet for your Windows PC that helps you to change folder color thereby helping you to find them easily and quickly.

File Splitter and Joiner software

Do large file sizes also trouble you? In this post, we’ve covered some of the best file splitter & joiner software available for Windows 10/8/7.

Media Players

While Windows comes with an inbuilt media player, but it comes with restrictions. Here is a list of some of the popular media players for Windows 10 which are free.

Windows Error Code & Message Lookup Tools

These Windows Error Code Lookup Tools help you identify the Error Code and Message which Windows may throw up.

Free VPN software

These free VPN software give you protected internet access by adding security to your public as well as private networks, may it be your internet connection or a Wi-Fi Hotspot connection. In other words, it hides and protects your identity online.

Wi-Fi Hotspot software

Here is a list of some of the best free WiFi Hotspot creator software for Windows 10/8/7.

Intrusion Detection Software

An Intrusion Detection Software checks for changes that are made by unwanted programs that could be injected into your systems by cybercriminals.

Anti-Ransomware Tools

Anti-Ransomware tools will prevent or more it more difficult for ransomware to get into your computer system.

Ransomware Decryptor Tools

If you are looking for Ransomware Decryptor Tools to unlock files locked by ransomware on your Windows computer, then this list is what you are looking for.

Botnet Removal Tools

Botnet Removal Tools will detect if your computer is a part of some Botnet, and clean the infected machine.

USB security software

These USB security & antivirus software will help protect your PC from all kind of viruses that can enter through the USB drive.

Anti-hacker software

The use of these free software can help protect your computer from hackers, and so can be loosely called anti-hacker software.

Free Sandboxing software

Sandboxing is a technique of running applications in a virtually isolated environment. Take a look at these free Sandboxing software for Windows 10/8/7.

Brightness Control software

Eye strain is a common problem for those who are constantly hooked to desktop screens, smartphones, and other digital devices. These brightness control software can help you!

Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar

Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar are the most predominant calenders used today as a daily reminder. These free software to sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar may interest you.

Free Parental Control Software

You need a parental control software to protect your kids from the many types of problems that uncontrolled Internet access can create. Windows 10/8/7 includes a fine Parental Control software, but if you are looking for free third-party software, there are many such freeware available in the market. See the list of Free Parental Control Software here.

Free File Manager software

Here is a list of some of the best free File Manager software for Windows 10/8/7 – they include Shallot, Tablacus, XYplorer, FreeCommander, Unreal Commander, Multi-commander, Konverter, and FileVoyager.

Photo Editing Software

These free Photo Editor software let you manage, edit, share, and view your pictures.

Batch Photo Editor software

These free Batch Photo Editor software support batch processing which allows you to apply basic edits to multiple photos at the same time.

Time lapse software

This post takes a look at some of the best free time lapse software to make amazing videos on Windows 10.

Free Uninstaller software

Unwanted parts of files, folders, and registry keys are many times left behind, even after you uninstall the software using the Control Panel or the program specific uninstaller on your system, thereby leading to clutter. If you are looking for a better software uninstaller for your Windows computer, you might want to check out these Free Uninstaller software.

Driver Update Software

Here is a list of 10 best free Driver Update Software to update your drivers and keep your Windows PC running smooth. These software let you update the device drivers easily without any difficulty, and are especially helpful for those who don’t want to check manually for driver updates.

Disk Space Analyzer software

Here is a list of free Disk Space Analyzer software to find out, check and analyze the disk space on your Windows computer.

CHKDSK alternatives

You can use these free CHKDSK alternative software to repair and fix the bad sectors on your Hard Drive, USB, SD Cards, etc.

Imaging, Backup and Recovery Software

The Windows operating system includes inbuilt tools that let your backup and make copies of your files and create a system image. But it is found wanting in some features, and that is why many prefer to use one or the other free Imaging, Backup, and Recovery Software available on the Internet.

Backup software for VMware & Hyper-V

Here is a list of best free backup software for VMware and Hyper-V virtual machines.

File Deleter Software

These free file deleter software will help you delete undeletable locked files and folders from your system

Free File Compression Software

File compression is a process that converts a file or a set of files to a specific format, after reducing its size/s. File compression utilities, pack your folders and files in a single file that is easy to carry, which is also reduced in size. Let us take a look at the best three free File Compression software.

Zip file repair software

If you receive The compressed (zipped) folder is invalid message, then I’d like to recommend these good free zip file repair software.

