Setting up a new Windows 11 PC? Whether it's a laptop or desktop, we have some suggestions on how to quickly set it up with all the apps you need.
I've been reviewing PCs for many years and tinkering with them my whole life, so I've spent more time than I'd like to admit reinstalling Windows and all of my favorite programs. Over the years, I've found that there are a few apps that I use over and over again, and whenever I buy a new PC, it's a good idea to install those apps.
In the old days, we had to do everything ourselves and would spend 20-30 minutes reinstalling our apps every time we wiped our PC or bought a new one, but now with Ninite, those bad old days are over.
For those who don't know, Ninite is a utility that allows you to select your favorite apps from a list of supported apps and packages them into a single installer that fits on a USB stick. When you launch the installer on any PC, all the selected apps will be installed at once. This means it's a great way to have a custom selected list of must-have apps ready for easy installation.
That's why I always carry a USB drive with the Ninite installers loaded for all my favorite apps. I unpack a new laptop or PC every week or two, and it's nice not to have to point and click through six different websites every time to download an app I need for work.
So, if you're looking to carve out some time, I recommend keeping a thumb drive with your favorite apps in your back pocket so you always have them at hand. They're all available on Ninite, and you can use the service to create a custom installer loaded with these key utilities and anything else you like.
7-Zip
It's much easier to share large files online now, so I don't need to compress files as much as I used to, but I still install 7-Zip every time I buy a new PC because it's a great open source compression tool that comes in handy when you need to move large files around.
Even if you don't plan on regularly sharing packages of files online, having 7-Zip installed is useful because sometimes you'll receive a file that can't be unzipped using basic Windows features, so it's nice to have 7-Zip ready to go.
all
Everything is a free search utility that acts like a better version of Windows Search, making it extremely useful for quickly finding files and images you need for work.
What's especially useful is the ability to use advanced search descriptors to perform custom searches on your PC, or to search for specific words or phrases. In the file You can filter by date, file type, etc. If you've ever struggled to find something on your hard drive, Everything can help you a lot.
Google Chrome
There are a lot of good browsers out there, but I prefer Chrome because it's pretty fast, reliable, and supports all the websites and web services I need. Also, since I use Google for both work and personal use, it's convenient to be able to log into the browser with the same account.
discord
Discord was released in 2015 and I was slow to adopt it, but now it's one of the communication tools I use most frequently.
If Slack is for work, Discord is for fun. I install Discord on every PC I get so I can keep in touch with a diverse group of friends around the world. Plus, Discord's chat room technology has improved to the point where I can stream games, record podcasts, and do other fun things with friends online, making it an essential utility for me.
Gimp
Everyone has their favorite free image editor, mine is Gimp.
Look deeper behind the name and you'll see this little utility is surprisingly useful, replicating many of the features of more powerful editors like Photoshop at a fraction of the price.
It's not great for serious editing work, but for a fool like me who only needs to resize and occasionally crop an image, this free image editor is a lifesaver.
steam
For decades, Steam has been one of the first apps I install on any new PC, and for good reason: Steam is the place to buy and play the best PC games.
Sure, you can buy PC games from stores like the Epic Games Store, but Steam is the biggest and best PC game store in the industry. I also keep in touch with several friends who are on my Steam friends list, so having Steam installed and running on my PC is useful for keeping track of who's playing what.
VLC
If you can't play an audio or video file in Windows Media Player, there's a good chance you can play it in VLC media player.
It's been my favorite media player for decades because it's simple, easy to use, and supports a wide variety of formats and codecs that a brand new PC can't play.
Conclusion
These are the apps I install on every PC I take out of the box, saving me at least 15 minutes of downloading and installing apps every time I get a new Windows machine.
Installing them all at once using Ninite makes things a lot easier, which is why I highly recommend using this method instead of visiting each app's website and downloading them individually. Of course, you don't have to stick to what I suggest; combine your favorite apps from Ninite to create the utility installer that best suits your needs.