It might be eight years old, but Windows 7 to get the world's second most requested desktop operating platform - and for great reason. It's a superb operating system that's still supported by Microsoft and receives regular security updates (unlike Windows Vista), doesn't pester you with popups like Windows 10, will be much more open than macOS, and it is easier for beginners to master than Linux.

Here, we've picked 20 associated with the best programs you could potentially download unengaged to give your Windows 7 PC a fresh lease of life.

Windows 7's version of Microsoft Paint may be a big step up belonging to the edition provided with Windows Vista, but still not much use for editing photos or creating the graphics from scratch.

GIMP (the GNU Image Manipulation Program) is mostly a brilliant open source photo editor that's amazingly powerful, and is defined as available to download and use completely free. This isn't quite as feature-packed as Adobe Photoshop, it also has everything hobbyist photographers need to their shots look amazing before printing them or sharing them online.

Forget about running add more tools and filters by installing plugins - including ones created use with Photoshop.

GIMP review

When you are still using Windows Media Center to spend time playing music in Windows 7, you're doing your tunes a disservice. MusicBee was compiled to organize songs and podcasts in a logical way, add accurate metadata, and afford you the top sound quality your PC can assist with - whether a person has a high-end soundcard or not.

MusicBee supports every music file format you may name with virtually no need to download additional codecs, plus streaming services and online radio.

MusicBee review

MusicBee pores and skin look free music player for Windows 7, especially video that's required VLC Media Player. Again, it supports an incredible range of file formats (far about Windows Media Center), which enable it to be expanded with user-created plugins and skins.

VLC Media Player can also be an excellent way to enjoy DVDs and Blu-rays upon PC (provided you have the necessary optical drive), and you can also optimize playback to suit your system.

VLC Media Player review

Should poke around in your Accessories class of Windows 7's Start Menu, yow will discover the Sound Recorder. 'Basic' hardly describes it - all it does is take input from any microphone and save it in WAV format.

If you wish to make one's own podcasts, record music, or edit existing sound files, you may need something far stronger. That something is Audacity.

This open source audio editor will allow you to record in stereo, remove noise, apply various effects, edit channels individually, cut and combine files, remove vocals from songs and even more. Like GIMP and VLC Media Player, Audacity also supports plugins so its possible to tailor it to suit your exact needs.

Audacity review

Windows Movie Maker would be great video editor when it's first released, but its inelegant interface and cheesy effects now look very dated. After many long years of service, it's time for Windows 7 users to wave goodbye and upgrade to Shotcut instead.

Shotcut isn't the maximum powerful free video editor around (that could be Lightworks), it strikes a perfect balance between features and usability. You do not have to study a manual to get started on making a great-looking video, as well as there's a huge range tools and filters to test out.

Shotcut review

When you find yourself happy choosing Internet Explorer in Windows 7, but Microsoft has moved its attention to Edge - a completely new browser that's exclusive to Windows 10.

Any time you haven't experimented with many different other browsers before, Google Chrome is actually a great place to begin. It's hugely customizable via plugins, fast, and integrates with each of your Google account so itrrrs possible to sync bookmarks and preferences between different devices - including phones and tablets.

Google Chrome review

Holistic acne like the notion of Google getting its roots into all of your current online activity, otherwise just want an additional for occasions when privacy is particularly crucial, take a look at Tor Browser.

Tor (the Onion Router) works by encrypting your data and redirecting it in a series of remote servers round the world, making it all but impossible to trace.

Take extra care if your Windows 7 PC is over a work or college network though - some organizations create a dim view of Tor because it's often used by nefarious purposes like pirating movies and music.

Tor Browser review

An execllent to protect your privacy online using a VPN (virtual private network) service, which disguises your identity and location using remote servers. Make sure, though - you'll find numerous dodgy free VPNs around that may be actually malware in disguise.

