25 Best Free Windows Software Alternatives in 2026
Looking for free Windows software alternatives? Windows 11 comes with a set of basic apps, from Notepad to Photos, and many people pay for software they do not need. The good news is that free, often open-source programs can replace most built-in Windows tools and expensive paid apps. Here are the best free Windows software alternatives in 2026, sorted by category, updated from our original list of 50 that included Internet Explorer replacements and Vista start menus.
Quick answer: Top free Windows software alternatives include Firefox or Brave (browser), LibreOffice (Microsoft Office), Notepad++ (Notepad), VLC (media player), IrfanView or ImageGlass (Photos), GIMP or Paint.NET (Photoshop and Paint), 7-Zip (WinZip), ShareX (Snipping Tool), Everything (Windows Search), Bitwarden (password manager) and PowerToys for extra Windows features.
Table of Contents
Browsers and internet
- Firefox: open source, private and fully customisable with add-ons.
- Brave: a Chromium browser with built-in ad and tracker blocking.
- Thunderbird: a free email client to replace Outlook for personal accounts.
Office and text
- LibreOffice: full office suite compatible with Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
- Notepad++: a powerful Notepad replacement with tabs, syntax highlighting and search across files.
- SumatraPDF: a tiny, fast PDF and ebook reader.
- Joplin: open-source notes app with sync and Markdown.
Photos, graphics and media
- IrfanView: a lightning-fast image viewer and batch converter.
- ImageGlass: a modern, lightweight photo viewer.
- GIMP: free advanced image editor, an alternative to Photoshop.
- Paint.NET: easier than GIMP and far more capable than Paint.
- VLC: plays almost any audio or video file.
- Audacity: record and edit audio.
- Shotcut: a free, open-source video editor.
- OBS Studio: screen recording and live streaming.
System tools and utilities
- 7-Zip: opens ZIP, RAR, 7z and more, replacing WinZip and WinRAR.
- ShareX: screenshots, screen recording, annotations and uploads, beyond the Snipping Tool.
- Everything: finds any file by name instantly, much faster than Windows Search.
- PowerToys: Microsoft’s free extras, including FancyZones window layouts, PowerToys Run launcher and bulk file renaming.
- Files: a modern File Explorer alternative with tabs and panes.
- WizTree or TreeSize Free: see what is filling your disk. More options in our post on viewing folder sizes in Windows.
- Ditto: keeps a history of everything you copy. See more free clipboard managers.
Security and privacy
- Bitwarden: a free, open-source password manager for all devices.
- VeraCrypt: encrypts drives and folders, useful on Windows Home without BitLocker.
- Microsoft Defender: already built in and good enough for most people, so you may not need a third-party antivirus.
How to install free software safely
- Download only from the official website or the Microsoft Store.
- Use WinGet, the Windows package manager: for example
winget install VideoLAN.VLCinstalls VLC with no ads or bundled offers. - Untick extra toolbars or “recommended” offers during installation.
Prefer not to install anything? Try these free web apps that replace software.
FAQ
Is free software safe?
Well-known open-source programs are safe when downloaded from official sites. Avoid download portals that wrap installers with ads.
What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Office?
LibreOffice for a desktop suite, or the free web versions of Microsoft 365 and Google Docs.
Do I need third-party antivirus on Windows 11?
Not usually. Microsoft Defender gives solid protection when kept updated.
Originally written by guest author Jason of ThirdError.com, who wrote about Windows, web apps and Ubuntu. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.
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And of course you can use Linux ;)
TurboSupport is an alternative to the paid versions of TeamViewer and LogMeIn. It costs just $19.95 per month. You may want to have a look at here
There is another useful program called Proxy Pro 6 for accessing your computer remotely. Take a look.
Another way to view your computer remotely would be with a non-free application like RHUB Web Conference …it has been really helpful for our team.
You can now add Polyedit Lite as a very god alternative for Wordpad. It has so many features that many can find it a good replacement for even Word for simple applications.
http://www.polyedit.com/free.html
no winamp? Far superior to all of those audio players.
Windows Media Player Classic from K-Lite Mega Codec is best media player
There is another useful program called Proxy Pro 6 for accessing your computer remotely. Take a look.
Hello all,
I was looking for a way to remotely access windows machines from a Linux based system. No luck here but I learned other things.
Thanks,
Bryan
How did you miss PeaZIP
I’m tempted by one of the new notepads, but I have OpenOffice and Paint.Net and I prefer WordPad and Paint, both of which my computer cannibalized and I’m trying to restore. I guess I’m just an old-fashioned computer-gal…..
i want free genuine windows
A good remote desktop service which also can be used on a free trial basis is Techinline Remote Desktop (www.techinline.com). When it comes to their pay versions, it is probably the most reasonably priced tool on the market when comparing to the likes of LogMeIn, Webex, Citrix
How did you miss Windows PowerShell for a Windows Shell replacement?
For the remote desktop category, you can also use the freeware program Mikogo, https://www.mikogo.com/
Not only does Mikogo include free remote keyboard and mouse control, it is also a perfect online meeting tool as you can invite up to 10 people to view your screen.
File transfer, application sharing, switch presenter, Skype Extra, configuration free, 256bit AES encryption, and more…
Take a look at the website and feel free to contact me if you would like further detail.
Cheers,
Andrew
The Mikogo Team
Many good programs, but applications that replace the start menu tend to cause crashes (excluding Launchy).
This is a great list but I wouldn’t really call Cygwin an alternative of CMD or command.
I do not like CMD and I use a free alternative called console. It supports copy/paste via the regular shortcut ^C and ^V, which is the prime reason I like it.
For Linux commands, I use GNU Win32 but the response is slow.
If somebody really needs to use Linux/Unix utils in Windows, I recommended andLinux.
http://www.andlinux.org/
1) can run as a service in the backgroud
2) I just open a console or ssh into it when I need it
3) I prefer SSH session via putty since I can copy/paste with other apps
4) can easily access Windows filesystem
5) true Linux Console
6) responses very fast
7) its very light and you can still run Linux GUI apps
FTP replacement tool: http://www.singlewrench.com
Well researched article. And nice formatting too.