Time synchronization software

Make use of some free Time synchronization software if your Windows PC is not synchronizing system time correctly.

Tools to forcefully terminate a full-screen application

These free tools will forcefully terminate a full-screen application or game.

Free FTP Clients

FileZilla, WinSCP, Core FTP Lite, and CoffeeCup Free FTP are some popular and feature-rich Free FTP Clients for Windows; you may want to check out.

Free Registry Cleaners, Junk Cleaners, and Windows Optimizers

Apart from registry cleaners, optimization suites are also very popular with Windows users. All of us want our Windows PC’s to be running in top condition. While you can always use some tips to make Windows faster, many prefer to use a Registry Cleaner or a Windows optimization suite to keep their computer running smoothly. Go check out our list of free Registry Cleaners, Junk Cleaners, and Windows Optimizers,

READ:Reimage Repair Review.

Game Booster Software

Use one of these free software to boost gaming performance on your Windows PC.

Battery Limiter software

These free Battery Limiter software will remind you not to charge your batteries to a full 100%.

DRM removal software for eBooks

These DRM removal software for eBooks help you remove DRM protection from an ebook that you have purchased.

Audio Format Converter software

Many media players cannot play every type of format. Use these free Audio Format Converter software.

Task Manager alternatives

Here are some Task Manager alternative software that will help you manage the processes. Moreover, these software are free and hold various features

Broken Shortcut Removers

Having too many broken shortcuts on your Windows can be messy, and it’s a good idea to scan for and remove broken shortcuts every once in a while with these Broken Shortcut Removers.

Context Menu Editors

Context Menu Editors can help you manage your right-click context menu items and keep it tidy.

To-Do list apps

A to do list is an easy way of getting all your tasks done. In this article, we have rounded up some of the best to-do list apps for Windows 10.

Free Password Managers

Password Managers allow you to store your registration-related information in a secure electronic form. To log in to a site you just need to enter a single master password that allows retrieval of the specific password information for that site. Check out our list of some of the best Free Password Manager software for Windows 10/8/7.

Free Download Managers

If you are looking for a free download manager with some advanced features, you might want to check out this list of Free Download Managers– what we think are the five best freeware in this category.

Shutdown Scheduler Tools

These free Shutdown Scheduler software will allow you to shut down, reboot, log off, hibernate or sleep your Windows 10/8/7 at particular times.

Free Partition Manager Software

While many may prefer to use the inbuilt Disk Management Tool, there are some who may want to use a third-party Free Partition Manager Software offering more features.

Web Browsers

While some of prefer to use the default Microsoft Edge, there are many who use Chrome or Firefox browser. But apart from these, there are several other alternative web browsers available for Windows OS, some with a specifically targeted feature set.

File and Folder Synchronization Freeware

If you need to keep an identical set of files and folders on two different computers or different disks or in different locations, File and Folder Synchronization Freeware utilities will help you do so easily.

Free software to delete empty folders

A TWC forum post asking if it was safe to delete empty folders made me search for some good empty folder deleting freeware. While you would make no real space savings as they occupy 0 bytes, if it is just good house-keeping you are looking, it may be a good idea. Check out the free software to delete empty folders here.

Bulk Rename files

Renaming files individually, one at a time can consume both, time and efforts. As such, bulk file renaming software that can pull out metadata can come to your immediate rescue and intend to make your life a lot easier.

Free File Encryption Software

If you need to password protect your files and folders in Windows, we can use some great freeware to do so easily. We can download various Encryption programs to keep our personal files and valuable data safe. Go get these Free File Encryption Software!

Delete your files permanently

A list of some free software that let you permanently delete files and folders in Windows. Delete your files permanently using these free tools.

Apr 07, 2017  MIT Deep Learning Book in PDF format (complete and parts) by Ian Goodfellow, Yoshua Bengio and Aaron Courville. If this repository helps you in anyway, show your love ️ by putting a ⭐️ on this project ️ Deep Learning. An MIT Press book Ian Goodfellow and Yoshua Bengio and Aaron Courville. Deep learning pdf mit.

Data Recovery Software

Do you want to recover files and data which you may have deleted even from the Recycle Bin? Then what you need is a good Data Recovery Software. Here are a few freeware which may help you get back the lost file which you have accidentally deleted.

