Secret Windows Apps no one is telling you about
Published: 2021-09-07 19:24:31


![Software](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/y6e4unza6zcapwtikmhi.jpg)


The Internet provides lists over lists with recommended apps and software to use. Unfortunately, most of them are copies of each other. In other words, most of the recommended solutions are the same Cacao/Hot Chocolate in a different cup.
 
This list is different on purpose! 

Most of the "default" recommendations are left out, to highlight the real secret apps and solutions that can do the same and often a much better job.

Hope you will benefit from these apps the same way I do. Discover something precious, find a new favourite and replace an existing solution.

Said that a few of the recommendations are paid (Not Free) or have paid options. I'm not doing this for marketing nor am I in any way connected with the companies. These are just very good products I like to use them myself (some for years) and think they are worth their money.

Please leave a comment below should I have missed an app you would recommend - always happy to find new amazing solutions :)


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## Security 

* [**Kaspersky Internet Security**](https://www.kaspersky.com.au/internet-security) » Virus as well as Browser protection 
* [**Private Internet Access**](https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/) » VPN 
* [**bitwarden**](https://bitwarden.com/) » Password Manager 
 
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## Edit and View 

* [**Notepad++**](https://notepad-plus-plus.org/) » Text editor 
* [**IrfanView + Addons**](https://www.irfanview.com/) » Best image viewer ever  
* [**K-Lite Code Pack**](https://codecguide.com/download_kl.htm) » All kinds of audio & video codecs + Media Player Classic
* [**VLC Media Player**](https://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html) » Video Player
* [**Foxit Reader**](https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-reader/) » PDF Reader & Digital Signature 
* [**Pencil**](https://pencil.evolus.vn/) » Fast and simple Wireframes
* [**draw.io**](https://draw.io/) » Create Diagrams 
* [**Libre Office**](https://www.libreoffice.org/) » Free Office Package 
 
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### Notepad++ Plugins 

Notepad++ > Plugins > Plugins Admin  

* **Compare** » Shows the differences between 2 files (side by side)
* **DSpellCheck** » Spell-checking
* **Spell-Checker** » Spell-checking
* **Explorer** » File browser
* **NppMarkdownViewer++** » View, Convert and Export Markdown
* **XBrackets** » Brackets autocompletion ([{""}])
 
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## Operation 

* [**Ninite**](https://ninite.com/) » Software Bundler - install various software tools at once 
* [**Caffeine**](https://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/caffeine/) » Prevent the PC from going to sleep 
* [**Zoom It**](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/zoomit) » Zoom & Paint on Desktop 
* [**CoreTemp**](https://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/) » PC Temperature monitoring 
 
 
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## Browser 

* [**Firefox**](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) » Browser from Mozilla Foundation 
* [**Opera**](https://www.opera.com/) » Browser from Opera Software 
* [**Vivaldi**](https://vivaldi.com/) » Browser from Vivaldi Technologies 
* [**Brave**](https://brave.com/) » Browser from Brave Software, 
* [**Tor**](https://www.torproject.org/) » Browser from Tor Project 
* [**Chrome**](https://www.google.com/chrome/) » Browser from Google 
 
 
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### Browser addons 

Some of the Addons might be Browser specific 

* [**HTTPS Everywhere**](https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere) » Enforce Secure connection 
* [**Momentum**](https://momentumdash.com/) » Beautiful Start Tab 
* [**PocketTube**](https://yousub.info/) » YouTube Organizer 
* [**Privacy Badger**](https://privacybadger.org/) » Reduce tracker 
* [**Session Buddy**](https://sessionbuddy.com/) » Tab Session Manager 
* [**uBlock Origin**](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock) » Add Blocker 
* [**The Great Suspender - No Track**](https://github.com/aciidic/thegreatsuspender-notrack) » unload Tabs from memory 
* [**ClearURLs**](https://clearurls.xyz/) » Removes tracking elements from URLs 
* [**Project Naptha**](https://projectnaptha.com/) » Highlight, copy, edit, and translate text from any image on the web. 
* [**WhatRuns**](https://www.whatruns.com/) » Discover what runs a website. Frameworks, Analytics Tools, WordPress Plugins, Fonts - you name it. 
 
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## Data 

* [**Everything**](https://www.voidtools.com/) » Find files fast 
* [**7Zip**](https://www.7-zip.org/) » Reduce file size 
* [**Google Drive**](https://www.google.com/intl/en_ca/drive/download/) » Google Drive Offline 

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## Social  

* [**Signal**](https://signal.org/en/) » Secure Messenger 
* [**Telegram**](https://telegram.org/) » Secure Messenger 
 
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## Network 

* [**Wireshark**](https://www.wireshark.org/) » Network traffic Analyzer 
* [**PuTTY**](https://www.putty.org/) » SSH Client 
* [**WinSCP**](https://winscp.net/eng/index.php) » Secure Copy 
* [**FileZilla**](https://filezilla-project.org/) » FTP Client 
* [**PostMan**](https://www.postman.com/) » API Development 
 
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## Programming

* [**Qt**](https://www.qt.io/) » Cross-platform Development - C++/QML - One codebase. Any platform. 
* [**Visual Studio Code**](https://code.visualstudio.com/) » Development Environment 
* [**Git Bash**](https://gitforwindows.org/) » A proper Command line for Windows 
* [**Git Kraken**](https://www.gitkraken.com/) » Git Management 
* [**Doxygen**](https://www.doxygen.nl/) » Source Code Documentation 
* [**MySQL workbench**](https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/) » MYSQL Editor 
 
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## Remote 

* [**Team Viewer**](https://www.teamviewer.com/en-us/) » Remote Control 
* [**Chrome Remote Desktop**](https://remotedesktop.google.com/) » Remote Desktop 
* [**AnyDesk**](https://anydesk.com/) » Remote Desktop
* [**ApowerMirror**](https://www.apowersoft.com/phone-mirror) » Remote Phone Control