WindScribe will likely be the real deal - a free VPN that has a very generous data allowance of 10GB four weeks. That's not enough for streaming movies (for, you'll need to upgrade in the premium version), yet it's ideal for online shopping and banking.

Windscribe review

Windows 7 can open PDFs with virtually no trouble, however it really doesn't permit annotate them, make text changes, or perform security checks.

Necessary you need Foxit Reader - a free PDF reader that's heaped with useful extra tools you didn't realise you needed, but can't live without. The scan-to-PDF tool is particularly handy for people who have a paper worksheet or handout to convert, therefore the Microsoft Office Plugins are a brilliant touch.

Foxit Reader review

That said, Microsoft Office isn't your only option as you are using Windows 7 at the job. LibreOffice is a cost-free suite of programs that almost perfectly replicate every features of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more often.

Like lots of the programs in the list, LibreOffice is open source, so that anyone with the skills and time is able to develop his or her plugins for fellow users. It additionally has a huge team of dedicated volunteers who keep it updated with new features and squish bugs the moment they're identified.

LibreOffice review

LibreOffice is tremendous, but if just get your head down and do a bit serious writing, FocusWriter is going to be tool in your case. It's far superior to Windows 7's Notepad tool, using full-screen mode that completely blocks out all distractions, including the clock, Start menu and notification area.

You can actually set yourself writing goals and configure alerts for specific times to prevent you focused. There's also an outstanding Focus feature that highlights the paragraph or sentence you're currently dealing with, while everything else fades to qualify for the background. Never again procrastinating.

FocusWriter review

When you cast mental performance back (keep going... further... there), you may remember once tracking your finances simply by using a program called Microsoft Money. This had been discontinued a long time ago, but Money Manager Ex does essentially the very same job, which makes easy to monitor your accounts and bank plastic, record spending, schedule payments, and assure you're sticking in your budget.

It can't link directly for your online banking service, but this may possibly be a good thing wherever security's concerned and entering the figures manually isn't too time-consuming.

Money Manager Ex review

FileZilla is usually an FTP (file transfer protocol) client - a handy tool made for moving files between PCs or remote servers. It certainly is not as flashy for a cloud storage service like Dropbox or OneDrive, even so means you're in total control and aren't trusting your data into a third party.

FileZilla can store login data for a lot 10 remote servers, letting you connect it's essential to shifting your data with just seconds away . couple of clicks.

FileZilla review

Torrents have got a bad reputation as a result of their popularity with copyright-infringing pirates, nevertheless have quite a few legitimate uses too. They're merely takes a simple way of sharing particularly large files, and lots of artists and producers are usually choosing to release material in this manner. They're also handy for downloading copyright-free media, games and many other content.

To work with torrent files, you're looking for a dedicated client software, and qBittorrent is the better for Windows 7. That is not cluttered with ads, includes a clear interface, is easy to be able to grips with.

qBittorrent review

For everybody who is unlucky, you might know the horror of emptying your Windows 7 Recycle Bin, then realising too late that going barefoot contained a file you accidentally needed. Maybe you might have been unfortunate enough loss of data due to physical destruction to a drive, or corruption.

You cannot find any guarantee that free file recovery tool Recuva shall be able to bring your documents and photos back, nevertheless it really can be an absolute lifesaver via an emergency. Install it now and get ready.

Piriform Recuva review

Piriform - the delightfully-named developer of Recuva - also makes the ideal PC optimization tool called CCleaner. It performs much exactly the same job as being the various system-sweeping tools you'll see under Accessories in Windows 7's Start Menu, but is significantly faster and easier to apply.

CCleaner can also clear our your web browser's cookies and stored passwords for added security. Wine beverage you read the description of each item carefully before erasing it, and so you don't accidentally purge anything useful.

Piriform CCleaner review

In the matter of gaming, Minesweeper and Solitaire just won't cut it. When you wish something more entertaining than watching paint dry, you will need Steam - Valve's huge PC gaming platform and store, the best places to find pretty much every title you'd wish for, often with deep discounts.