Free Notepad Replacements

The inbuilt Notepad in Windows is a basic text editor you can use for simple documents. If you are looking for a more jazzed up or a feature-rich Notepad replacement, you may want to check out some of these Free Notepad Replacements for your Windows.

Windows Search Alternative Tools

A fine selection of alternative some desktop search utilities which you can use instead of Windows Search. All these Windows Search Alternative Tools are free to use.

Automation software

This article guides you through some of the best Automation software that will help automate tasks on Windows 10.

Video Communication Freeware

There are many video communication software in the market. If you wish to look beyond Skype, for personal or business reasons, here are the top three Video Communication Freeware applications.

Free Crapware Removal Software

Best Free Programs Windows 10

Crapware refers to applications that come pre-installed on a new computer when you purchase a branded one. These software will help you remove crapware and craplets from your Windows PC. Go here to check out the Free Crapware Removal Software.

Free Video Editing Software

Check out these 3 Free Video Editing Software for the Windows operating system. Most of us want freeware that we can use to easily edit our videos. Here are three which we think are among the best.

Free GoPro editing software

GoPro videos or any video for that matter needs editing before being presented to anyone. Here is a list of free GoPro editing tools that can help you edit GoPro videos.

Desktop Recorder and Screen Recording Freeware

You might have seen some video tutorials and wondered how they were made. Which screen recording software had they used? Was it freeware? This post talks about five good Screen Recording Freeware for Windows 10/8/7.

Free Screen Sharing and Remote Desktop software

Remote desktop applications are useful for those, who are working on a project in a team, and who want online repair support for their PC. There are lots of such applications out there, but we have chosen the best Free Screen Sharing and Remote Desktop software for you.

Free CD DVD Data Recovery Software

CD DVD data recovery software allows you to recover and rescue lost or corrupted data from damaged and unreadable disks. The top 3 Free CD DVD Data Recovery Software, in our opinion, have been listed here.

Image Deblurring Tools

Blurry photos? These free tools will help you deblur & fix blurry Photos & Images.

Color Picker free software

This list of Color Picker free software tools and free online web services will help you identify HTML color HEX, RGD, etc codes from images, websites, etc.

Monitor hard disk

These freeware will help you monitor hard disk for potential failure.

Free ISO Burners

If you are looking for freeware to burn ISO images in Windows, create bootable CDs and have a few more features, you can check out these three Free ISO Burners for Windows.

Free software from Microsoft

Microsoft has a huge line-up of paid software, but it also has lots of high-quality software that are available for free to use. Here is my list of top 5 must have Free software from Microsoft.

Translator freeware

This article lists some of the best offline free Translator apps that you can use on Windows 10.

Free PlayStation Game Emulators

There are a lot of game emulators out there for different emulating purposes such as for emulating PS 2, Nintendo Entertainment System, etc. With these Free PlayStation Game Emulators you can also play the old games – and believe me playing these old games is really fun.

Graphic Design Tools

Here is a round up some of the free easy to use graphic design tools that would help users create some stunning visual designs in a go and utilize them for your growing business.

Instant Chat Messengers

Google has GTalk, Yahoo has Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live has Windows Live Messenger and its a pain to have so many different Messenger clients installed on our PC. Here is our list of Top 5 Instant Chat Messengers available for Windows, which work with multiple accounts and networks.

Free Twitter Clients

The battle among various Twitter clients is ever-growing, getting fierce and therefore no surprises why many more are coming up to win you over or bring more flexibility and power to you. The Top 3 Free Twitter Clients for Windows are being listed and discussed here.

File Integrity Checkers

List of some free File Integrity Checkers & File Checksum Integrity Verifier tools to check file integrity of downloaded files in Windows using Using MD5 & SHA1 Hashes, by computing MD5 or SHA1 cryptographic hashes for files.

Software to monitor System Performance

These free software will help you monitor System Performance & Resources and a lot more.

Free LAN Messengers

LAN Messengers are applications or utilities that enable you to chat within a local area network without any Internet Connection – but a wired LAN is a must. There may be many Free LAN Messengers available for Windows, but these three are among the best ones in our opinion.

Packet Sniffing Tools

Packet Sniffing Tools intercept and log network traffic. Take a look at these three free tools.

3D Printing Software

3D printing is something that most technology and art enthusiasts are interested in, but everyday people don’t need it. The spike in demand and accessibility of free 3D printing software has made it popular among the designer community.

