After a clean install, the first thing many people look for is a PDF reader and an Office suite. Windows 11 already covers half the cases on its own. Edge opens and annotates PDFs, and the print dialog includes Microsoft Print to PDF, which saves anything as a PDF for free. For editing, converting, and authoring documents, you still want a few free tools that fit your hand.
For browser choice, see Best Windows Browsers in 2026 and How They Compare. The safe-download rules below apply to every app here.
Free PDF reading, annotating, and editing first
| App | Strength | Best for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Edge (preinstalled) | View, highlight, comment, fill forms | Daily reading | No advanced editing |
| Sumatra PDF | Tiny, instant, open source, ePub and MOBI | View only, old PCs | Plain interface |
| PDF24 Creator or Tools | German, fully free, no ads, merge, split, compress, convert, OCR | The all-rounder | Larger installer |
| Foxit PDF Reader | Common in China, full featured | Familiar local feel | Untick bundled offers at install |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Official standard, best compatibility | Must match official formats | Large, pushes extras |
Edge is badly underestimated. It views, highlights, adds notes, fills forms, and signs, which covers 90 percent of daily PDF needs without another install. Sumatra PDF wins on instant launch and tiny footprint, ideal for a slow machine or quick look.
One gap to name honestly: free tools edit PDFs only lightly. You can annotate, merge, and convert, but true page-level reflow and complex form building still lean on Acrobat's paid tier. For the vast majority of people the free set above covers every real need.
Avoid unknown tools named "XX PDF Reader" or "PDF Converter", they often hijack the homepage or bundle software. If one gets in, see Browser Homepage Hijacked and Won't Change.
Install two of them from an administrator terminal in one shot.
winget install SumatraPDF.SumatraPDF
winget install PDF24.PDF24Creator
PDF to Word, format conversion
Prefer offline, especially for sensitive files. PDF24 converts directly, and LibreOffice can open a PDF as a document and save it back as Word. Online is convenient but mind privacy: iLovePDF, Smallpdf, and Adobe online all work. Contracts, IDs, and financial reports should never go to a public site, use local tools. For batches, PDF24 handles several files at once.
Office alternatives, documents, spreadsheets, slides
| App | Cost | Strength | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| LibreOffice | Open source, free | Full suite, no ads, good compatibility | Minor Chinese layout quirks |
| WPS Office | Free tier with ads or membership | Most popular in China, many templates, phone sync | Cloud privacy, membership popups |
| Microsoft 365 web | Free, needs account | Original experience, anywhere | Needs network, fewer features |
| OnlyOffice | Open source, free | Excellent Microsoft format compatibility | Smaller ecosystem |
| Tencent Docs, Shimo, Google Docs | Free, online | Team collaboration, no local space | Needs network, depends on account |
Free does not mean weak. LibreOffice opens and saves the modern Microsoft formats and handles most real work, while OnlyOffice is the closest to the Microsoft look and feel. WPS leads in China with templates and phone sync, the trade-off is ads and cloud privacy. For nearly every home or student task, this free stack is enough.
Heavy spreadsheets or thesis layout: LibreOffice or WPS is steadiest. Occasional document: the Office web app needs zero install. Teamwork: pick the online docs. Should you pay for Microsoft 365? Free options cover home and student use; the subscription only pays off if you need desktop advanced features, 1 TB of cloud, and family sharing.
Install from a terminal.
winget install TheDocumentFoundation.LibreOffice
winget install ONLYOFFICE.DesktopEditors
OCR, image and scan to text
WeChat or QQ screenshot can recognize and extract text on the spot, the easiest option. PowerToys Text Extractor grabs on-screen text with Win + Shift + T. Dedicated tools like Tianruo OCR work too, but download only from a trusted source to avoid bundles. For large scan batches, PDF24 or Adobe OCR is more accurate.
Safe download and install rules
- Prefer the official site, Microsoft Store, or winget, then a trusted mirror.
- Always choose custom install and untick every extra box.
- After install, use an uninstaller to clear possible junk.
- Scan installers inside archives first, and for archive tools see Best Free Compression Software for Windows in 2026. The biggest risk with free software is not the software itself, it is the source, a wrong download turns a helpful app into the problem.
One-line picks
So when does free actually fall short? Rarely for personal use. You reach for paid Microsoft 365 only if you need its desktop advanced features, live collaboration on heavily formatted shared documents, or 1 TB of OneDrive. Everyone else stays on the free stack and never notices.
- Read PDF only: system Edge or Sumatra PDF.
- Merge, convert, OCR: PDF24.
- Documents, spreadsheets, slides: LibreOffice (fully free) or WPS (familiar local feel).
- No install: Office web or Tencent Docs.
If you are choosing between two similar apps, install both, use each for a day, and keep the one that fits. winget makes this painless since uninstalling is one command too. The goal is a small, trusted set you actually use, not a drawer full of half-tried tools.
The browser comparison, compression comparison, and safe-download guide are worth reading together. With software, the source matters more than the app itself, pick the right channel and you dodge most trouble.
One more note on format compatibility. LibreOffice and OnlyOffice open Microsoft docx and xlsx fine, but complex layout, macros, and unusual fonts occasionally shift. Before delivering an important file, save a copy in the Microsoft format or export a fixed-layout PDF, that is safest.