Top 13 Must-Have Software For Your PC In 2026

Date First Published: 21st January 2026

We’ve tested many tools to find the perfect balance of performance, privacy, and power. Whether you’re a creative professional, a developer, or just someone looking to improve your productivity, these tools are essential for your 2026 workflow. In this video, we’re counting down the top 13 best software tools that mainly work across Windows and macOS, but some also work on Linux.

1. FlashBack Recorder

FlashBack Recorder is designed to capture screen activity, audio, and webcam footage with no watermarks or time limits. It's simple to use and doesn't have a steep learning curve, but it only supports Windows. You can capture your full screen, a specific window, or a custom region and can set the software to start and stop recording at specific times or when a certain application is launched. It offers a free version, which includes basic recording and editing features and a paid version which includes the full range of editing tools, such as adding annotations, frame-by-frame editing, and blur effects.

2. Paint.NET

Paint.NET is an image and photo editing software for Windows. It offers more features than Microsoft Paint, but it's not as complex as professional programs, like Photoshop or GIMP. Unlike the standard Microsoft Paint, it supports layers, allowing you to build complex compositions and edit elements independently. Every action you take is recorded in a history panel. You can undo and redo as many steps as your disk space allows, which is good for experimenting without risk of permanent mistakes.

3. ShareX

ShareX is a free, open-source productivity tool for Windows that goes beyond simple screen capturing. It comes with support for full screen, specific windows, and regions. You can record your screen as a high-quality video or an animated GIF. After capturing, you can use the tools to add arrows, and text, and upload to a destination. ShareX is open-source and comes with no watermarks, but it's not available for macOS or Linux.

4. Thunderbird

Thunderbird is a free, open-source email client that allows you to manage multiple email accounts, calendars, and contacts in a single desktop application. It consolidates emails from Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and private servers into a single, colour-coded view and includes a Calendar, Task Manager, and Address Book that all work together. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

5. F.lux

F.lux is a free, cross-platform program for Windows, macOS, and Linux that automatically adjusts your display's color temperature based on the time of day to reduce eye strain and potentially improve sleep patterns. It makes the screen look like sunlight during the day with a blue light and and changes it to warmer shades at night. While Windows and macOS have built-in features, f.lux offers more customisation options, such as deeper, warmer colours and more granular scheduling. Instead of setting specific on and off times, it's designed to automatically adjust your screen colour based on your location and set wake time.

6. Gemoo Snap

Gemoo Snap is a free screenshot tool for Windows and Mac. It offers much more capture options and features than the basic Windows Snipping Tool. You can capture quick screenshots and it automatically saves screenshots to the cloud, providing 100 GB free storage for organisation and access. It offers advanced annotation tools, including blurring, adding backgrounds, and adding text and shapes.

7. SyncBackFree

SyncBackFree is a popular software for Windows that provides file backup, sinking, and mirroring capabilities for personal and commercial use. Developed by 2BrightSparks, it's known for its reliability and user-friendly interface. It copies files from a source to a destination without deleting files from the destination, ensuring data protection and allows users to automate tasks to run on demand, at specific times or when the system starts up. While powerful, SyncBackFree doesn't support cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.

8. Proton VPN

Proton VPN is a privacy-focused VPN, known for its strong security and strict no-logs policy, offering both free and paid plans. It encrypts your internet traffic and roots it through multiple servers in privacy-friendly countries, hiding your IP address and making your online activity private from ISPs, advertisers, and trackers. The free plan offers unlimited data and no ads, but with limited servers, ideal for basic privacy. With the paid plan, you can unlock the full set of features, including access to all the servers, streaming, and NetShield, the built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocker.

9. RustDesk

RustDesk is an open-source, fast, and secure remote desktop software designed as a flexible alternative to TeamViewer and AnyDesk. It allows users to maintain full control over their data by offering self-hosting capabilities, though it also provides public, free, and hosted servers for easy, no-configuration use. It's popular among professionals for remote support and users seeking an open-source, and private alternative to paid, proprietary remote access tools.

10. ClipClip

ClipClip is a free clipboard management tool for Windows designed to enhance productivity by organising, and editing copied text, images, and files. It acts as a more powerful alternative to the standard Windows clipboard, allowing users to keep a history of items, search through them, and sync data across devices using cloud services like Google Drive. It's ideal for anyone who frequently copies and pastes on Windows, especially writers, developers, and students.

11. BlueStacks

BlueStacks is an Android emulator designed to run mobile games and apps on Windows and Mac computers. It creates a virtual Android environment, allowing users to access the Google Play Store and use keyboard, mouse, or gamepad controls for better precision. While it supports most apps, not all Android games run perfectly. BlueStacks 5 requires at least 4 gigabytes of memory, but computers with older processors and graphics cards may struggle with demanding games.

12. VirtualBox

VirtualBox allows users to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single computer at the same time. You can create virtual machines on top of your Windows, macOS, or Linux operating system. It is widely used by developers and professionals for testing software, evaluating new operating systems, and isolating environments. VirtualBox is known for being easy to install, user-friendly with a graphical interface, and for offering robust features for virtualisation needs.

13. Foxit PDF Reader

Foxit PDF Reader is a fast application for viewing and annotating PDF documents. It's widely recognized as a top alternative to Adobe Acrobat, offering a familiar ribbon interface. While the core reader is free, it provides advanced functionality such as form filling, text-to-speech, and extensive collaboration tools. Some key features include tools to highlight, underline, add sticky notes, and comment on PDFs, and support for standard PDF form filling and digital signatures.

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