Free Clipboard alternatives or replacements

For most of us, the Windows clipboard is good enough. But if you need more functionality and features, check these Free Clipboard alternatives or replacements clipboard managers for Windows.

Free PDF Readers

While the Adobe PDF Reader is widely used, there are other freeware alternatives to Adobe Reader too, that you may like to consider, for your Windows operating system. Check out these Free PDF Readers.

PDF Unlockers

Remove PDF password with Free PDF Unlocker Software or Online Tools.

Free Defragmentation Software

For most, the best practices for using defragmentation in Windows are simple – you do not need to do anything. But if you feel that you need to have a 3rd party defrag tools you might want to check out these 5 Free Defragmentation Software.

Time Tracking tools

This post aggregates some useful time tracking software for Windows PC. Some of them are cloud-based tools that can be connected to various payment options as well.

Tools to Speed Up Firefox

Firefox has made considerable improvements in the browser’s memory consumption and utilization – but it still makes people wanting more. These four tools to Speed Up Firefox may help you optimize Firefox and its memory and make it load and run faster.

Barcode scanner applications

You may have seen some barcode scanners (hardware) in some stores are shopping complexes, but what if you want to scan your barcodes or QR codes on your Windows PC? You can do so using some of the Barcode scanner applications that enable you to do so.

Free RSS Readers

To read RSS Feeds more efficiently and in a good environment, you can use RSS Readers. There are many of RSS readers out there but very few good ones. Here are what I think are some of the finest Free RSS Readers for Windows 10/8/7.

Free Kundli making software

Kundli, is a birth chart or natal chart used to forecast the upcoming events in contrast to the study of the celestial bodies. Here is a list of some good free Kundli making software.

Free e-mail clients

While you can always access it via its web interface, it is more convenient to have an email client on your Windows desktop, so that you can read and send mail quickly. This article will tell you about some of the best free e-mail clients for Windows 10/8/7.

Free Media Converters

There are a lot of media formats out there, and it sometimes becomes very difficult for users to choose the format is best suitable for them and their device. To get the best results, you need to first convert your media into the format suitable for your device. You can convert them by using any media converter software. Here is a list of some fine Free Media Converters for Windows.

Best Free Word Processors

While there are lots of word processors out there, it is difficult to choose a good one and the one which is perfect for you. To help you out, we have compared the features of some Best Free Word Processors.

Duplicate Files Finder

Duplicate files are a problem, as you do not know which one contains the most current content. In the case of collaborating, you may miss out on changes your co-worker did to the document if you open the wrong one. This article talks about three such free Duplicate Files Finders which will help you find and delete duplicate files.

Measure Startup Time

These free software will help you measure the Startup Time in Windows. By reducing Boot time, you can also improve performance.

Microsoft Visio Alternatives

For drawing, preparing charts, flowcharts, one program that best suits everyone’s need is Microsoft Visio. Let us take a look at some free Visio alternatives that may not be highly performant, but still, beat the program when it comes to price.

I should say not, on my salary!Bus Joke 29Is everyone in the bus? No, called a lady, wait until I get my clothes on. She got on with a bag full of laundry.Bus Joke 30Janet: What’s the difference between a cake and a school bus? Funny school bus driver quotes. All the passengers in the bus turned towards the door to look at the woman. Asked the driver before he closed the door.

Windows Media Player Alternatives

Check out some of the best alternatives to Windows Media Player, which can be downloaded for free and at absolutely no cost.

Free Bandwidth Monitoring Tools for Windows

These tools not only monitor bandwidth and Internet usage or check the speed but also detect any suspicious network activity.

Screen Capture software for Windows

The Snipping Tool in Windows 10/8/7 let you take out some nice screenshots on your Windows computer. But if you are looking for a feature-rich yet free screen capture software, then you may want to check out these free screen capture software.

Watermark Remover software

There are several free options to remove watermark from images without ever having to hire a professional. This post talks about some free Watermark Remover software.

Windows 10 Must Have Software

Voice changer software

Voice changer software lets you change your voice easily. By using these fun software or tools, users can conveniently change their voices during chatting over calling apps or while playing online games.

Free Registry Defragmenter

Registry Defragmenters help in removing such bloated registry hive & empty spaces and compacting the registry.

Software Update Checkers

A Software Update Checker like Secunia, FileHippo, etc. will scan your computer for installed software, check the versions and then send this information to their respective websites and see if there are any newer releases.

Event Log Managers

Event Log Managers will view, manage and analyze your Windows Event Logs.

