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?

[lokamoka820]

Essentials: Sandboxie, Everything, AutoHotKey, Agent Ransack, CyberLock, Macrium Reflect, Terabyte Image for Windows.
Acadia

Although I've heard a lot about Sandboxie, I've never used it before. Has it been helpful to you in any way?

 

[Acadia]

Although I've heard a lot about Sandboxie, I've never used it before. Has it been helpful to you in any way?

It's my favorite security program. It sandboxes your browser and you can surf all over the place as you usually do. When you are done, you wipe out the sandbox which wipes out everything you did. It's quite literally as if you had never used the browser at all. Any malware is wiped out but you must understand that any bookmarks you created while sandboxed also get wiped out because EVERYTHING gets wiped out. If I find a site that I want to bookmark I make note of its URL and add it to my browser later when I am not on the web.

 

[lokamoka820]

In order to decrease the attack surface, I have reduced the number of installed applications to the following:

 

[Dave Russo]

My essentials
Microsoft Defender (exclusions added
Appguard
Adguard
Macrium Reflect
Revo Uninstaller
Drive Booster
Edge
Chrome
extensions
Hp Ai print
adguard browser assistant
Google translate
keeping things simple,

 

[Jonny Quest]

My essentials:
Brave
Chrome
IrfanView
VLC
Proton Pass
F-Secure
LibreOffice
Google Drive
Patch My PC
(and with the possible additions of FF, and Snagit on 1 laptop)

 

[lokamoka820]

Google translate

I'll assume that if you use Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge as your browsers, you use the Google Translate extension with Edge. However, isn't Microsoft Edge's built-in translator superior?

 

[n8chavez]

In order to decrease the attack surface, I have reduced the number of installed applications to the following:

View attachment 296457

Get rid of MEGAsync and replace it with rclone, which now supports 2fa.

 

[Dave Russo]

I'll assume that if you use Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge as your browsers, you use the Google Translate extension with Edge. However, isn't Microsoft Edge's built-in translator superior?

Its a question, I dont know the answer too, I never compared them,I use Chrome about 90 percent of the time,

 

[Parkinsond]

Its a question, I dont know the answer too, I never compared them,I use Chrome about 90 percent of the time,

I have tried both; equally good; the best available; other browers offer less pleasant experience regarding translation.

 

[lokamoka820]

I have tried both; equally good; the best available; other browers offer less pleasant experience regarding translation.

For RTL languages, MS Edge translator is superior, in my opinion.

 

[Parkinsond]

For RTL languages, MS Edge translator is superior, in my opinion.

For Russian, Yandex.

 

[Halp2001]

@lokamoka820 I think the choice depends entirely on which browser you use as your daily driver to keep things simple.

If you use Edge, the built-in translator is great because it saves you from installing extra extensions, which is always a plus for keeping the system lean and reducing the attack surface. For those who spend 90% of their time in Chrome, the Google Translate extension remains the most practical option due to its integration.

That said, for long or more complex texts, I usually rely on DeepL. I know they have their own browser extension, but I personally prefer using their website directly. This way, I avoid having another background process running, and the translation quality is superior when you need something that doesn't sound so "robotic."

In short: for everyday tasks, what’s already built into the browser is enough, and DeepL on the web is a great backup for when more precision is needed.

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

Hi to all.
Does anyone know of or use an image viewer available for download from the Microsoft Store that natively supports WebP files, updates automatically, is free, lighter than Microsoft Photos, and displays thumbnails?

 

[lokamoka820]

Hi to all.
Does anyone know of or use an image viewer available for download from the Microsoft Store that natively supports WebP files, updates automatically, is free, lighter than Microsoft Photos, and displays thumbnails?

I'm not sure if it will satisfy all of your needs, but you can look at Visum Photo Viewer. Pictureflect Photo Viewer is another option, but it uses the built-in WebP codecs on Windows.

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

I'm not sure if it will satisfy all of your needs, but you can look at Visum Photo Viewer. Pictureflect Photo Viewer is another option, but it uses the built-in WebP codecs on Windows.

PPV isn't for me,it has some issues with thumbnails.
I'll check out the other apps.
Thanks.

P.S.

Visum has a slight blur in the opening image.
For now, I'm sticking with Microsoft Photos.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Another option, not tried it myself yet: LAP Photo Manager

I’m switching to this Windows 11 photo manager — it’s that good

Replace the Windows 11 Photos app with Lap, a local-first photo manager built for speed, privacy, and full control.

www.windowscentral.com

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

Another option, not tried it myself yet: LAP Photo Manager

I’m switching to this Windows 11 photo manager — it’s that good

Replace the Windows 11 Photos app with Lap, a local-first photo manager built for speed, privacy, and full control.

www.windowscentral.com

Thanks for the advice, but the app isn't signed,it says so in the news item you posted.
Personally, I'm also going to try uninstalling the apps that are on my PC.
Some uninstallers aren't signed either, and I don't like them.

 

[Sorrento]

The ongoing theme on users here reading the thread again is we mostly have cut down the programs installed & being careful as to the ones we choose, I have more than years ago - This makes lots of sense, less you have on the system the lower the risk at least to some degree, most users seem to have a similar setup to myself as we live & learn by using sites such as this & experience, less though is better

 

[lokamoka820]

Exactly, I haven't changed my installed software list in the last two months (which is an achievement for someone who was testing new software every few days), and now I have a small list of software that is fully digitally signed.

 

[brambedkar59]

Hi to all.
Does anyone know of or use an image viewer available for download from the Microsoft Store that natively supports WebP files, updates automatically, is free, lighter than Microsoft Photos, and displays thumbnails?

Try Phoxosee, one of the fastest image viewer that I have used that doesn't look like it was made in 1990s. Only con, not available in MS store.