Freeware

Everything on these freeware pages is free, at least for non-commercial use. Always check the license terms to see what kind of use is permitted. Below you can find some of my favourite free utilities. Several others are reviewed on this site.

@Icon Sushi

Icon extractor and editor

Keyboard Layout Creator

Edit Keyboard Layouts

AMP Viewer

Font Viewer

MalwareBytes

Scans system for Malware

APNG Assembler

Build Animated PNG Images

Notepad ++

Powerful Text Editor

Audacity

Sound Editor

Notepad 2

Text Editor

Calibre

E-book Creator

PowerMenu

Window Utility

CPU-Z

Gathers System Information

ScreenToGif

Screen Capture to Animated Gif

DjVu Libre

DjVu Editor

Sequoia

Disk Viewer

FTP Commander

FTP Uploader

Sizer • (Direct download)

Set Application Window Size

Fontrenamer

Name TTF files by Family

TTF Autohint

Hint TrueType Fonts

Genetica Viewer

Generate Textures

VeraCrypt

File Encryption

HTTrack

Website Copier

VLC Media Player

Media Player

Inkscape

Vector Graphics Editor

WordWeb

Thesaurus

Take Care With Freeware

Below is a typical installation dialog from a link posted with a YouTube video, offering what looks like some reputable freeware. You might think, if you’re smart enough to notice the custom installation option, that you will be able to opt out of the other stuff that you don’t want. However, if you do uncheck the Visual Desktop Weather checkbox, and continue, the installer will install loads of malware anyway. Running Malwarebytes after running this installer will find about 1,000 entries for PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs). That’s a polite way to put it — nobody wants software or browser toolbars installed without their consent. Some may be malicious and hard to remove. Always download freeware from the program’s home page.

Assume nothing, just because the dialog shows a trusted logo — the crooks who distribute this stuff have no scruples at all, and will try every trick in the book to deceive you. Just do not download anything from untrusted sites. The big sites like FaceBook and YouTube are the favourite haunts for distributors of malware — that’s where they are most likely to find unwary users.

I still fall for the tricks used by some programs. Beware of using any Express Install, it will usually install PUPs. I removed Auslogics Defrag from my list because it has become a pest.