Coding software

This post includes a list of free Code Editors for Windows OS. Take a look!

Explorer replacements and alternatives

If you are looking forward to adding tabs, and many other features, to make the Windows File Explorer run on steroids, you can check out some of these freeware applications and add-ins. Like the tabbed browsing feature in Internet Explorer, you can also add Tabs to your Windows Explorer, using these tools.

Free Rootkit Remover software

Sometimes a rootkit may even fool your antivirus software and avoid being detected. It is at such times; you may need to take help of special Rootkit Remover or Removal Tools.

Free Remote Access software

A list of some 5 Free Remote Access software for Windows, you may want to check out.

Software Key Finders

Software Key Finder will retrieve the CD-Key and Serial for installed software on your computer, including Windows and Microsoft Office. Check out these tools.

Anti-theft Laptop Recovery software

Anti-theft Laptop recovery software are programs designed with the sole purpose of tracing your laptop’s location and retrieving it.

Games for Windows

If you are looking for some cool addictive games to download free for your Windows computer, here is our pick of some cool freeware classic Games for Windows.

Animation Software

These free animation software for Windows, Victorian Giotto, Blender, Anim8tor for 3D animation are easy to use for beginners.

Finance & Accounting Software

Go take a look at some of the free finance software for personal & home use, as well as accounting software for small, medium business – along with one for enterprises.

Mail Servers

Here are some of the best free mail servers for sending and receiving emails. You can download these mail servers, and set up IMAP/POP3 & SMTP supported email accounts.

Mind Mapping software

Here is a list of some of the best free Mind Mapping software for Windows.

And yes … you might also want to check out the complete range of our TWC freeware, eBook, etc. releases HERE.

Related Posts:

A software updater is a program you install on your computer to help you keep all your other software updated to their latest versions.

Install one of these freeware software updaters and it will first automatically identify all of your software and then determine if an update is available. Then, depending on the updater, will either point you to the newer download on the developer's site or maybe even do the downloading and updating for you!

By no means do you have to use a software updater to update your outdated software. Checking for a new version yourself, and then downloading and updating manually, is certainly an option. However, a software updater makes the process really easy. The fact that all of these excellent ones are completely free is even better.

Patch My PC Updater

What We Like

• It's easy to see what's outdated

• Installs updates for you

• Can run on a schedule

• Supports hundreds of software programs

What We Don't Like

• The interface isn't as clean as most software updater tools

Patch My PC is another free software updater that I like, not only because it's completely portable, but also because it will install software patches — no clicking and no manual update checks!

It's easy to quickly tell the difference between applications that are already updated and ones that are outdated because the green titles indicate up-to-date software, while the red ones show outdated programs. You can update all of them at once, or uncheck the ones you don't want to patch (or, of course, let the scheduled auto-updates do it for you automatically).

There are lots of optional settings you can enable, like disabling silent installs, enabling beta updates, forcing programs to shut down before updating them and many others.

Patch My PC can also work as a simple software uninstaller.

The only thing I don't like about Patch My PC is that the user interface isn't quite as friendly but I wouldn't skip trying this tool just on those grounds.

I really like the fact that it works so quickly, can be run from a flash drive and supports truly automatic updates. These are certainly the most important things I look for in a software updater.

Patch My PC Updater should work with all versions of Windows. I tried it out in Windows 10 and Windows 8 and it worked great.

FileHippo App Manager

What We Like

• Very clean and easy-to-use interface

• Lets you scan custom folders for outdated software

• Can update software to beta versions

What We Don't Like

• No one-click, update-everything button

• Updates a relatively limited number of programs

FileHippo App Manager, previously called Update Checker, is a very minimal and easy to use program that scans your computer for updates and then lets you download them directly through the program.

The results list that shows which programs need updated, is really easy to understand because it shows the version number for the edition you have and then tells you hold old it is (e.g. Your version: <number> was released over a year ago.).

FileHippo App Manager can optionally hide beta updates, scan for outdated programs on a schedule every day, add custom install folders, and exclude any program from showing up in the update results.

The setup files for FileHippo App Manager is less than 3 MB and takes just a couple seconds to install.

FileHippo App Manager can be used on Windows 10 through Windows 2000, as well as with Windows Server 2003.

