There are three great sites that we recommend for Windows apps downloads in this post so make sure you click on the post link to view all recommended sites.

Looking for free Windows software? We have compiled a list of links to several sites that have recently reviewed and recommended free Windows downloads. The lists include prominent and essential apps that aid in Windows productivity, security, and performance. We think that these lists are extremely helpful and will save you time in looking for useful free Windows tools and apps for your PC.

32 Free Essential Apps for Windows

This list of free and essential Windows PC apps comes from MaximumPC. It lists 32 free Windows applications that every new PC should have. While it might be a stretch to say that all of the apps are essential, it is a great list of productivity and system administration tools. Not all recommendations on this list are free but most are and many we had never heard of but we will be definitely looking at for our own PCs.

Lifehacker Free Windows Downloads

Lifehacker also has a great list of free and essential Windows downloads many of which also appear on MaximumPC’s list including the FoxIT PDF reader. There is also a great list of free security software which we will augment in a our own post of free security software.

Gizmo Best Freeware ListA

Gizmo Freeware is a massive directory of freeware applications available on the Internet. Here is their Editors’ picks for the best PC Freeware apps. It is a recently updated list so it is worthwhile reviewing.