FOSS Apps
A collection of the best Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) for Windows. Prioritizing privacy, performance, and transparency.
Browsers
Section titled “Browsers”The only major browser not built on Chromium (Google’s engine).
- Why use it: It is the last line of defense against a Google-monopolized web. Highly customizable with
about:config. - Hardening: See our Firefox Hardening Guide to make it bulletproof.
Chromium-based browser with privacy out of the box.
- Why use it: If you need Chrome compatibility (for specific web apps) but don’t want Google’s tracking. Built-in adblocker is excellent and faster than extensions.
- Note: Disable “Brave Rewards” and crypto features for a cleaner experience.
A fork of Firefox that focuses on privacy, security and freedom.
- Why use it: It comes pre-configured with the Arkenfox
user.jsand other privacy tweaks. It strips out all Mozilla telemetry. The “install and forget” private browser.
Media Consumption
Section titled “Media Consumption”The cone that plays everything.
- Why use it: It has its own codecs built-in, so you don’t need to install codec packs. It handles corrupt files, incomplete downloads, and weird formats better than anything else.
The hacker’s media player. No GUI, just keyboard shortcuts and config files.
- Why use it: Highest quality video rendering (upscaling, color correction) via widely available scripts. Extremely lightweight.
- Frontend: MPV.net gives you the power of MPV with a context menu and settings dialog for normal humans.
The ultimate music manager and player.
- Why use it: Handles libraries with 500,000+ tracks without lagging. Extensive tagging tools, audio conversion, and syncing support.
- Note: Not Open Source, but Freeware and highly respected.
Utilities
Section titled “Utilities”The standard for file compression.
- Why use it: Opens everything (
.rar,.zip,.tar,.iso). Higher compression ratio than WinRAR. Free forever, no “trial period” popups.
System cleaner.
- Why use it: Frees up disk space and guards your privacy. Handles cookies, cache, temporary files, and logs.
- Warning: Be careful with “Free Disk Space” (overwrite) options on SSDs as it adds unnecessary wear.
Application Firewall.
- Why use it: Visualize and control all internet traffic on your PC. Block specific apps from phoning home (e.g., block an offline game from connecting to the internet).
The swiss army knife of screenshots.
- Why use it: Don’t just take screenshots; annotate them, blur sensitive info, upload them to Imgur/Cloudflare automatically, or record GIFs. It automates your workflow.
AirDrop for everyone.
- Why use it: Transfer files between Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS instantly over your local WiFi. No data leaves your room. No servers involved.
System utilities by Microsoft.
- Features:
- FancyZones: Create custom window layouts for easy multitasking.
- PowerRename: Bulk rename files using Regex.
- Color Picker:
Win+Shift+Cto grab the Hex code of any pixel on screen. - Text Extractor: Copy text from images anywhere on screen.
Productivity / Office
Section titled “Productivity / Office”The FOSS alternative to Microsoft Office.
- Why use it: Compatible with
.docxand.xlsxfiles. No subscription fees. No cloud telemetry.
A knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.
[!WARNING] Obsidian is NOT Open Source. It is proprietary freeware. However, it is included here because:
- It is “Local First” (your data maps to actual
.mdfiles on your disk, not a database).- It has a massive plugin ecosystem (many of which are FOSS).
- It is the standard for “Second Brain” note-taking.
The true FOSS alternative for note-taking.
- Why use it: Fully open source. End-to-end encryption. Syncs via Nextcloud, Dropbox, or OneDrive. Good for standard notes (less focused on “linking” than Obsidian).