IObit Software Updater

What We Like

• Very easy to use

• In-program updates (no browser needed)

• Bulk downloading and updating

• Recommends other software

What We Don't Like

• Shows features that are only available if you pay

IObit has this really simple and easy to use software updater that has nearly all the features you need in one of these programs.

As you can see in the screenshot above, the current and new program version number is clearly stated so that you know how outdated the program is. Maybe you'll want to skip a version or two if it isn't a huge deal, but either way, you can very obviously see on this screen how much newer the update really is.

The program supports single updates and bulk updates. Automatic updating is an option but it's only available if you pay.

In the settings are options for when IObit Software Updater should check for new program updates; it can update automatically for you or just notify you when updates are available. You can also control whether restore points are made automatically before every installation and if installer files should be deleted after setup finishes.

Thor Free

What We Like

• Fully automatic (scanning, downloading, and updating)

• Settings can be tweaked to your preference

• Recommends new program downloads

What We Don't Like

• Updates an extremely minimal number of programs

• Shows several things that only upgraded users can take advantage of

Thor Free (previously called Heimdal) is useful if you want to keep your security-critical programs up-to-date without having to think about it. This program will automatically and silently download and install patches when necessary.

Thor Free can work in what's called 'autopilot' mode to keep all compatible programs updated automatically or you can choose a custom setup.

A custom configuration lets you choose which installed programs should be monitored for updates and which ones should be auto-updated. This means you can have Thor Free monitor some but not update them, or not monitor or update others—it's totally up to you.

Thor Free checks for updates every few hours by default but you can turn off automatic scanning if you prefer. It also includes recommended programs and makes them just one click away.

This program has the unique feature of checking for and updating programs automatically, but it's not very user-friendly. Then again, you shouldn't really need to have the program open often because it will do everything in the background, so you can really just install it and forget about it.

Since this is the free version, you don't get the features that are only in the pro edition, like malware detection and website blocking. Follow the download link below to see which programs Thor Free is capable of auto-updating.

During the installation of Thor Free, choose the free option and then enter your email address to activate the free edition.

OUTDATEfighter

What We Like

• Automatically performs a virus scan on all updates

• Updates can be found for lots of programs

• Also works as a third-party Windows Update tool and software uninstaller

What We Don't Like

• Didn't seem to locate as many outdated programs as similar tools

• Can't set up an auto-scan schedule to find outdated programs automatically

OUTDATEfighter does just as the name suggests—it protects your computer from outdated software by acting as a free program updater.

It just takes one click to batch download or installs updates in OUTDATEfighter. This means you can place a check next to all the programs that need to be updated to have OUTDATEfighter download them all one after the other and then start launching the setup files. Before downloading updates, the setup files are even scanned for viruses, which is really helpful.

At any time, you can open OUTDATEfighter to check for software that requires updates. You can also ignore any update to prevent update notifications for that particular program.

I really like the fact that you don't need to open a web browser or search for the updated setup file on the internet. Everything is done from inside the program, and you can clearly see the old and updated version numbers (and sometimes release dates) for comparison.

There's also a program uninstaller and a Windows Update utility included in OUTDATEfighter.

OUTDATEfighter can be used on Windows operating systems from Windows XP up through Windows 10. Windows Server 2008 and 2003 are also supported.

Update Notifier

What We Like

• Gets updates from the program's original source

• Set up a scan schedule

• Check for updates in custom program installation folders

• Portable version is available

What We Don't Like

• You have to download the updates manually from your web browser

• Updates aren't installed automatically

Update Notifier installs in seconds and can monitor software installations in the background to notify you when a program needs to be updated. A schedule can be setup to check for updates every so many days and hours, like every 3 hours or every 7 days, for example.

Updates must be downloaded via a browser because Update Notifier does not let you download files directly through its program. However, the files from Update Notifier's website are pulled directly from the official websites of the applications, which help guarantee clean, up-to-date, original downloads.

You can also configure Update Notifier to scan a particular folder outside the regular program files location. This would be ideal for finding updates to portable programs. Like some of the other program updaters from this list, Update Notifier also lets you ignore updates.

A Watch List can be built if you sign up with Update Notifier so you can get alerts by email when new software updates are available.

Update Notifier can also be run as a portable program if you choose that option during setup.

You can use this program on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, and 2000.

Software Updater

What We Like

• Works quickly

• Downloads updates without leaving the application

• Lets you auto-scan for outdated programs

• It's easy to see what needs updated and what's already updated

What We Don't Like

• Can't download or install updates automatically

• Finds less updates than similar software updaters

• The lack of settings makes it way less customizable than other programs

Software Updater loads in basically no time and has a very straightforward interface that anybody can understand, even if you've never updated a program before.

