Free Software

German software developer SoftMaker GmbH has released FreePDF 2025, a free PDF editor for Windows PCs. It’s a cut-down version of SoftMaker’s commercial FlexiPDF editing tool that contains a subset of the basic editing features found in the developer’s $100 product.

FreePDF 2025 unveils improvements first seen in FlexiPDF late last year, including support for multiple documents through tabs, an improved dark mode setting and a new multi-page overview.

If you’re in dire need of quickly transferring a file between devices -- whether desktop to desktop, mobile to mobile or desktop to/from mobile -- then you’ll know the usual routine often involves transferring through an intermediary like a cloud or network folder or resorting to emailing or messaging yourself with the file as an attachment. Fiddly, time-consuming and often frustrating.

Apple’s AirDrop makes it easy to transfer files between Apple devices simply by bringing them into the same network, and now Flying Carpet 9.0 offers similar functionality across all major mobile and desktop platforms.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 are functional but a bit unexciting, with limited customization options. If you’ve ever wished you could make Windows look and work better, the good news is that Seelen UI has you covered.

This free tool reimagines what a Windows desktop can be, giving users the power to break free from Microsoft’s frustrating limitations -- and it’s just been updated to offer even more features and improvements.

Looking for a way to protect your PC from the dreaded specter of data loss or system corruption? The most effective strategy involves backing up both data and your Windows system, and the best free tool for the job is Hasleo Backup Suite 5.2 Free.

Windows’ own backup tools aren’t really fit for purpose, while our previous backup tool of choice -- Macrium Reflect -- dropped its free tier a few years ago. That was forgivable, but we draw the line at switching to a subscription model. Thankfully, Hasleo Backup Suite offers a comprehensive -- and completely free -- alternative.

Are you frustrated by Mozilla’s recent leanings towards putting revenue ahead of privacy? Fans of Firefox who are looking to take their privacy to the next level (and beyond any potential compromises Mozilla might make going forward) should take a look at LibreWolf, available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

LibreWolf is a direct fork from the latest version of Firefox with a raft of additional privacy measures added to make your browsing experience even more private.

As promised recently, Microsoft has released PowerToys v0.89.0 complete with new features. While there are no brand-new modules this time around, exiting utilities have been given amazing new capabilities, not least of which is Advanced Paste.

While you might think of copying and pasting as being related to text and images, the PowerToys development team has applied it to media files. What does this mean? It means the arrival of easy-to-use media transcoding so you can covert audio and video files into different formats. This PowerToys release also has exciting hints of what is to come.

Just how many web browsers does the world need? Norwegian browser specialist Opera thinks the more the merrier. It’s just launched Opera Air Stable 116.0 for macOS and Windows, designed to improve user focus and well-being.

The new release sits alongside the browser’s other offerings, its main Opera browser, and the infinitely customizable Opera GX, aimed at the gamer community.

Jealous of macOS’s Spotlight feature? Want a more accessible -- never mind powerful and customizable -- alternative to Windows’ own dated search and app launching tools? Then Flow Launcher could be just the tool you’re looking for.

Flow Launcher, or “Flow” for short, lets you search for and open apps, files, system settings, and web pages from a single, easily accessible search bar. Triggered by a custom hotkey of your choice, it provides a seamless way to navigate your system. However, its modular design is what truly sets it apart.

For many users, Windows 10 and 11 feel like missed opportunities in design evolution. The look is functional but unremarkable, dominated by flat icons and muted colors that lack character or charm. While simplicity can be effective, the current design comes across as a bit sterile, offering little of the warmth or personality that once defined Windows. The result is an OS that sadly feels more clinical than engaging.

Seelen UI is a free tool that reimagines what a Windows desktop can be, giving users the tools to break free from this monotony. With an array of customization features designed to prioritize both style and practicality, it allows users to craft a unique workspace.

Six-hundred-twenty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

Microsoft reaffirmed its position on the TPM 2.0 requirement of its Windows 11 operating system. The company called it non-negotiable. That is bad news for Windows 10 customers whose devices do not support it.

Cyber threats are becoming more complex and it can be difficult for defenders to see the big picture and make decisions accordingly.

Now though help is at hand as ImmuniWeb is launching a free online tool making historical data on the security of internet-accessible resources available to the global cybersecurity community, educational institutions, government agencies, and even individual researchers.

It’s possibly one of the longest gestation periods in computing history, but after more than two decades of development, FreeCAD 1.0 finally gets its first official, stable release.

The open-source tool for product designers and mechanical engineers has long been used in production despite its lack of official release status, but the resolution of two outstanding issues cleared the way for it to officially reach the 1.0 milestone, complete with brand new logo.

If you've ever tried to save a file in Windows and ended up playing a game of "hide and seek" with your own folders, you're not alone. It seems Microsoft has a grand vision for where our files should live, even if it has little to do with what we actually need.

Open the "Save As" dialog, and you'll find that Windows is practically begging you to save in its favorite spots -- like OneDrive, the Documents folder, or any other “default” that Microsoft has deemed worthy of your files.

Rick Brewster and dotPDN LLC has released Paint.NET 5.1, the first major point release in the Paint.NET 5.x series. It comes just under two years after Paint.NET 5.0 first saw the light of day.

The major highlight is support for color management -- ensuring images with embedded color profiles can now be displayed correctly in Paint.NET. The feature is effectively automatic -- when an image containing an embedded color profile is loaded into Paint.NET 5.1, it’ll display according to the embedded profile. Users can then switch to different ICC color profiles via the new Image > Color Profile… dialog.

Microsoft developers have pushed out PowerToys v0.86.0. To answer the first question that follows the release of a new version of this utility collection -- no, there are no new modules this time around.

There are, however, numerous new features to justify getting excited, including various new capabilities for the Advanced Paste utility. But there’s more, much more, to this release.