The 5 apps I at all times set up first on any Home windows PC

I prefer to hit the bottom working every time I get a brand new system, whether or not it is an iPhone, a pc, or a PEV. On the subject of computer systems, it is not only a compulsion — I want one for work. In reality when my previous laptop computer died earlier this 12 months, I went out and purchased a brand new one the subsequent day, and was again writing inside a matter of hours. I even had my workday soundtrack going once more.

So what do I set up first on a brand new Windows PC? A few of my apps are going to be simple to guess, however others are undoubtedly tailor-made to my way of life. My selections inevitably evolve over time, too — so in a 12 months or two from now, they could possibly be utterly completely different. I simply hope I do not want one other new laptop computer to check issues on.

Google Chrome

Hooked on an ecosystem, for higher or worse

Each time somebody runs Edge a single time simply to obtain Chrome, somebody at Microsoft sighs. That is how I think about it, anyway. The corporate might be legitimately pissed off — as of November 2025, Chrome had a 71.7% share of the worldwide browser market, with Edge a really distant third at 4.96%. That is fairly horrible for a browser that is baked into Home windows and has each cellular and desktop variations.

Personally, there are a number of causes I stick to Chrome, regardless of there being higher choices for privateness and RAM consumption. The primary ones are bookmark and password sync. At this level, I’ve nicely over a decade of bookmarks stashed within the app, and a number of other years of saved passwords. As a result of Chrome is offered on nearly any system I’d care to make use of, even my Steam Deck, I by no means have to fret about forgetting an necessary website or login.

Equally, I rely closely on Chrome’s tab sync and sharing options. Most of my work is finished on the internet, so having the ability to load all of the tabs I want instantaneously saves a variety of bother. I can even do analysis on any telephone or pill and push hyperlinks to my PC.

You is perhaps pondering that there are related options in different browsers, and you would be proper — however since I began with Chrome, there isn’t any robust incentive to change over, particularly since I can use extensions to take care of privateness issues. I’d migrate to one thing like Courageous, finally.

Spotify

Nonetheless the reigning champion of streaming music

I am conscious that Spotify is a problematic firm nowadays. It does not pay artists nicely sufficient; it hosts ICE advertisements and Joe Rogan; it is not doing sufficient to fight a tide of AI-generated slop. Former CEO Daniel Ek has come below fireplace for investments in an organization growing army AI expertise. A few of my favourite artists have, understandably, chosen to boycott the platform, together with Joanna Newsom and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

I’d already be on Apple Music if it weren’t for the truth that I vastly choose Spotify’s interface and playlists. I discover it simpler to browse and play tracks on the service, and check out as Apple would possibly, it will probably’t compete with the standard and amount of Spotify’s playlists, in my view. Placing on Launch Radar each Friday has change into a convention.

One other concern is casting compatibility, since there isn’t any equal of Spotify Join for Apple Music. Your solely selections are Bluetooth, AirPlay, or in some circumstances Google Forged. That is lots for some individuals, however it could imply an inferior expertise with the Echo Studio/Echo Sub combo I usually use.

In any occasion, I set up Spotify mechanically as a result of I demand music throughout the workday. Writing in full silence could be so boring that I might really get extra distracted, lured into doing all the things however writing.

GIMP or Adobe Photoshop

No matter my price range permits

I come from a professional images background, and that target picture modifying has continued into my tech journalism. I haven’t got my professional digicam rig anymore, sadly — however I nonetheless must shoot and edit product images, in addition to screenshots.

At any time when attainable, I choose to make use of Adobe Photoshop. It is the business commonplace, and I’ve change into accustomed to the way in which it does sure issues, like curves, therapeutic brushes, and colour filters. Once I was a photographer, my workflow concerned a one-two punch of Adobe Lightroom for batch edits, and modifying particular person pictures in Photoshop after they wanted a particular contact.

The factor stopping me from utilizing Photoshop day by day is pricing. You may’t simply purchase the software program anymore — it requires a Creative Cloud subscription, and the most cost effective plan with Photoshop is $20 per 30 days. The one approach I may justify spending over $240 a 12 months is that if I went again to images full-time.

In the meantime, I have been in a position to make do with GIMP, brief for GNU Picture Manipulation Program. It is troublesome to regulate to if you happen to’re used to Photoshop, nevertheless it’s free and will get the job achieved. I get the sense that with sufficient time, I may in all probability deal with all the things I’ve achieved previously. Adobe might have a restricted window to win me again.

Steam

The house of PC gaming

When you’re planning to play video games on a PC, Valve’s Steam is just about unavoidable. There are different methods to purchase and launch video games — like GOG, itch.io, and the Epic Video games Retailer — however with few exceptions, a sport cannot be a success if it is not on Steam. The Steam Retailer has been round since 2003, so many avid gamers have monumental libraries tied to the app, they usually’re not keen to make use of a number of launchers if they do not must. Myself included.

More and more, there are different causes to make use of Steam, the most important in all probability being the Steam Deck. It is not solely able to working many Steam video games in handheld kind, however streaming a few of them out of your desktop or laptop computer if the Deck’s onboard processor cannot deal with them. It is basically a PC equal of the Nintendo Swap 2, solely higher. Additionally, in contrast to Nintendo, Valve and its companions supply main reductions on video games frequently.

What ought to be attention-grabbing to see is how this progresses with the arrival of the Steam Machine mini-PC and the Steam Body VR headset. Valve is aiming to convey the comfort of the Deck’s SteamOS to different kind components, and it is not inconceivable that the corporate may displace the Xbox in the lounge inside a number of years. Microsoft’s going to must get its act collectively within the wake of the Xbox Series X.

Slack

Not only for the workplace

Whereas it is true that most people who use Slack are in all probability compelled to for his or her profession, that does not must be case. Some non-public teams use Slack to speak rather than Discord, resembling Tech Journalists Worldwide, which permits me to shoot the breeze with others within the business. You do should be invited right into a Slack dialogue, however I admire the truth that I can use a single chat app for all my work-related speak.

There’s not rather more to say, however I do admire Slack’s simplicity. It has a uniquely “clear” interface that is solely as complicated because it must be. It is simply preferable to Microsoft Groups.