Results show up in the program and updating your apps is just a few clicks away. Version numbers are clearly indicated so you know which version you're currently using and what the updated version is.

I'm really glad Software Updater makes it easy to download program updates. After clicking Update next to an outdated program, the setup file is downloaded for you and then opens, ready for you to click through the installation wizard.

Software Updater doesn't seem to find as many outdated software as some of the other programs from this list. There also aren't any many settings that come bundled with it, so you can't do things like hide programs from being updated or enable beta updates.

This program works on Windows 10 down through Windows XP.

Glarysoft's Software Update

What We Like

• The updater can start with Windows

• Lets you enable or disable beta software scans

• Updates can be ignored

• Results are easy to read

What We Don't Like

• Makes you download the updates manually

• None of the updates can be installed automatically

• Setup tries to install another program along with the updater tool

Glarysoft has a free program update checker for Windows that isn't much of a program itself, but when you run the checker, it opens the results in your browser and gives you direct download links to the program updates.

Software Update sends the scan results to a file download website called Filepuma that's owned by Glarysoft. From there are download links to the program updates.

You can customize the updater program to ignore beta versions and to run when Windows starts, but that's about it. The results list can be customized too so that you can ignore updates for specific programs or ignore just this one updated version for any program.

Clearly, Software Update is not as advanced or helpful as some of the updaters at the start of this list that can download and update programs for you, but it's still a functional program that's really lightweight and can run all the time without affecting performance.

Best Free Win 10 Software

Once Software Update has finished installing, but before setup closes, you're asked if you want to install Glary Utilities. If you don't do anything, the program might install automatically, so be sure to uncheck that option if you don't want Glary Utilities.

Avira Software Updater

What We Like

• The list of outdated programs is displayed within the software

• Checks for outdated software automatically

• The interface is minimal and easy to use

What We Don't Like

• Download links open in web browser

• Can't download more than one program update at once

• Won't install any updates for you automatically

• You can't customize the scan schedule

You can quit searching for updates manually if you have Avira's Software Updater program installed. With just one click it will check your entire computer for outdated applications and tell you which ones need updated.

The program is quick to find an entire list of old programs and gives you download links to open in your web browser so that you can download the updates yourself.

Compared to similar programs, this updater seems to find a good number of outdated programs but unfortunately, it's limited in a number of ways.

Avira Software Updater is just the free, limited version of the paid edition that has additional features.

For example, Avira's free updater will not download or install program updates for you. Instead, just use the link next to any program's 'Update' button to find the download page online.

This program also does not let you choose when it should automatically scan your computer for outdated programs, but it does seem to do so periodically. Otherwise, you need to open it and use the Rescan button each time you want to check for outdated software.

During installation, Avira Software Updater asks you to install some other Avira software but you can just avoid those requests if you don't want them; they won't install unless you click them.

SUMo

What We Like

• Finds newer versions of lots and lots of software

• Distinguishes between apps that need a minor and major update

• Lets you choose the folders in which to look for software updates

• Can be run normally or from a portable location

What We Don't Like

• Doesn't show the download page to update the software

• Searches are usually slow because of the vast number of apps it supports

• Won't find outdated programs on a schedule; you have to open the program yourself

SUMo is a free software updater for Windows that's absolutely amazing at finding updates. You can install SUMo to a computer or launch it portably from a custom folder.

The program takes quite a while to scan your whole computer for outdated software, but it definitely found more programs that needed updates than any other tool in this list.

Every program it finds is listed out, even those that don't require an update. The ones that do need updating are labeled as requiring a minor update or a major one so you can quickly decide which programs you may want to update. The version numbers are clearly visible so you can quickly glance at the outdated and updated versions. It can even search for beta releases.

SUMo not only searches for programs installed in the regular installation directory of your computer, as you can even add custom folders and files for it to scan, like if you have portable software stored on another hard drive.

A huge downside to using SUMo is that it doesn't provide links to the download pages for updates. Instead of providing a direct link inside the program, or even just linking to a download page, SUMo simply lets you search for the program on the internet, where you'll then need to find the download yourself, manually.

I tested SUMo in Windows 10 and Windows 8 without any issues, so it should work in other versions of Windows too like 7, Vista, and XP.