15 open-source apps that make any Windows PC better — for free

One of the most exciting things about using a PC is the abundance of free software that’s available to users — so much so, that it can be hard to find the real gems.

In fact, most people stop at the free versions of well-known commercial software, but there is a whole universe of open-source software that PC users can benefit from.

Open-source software has many advantages. Besides being free of charge, open-source code is available to the public, with the purpose of encouraging user testing, iteration, maintenance, and development, which can make for some really robust and useful applications. We present the best open-source tools here.

Borg Calendar

An alternative to Big Calendar

If you don’t want to entrust your appointments and contacts to the big manufacturers such as Microsoft and Google, you will find an alternative in Borg Calendar. The program allows yearly, monthly, weekly, or daily views, each of which is conveniently displayed in its own tab.

If you find the view too confusing, simply close the tabs. U.S. public holidays are shown by default, which you can change in the settings. Bord Calendar allows synchronization with Google calendar as well as the calendar formats VCard, ICS, and Caldav.

XML import and export is also possible. In addition to the calendar functions, Borg Calendar also offers an address book in which you can store your contacts with all the important data.

Calibre

Manage ebooks and convert them to other formats

Calibre helps you to organize your e-books. To do this, enter your preferred provider during the initial setup — i.e. Amazon, Apple, Booq, Kobo etc. — and your ebook reader model in the next step.

If the device is not listed, you can select the “Generic” option and enter a general device or even your smartphone or tablet if you want to read on it. Then, if you have set up an Amazon Kindle as a reading device, optionally enter its email address and the configuration is complete.

You can now add your ebooks, index them, convert them into other formats, but also buy new ebooks from various providers and download them for free. Your entries can then be searched by author, grouped into series, and also given ratings. Please bear in mind, however, that Kindle books are usually copy-protected and therefore cannot be easily added to Calibre.

Clavier+

Define your own keyboard shortcuts for macros

Keyboard shortcuts can save a lot of time, for example if you use them to open programs that you work with frequently at the touch of a button. But functions such as print jobs, automatic saving, or inserting special characters can also be carried out faster with a clever key combination than with the usual “click here, click there.”

With the small Clavier+ tool, you can create keyboard shortcuts to suit your needs. Simply click on the blue plus sign, select whether you want to use it to open a program, insert a special character, open a folder, write a text or call up a website, enter further information if required (such as the text or special character to be inserted) and specify the desired key combination.

Created shortcuts can be subsequently edited and deleted.

Double Commander

File manager with many functions

With its clear two-window display, Double Commander makes file management particularly easy. All connected drives and configured network connections are displayed in one bar.

The search function can be used to locate files using filters, and the integrated packer compresses and unpacks files, whereby the program supports the zip, 7z, tar, bz2, tbz, gz, tgz, lzma, and tlz formats.

Several files can be renamed in one go and a synchronization function is also on board, which compares folders with each other. You can customize the packer, tabs, and other functions to suit your needs via the “Configure” menu item, and the terminal emulator enables commands at system level.

Filezilla Client

Easy-to-use FTP client

Filezilla is an FTP client that is particularly easy to use. When you start it for the first time, enter the login details of the desired FTP server and click on “Connect” to display the folder structure.

You can now exchange files, create bookmarks, and set up your own commands. Filezilla’s view is conveniently divided into different windows so that you can always see immediately which directory you are in and can change it quickly.

At the bottom, you receive feedback on the transfers that have been carried out: You can see on three tabs which files you have transferred and which of them were successful and which failed.

Greenshot

Taking and editing screenshots

Greenshot makes it quicker and easier to take screenshots than Windows — and you can also use the print key or define another keyboard shortcut for this purpose.

The tool captures the entire screen, a single window, or a freely selectable area, whereby you can customize even more in the settings.

You can add graphic elements or labelling using the integrated editor. Practical: The screenshots, which can also be scrolled, can optionally be saved automatically after capture, including to the cloud.

If required, Greenshot makes selected image areas unrecognizable so that serial numbers or personal data, for example, are not inadvertently passed on if you want to send the screenshot by email or print it out.

Inkscape

Create vector graphics

Inkscape allows you to create and edit vector graphics. The program has various tools on board for painting and drawing, as well as for coloring and modelling, which are arranged as icons to the left of the main window.

With the help of filters, you can use textures, materials, and other effects, even in 3D. Inkscape offers you scrollable color palettes for selecting a color. On the right-hand side of the program you will find further editing tools with which you can cut objects, copy them to the clipboard, duplicate them, insert text, enlarge them, and print finished graphics. And if you are missing an option, you can extend the program’s range of functions with downloadable extensions.

