Advice Request What are the essential programs that you will still install on your Windows system in 2026, and what are the programs that you will stop using?

[Parkinsond]

On my device it stays on Evaluation and never turns on on its own

It turn it on after W install, if I intend to use.
If left on evaluation, it turns itself off after finishing install of programs; it does not like my apps.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

It turn it on after W install, if I intend to use.
If left on evaluation, it turns itself off after finishing install of programs; it does not like my apps.

Mine stays at Evaluation not on nor off

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

I had both

Forgive me.
I don't quite understand if you use both anti-exploits at the same time with the same mitigations enabled.

Be careful.

When it was possible to use EMET + MBAE at the same time, Pedro Bustamente disabled that option, so I had to be very careful to enable some mitigations in EMET and others in MBAE.

But maybe today it's completely different; I don't have much experience with MBAE anymore.

 

[Parkinsond]

Mine stays at Evaluation not on nor off

Nominated for MS "Decent" user

 

[lokamoka820]

After trying several programs, here is my final list:

• 7-Zip
• Double Commander
• Everything
• FastStone Image Viewer
• HiBit Uninstaller
• HWiNFO
• Lightshot
• LockHunter
• MEGA
• MPC-BE
• Notepad3
• Reg Organizer
• Registry Finder
• Shell
• StartAllBack
• System Informer
• UCheck
• Waterfox
• Winaero Tweaker
• WizTree

 

[lokamoka820]

A. Security:
1. Windows Hybrid Hardening Light
2. Fort Firewall
3. KeePass XC

B. Productivity
1. MS Office
2. PDF-XChange Editor

C. Media
1. Media Player Classic - Black Edition
2. Enable Windows photo viewer

D. Monitoring
1. Crystal Disk Info
2. Core Temp

Have you stopped using the Yandex browser?

 

[lokamoka820]

first things i usually do when getting a new pc is uninstalling all crapware then install my AV of choice plus any other security software, then i usually go to non essential apps but that includes things like Libreoffice, VLC, Discord, NordVPN, qbittorent ect.

Interesting, which applications do you consider to be crapware?

 

[Parkinsond]

Have you stopped using the Yandex browser?

Currently, I am using Chrome, uninstalled Edge, and may think about installing Yandex.
Edge is reliable, but lately getting UI bugs reminding me of poorly finished products.

 

[Antimalware18]

Interesting, which applications do you consider to be crapware?

In recent years its been considerably less than about 10 years ago, but i remember picture manipulation applications that I personally would never use, the AV at the time that came pre-installed i didnt like (norton) also most of the manufactur's apps for support Asus (like my laptop has alot of those) most of its honestly personal use cases and anything i would never use myself or find important for PC usage.

 

[Parkinsond]

Interesting, which applications do you consider to be crapware?

Actually I consider VLC and LibreOffice crapware.

 

[lokamoka820]

Currently, I am using Chrome, uninstalled Edge, and may think about installing Yandex.
Edge is reliable, but lately getting UI bugs reminding me of poorly finished products.

I installed Yandex for testing; it's great, but it's deeply integrated into the system like an antivirus program (services run in the background, Windows context menu access to find similar images, etc.).

 

[Antimalware18]

Actually I consider VLC and LibreOffice crapware.

I would have to ask for clarification on this. because for me VLC has much better Codex support and fine media controls over WMP (or whatever it is now) and I would never pay for Microsoft office and LibreOffice had better compatability with MS office formats than some of the others. But ive always been a linux fan/user for awhile so i fully support the use of free programs over paid, the only apps ive ever paid for are ones that do not have any free alternatives like my VPN, also my security apps, I used Cyberlock free when it was a thing then i had to buy to continue to use.

 

[Parkinsond]

I installed Yandex for testing; it's great, but it's deeply integrated into the system like an antivirus program (services run in the background, Windows context menu access to find similar images, etc.).

Agree; stable, polished, and creepy, especially with the pop-up asking for sync bookmarks or using incognito.
One time, it missdetected one of the illegal drama streaming websites as a pornographic one, and asked me to use incognito.

 

[lokamoka820]

In recent years its been considerably less than about 10 years ago, but i remember picture manipulation applications that I personally would never use, the AV at the time that came pre-installed i didnt like (norton) also most of the manufactur's apps for support Asus (like my laptop has alot of those) most of its honestly personal use cases and anything i would never use myself or find important for PC usage.

I thought you meant some of the pre-installed apps in Windows 11 like Teams, Power Automate, News, Weather, etc.

 

[lokamoka820]

Actually I consider VLC and LibreOffice crapware.

After using Google Docs, I stopped installing Office programs on the system.

 

[Parkinsond]

VLC has much better Codex support and fine media controls over WMP (or whatever it is now)

I did not use VLC for long years.
Few days ago, decided to give it a try.
The sound is great.
The image is a shame.
The settings are mess.
Half-baked product.

LibreOffice had better compatability with MS office formats than some of the others

Regarding compatibility, all have issues, not only LibreOffice, to be fair.
UI is not awful but not easy to use.
Performance issues, and delay in launch of app and launch of menus.
Another half-baked product.

 

[Antimalware18]

After using Google Docs, I stopped installing Office programs on the system.

Isnt google docs purely in the cloud though? thats where my hangup would be, i dont like only cloud programs that much.

 

[Parkinsond]

After using Google Docs, I stopped installing Office programs on the system.

I need to work offline, opening a 200 pages docx file sometimes is slow online, either by G docs or online MS Office.

 

[lokamoka820]

Agree; stable, polished, and creepy, especially with the pop-up asking for sync bookmarks or using incognito.
One time, it missdetected one of the illegal drama streaming websites as a pornographic one, and asked me to use incognito.

Do you have any recommendations regarding the settings?

 

[lokamoka820]

Isnt google docs purely in the cloud though? thats where my hangup would be, i dont like only cloud programs that much.

I only need to edit my resume and make a few minor adjustments occasionally, so I don't need to install a full office suite. If I did need to use a full office suite, my choice would be LibreOffice, which I use on Linux because it's pre-installed.