Keepass

Keep passwords safe

Keepass is a password safe that stores your access data, passwords, PINs, and other important login information. When you start the program for the first time, you create a new database, assign a master password that will give you access to your password safe in the future, and give the database a meaningful name.

You then land in the main view and create new entries via “Entry.” For the sake of clarity, you should assign your access data to certain categories such as “Internet,” “Shopping,” or “Bank;” the program already offers various generic terms here by default.

You can also customize the existing categories and create new ones via “Group.” To sort a new entry, click on the category, and then on the first key symbol “Add Entry.”

Keepass manages your passwords, access data, and more in categories. As usual, you need a master password to access the database.

Kodi

Platform for multimedia content

Kodi is an entertainment platform that plays your films, music, videos and pictures locally and over the network. You can use it to listen to the radio, play games, and much more.

In order for Kodi to realize its full potential, various add-ons are required, which you can download free of charge. For example, additional audio and video decoders can be installed from the integrated repository, lyrics and subtitles can be read, connections to cloud storage such as Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive can be established, and screensavers can be added.

Gamers will find emulators and controller profiles, and custom add-ons can also be installed. You can also customize the design of Kodi itself to suit your own taste.

Libre Hardware Monitor

Clear PC information

If you want to get an overview of the status of your PC, the Libre Hardware Monitor is the right tool for you. This simple tool has access to all the sensors installed in the PC and provides information about CPU utilization, memory clock, current, fan speeds, and more.

Remote monitoring is also possible via the “Remote Web Server.” You can specify which information the program should display in the settings, and the type of display in terms of font size, color, etc. can also be adjusted.

The individual reports can also be saved if you want to compare values later. In addition, the Libre Hardware Monitor conveniently requires no installation for its services, only admin rights and the .NET framework are necessary.

Luminance HDR

Create and edit HDR images

Luminance HDR allows you to create and edit HDR photos, i.e. photos with a particularly high dynamic range. You can either load a photo that has already been saved in an HDR format into the program or you can create an HDR image yourself from images with different exposures.

You can then further adjust the color saturation, contrast, and image noise of a finished HDR image. However, the exact setting options depend on the selected operator used for the dynamic compression.

For example, Fattal allows you to adjust alpha, beta, color saturation, and noise, while Durand allows you to adjust the base contrast, spatial kernel sigma, and range kernel sigma.

Practical: You can see all changes immediately in the preview and can also undo them.

PeaZip

Create and unpack file archives

PeaZip combines files into archives and unpacks finished archives. In addition to the usual archive types ZIP, 7Z, and TAR, more exotic formats such as Brotli, GZip, and UPX are also available for packing.

As far as the archive size is concerned, the program also allows limited volumes and then splits the archive if required. Updates for archives are also possible. You can also assign a password to the archives and then send them by email.

Under the “Advanced” tab, you can influence the compression, and under “Schedule” you can set up plans for automatic archives and specify the exact time at which they should be created.

Sumatra PDF

All-rounder for PDFs

Sumatra PDF allows you to open PDF documents and search them using a text input field.

You can mark text passages, underline them in color, cross out and circle them, and leave annotations, stamps, and more. A note conveniently alerts you if you have not yet saved a comment.

The particularly slim, quickly installed program offers various view options: From simple single-page view to double-page view to fitting into the current window, you can display your PDFs the way you want. PDF documents can be rotated and you can zoom into the pages. A print function is also on board, and you can also define favorites.

SM Player

Versatile playback program for videos and music

With SM-Player you can play videos as well as music, whereby the program already has all the necessary codecs integrated. You can adjust the playback speed, display subtitles, if available, and customize the design of the software to suit your own taste.

As a special feature, the program remembers the playback settings you have made for each file. So if you have to interrupt playback, the program continues a file exactly as you originally set it.

An optional module searches YouTube for videos and Google’s Chromecast is also supported. You can create favorites and playlists and also specify preferred languages.

TV-Browser

Simple TV program also for pay TV

After TV-Browser has downloaded all the necessary files and information during installation, you can select which TV channels the program should display and in which order when you start it for the first time. In addition to the free-to-air channels, you will also be offered pay TV channels.

Please note: The program requires an internet connection!

Once everything has been set up, you must download the current program of the selected channels via the globe symbol. On the left-hand side of the window, you can then filter by channel, time, and date if you are looking for a specific program slot, for example. Clicking on a program will take you to further information.

The channel list can be edited in the options and you can customize the design of the TV browser.