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150 Best Windows Software Of Year 2013

Every year, we review a truckload of desktop and mobile apps as well as tips and tutorials for our loyal AddictiveTips readers. And as we look back on another year gone, it’s time we present our behemoth compilation of the biggest and most spectacular releases on Windows platform in 2013. The operating system that has made it way to tablets from notebooks and desktop PCs was in full-swing this year, receiving an all new 8.1 update, loads of Windows Store apps including the likes of Flipboard, Facebook and Twitter, as well as some amazing conventional desktop app releases. So without any further ado, lets take a look at the best apps for Windows from 2013!

Best-Windows-Apps-of-2013

1. AppSwitch (A free Metro UI app that helps you find replacement Windows Store apps for iOS or Android apps.)

AppSwitch

2. Screencast Capture Lite (A barebones tool for recording good-quality screencasts of the entire screen or a selected area, without confusing you with additional obtrusive features.)

Screencast Capture Lite

3. NanWick Windows Uninstaller (A simple tool that lets you remove a second Windows installation after dual booting the system with another OS.)

NanWick Windows Uninstaller

4. SendTo-Convert (Easily resize multiple images from the ‘Send to’ option in the right-click context menu, or via drag and drop, based on a profile you can configure.)

SendTo-Convert Profile

5. Unpacker (Probably one of the best Windows Store apps for quickly extracting ZIP, RAR, 7Z and other archived formats.)

Unpacker File

6. Boot UI Tuner (Permanently enable the advanced boot menu in Windows 8 / 8.1, to make it appear every time you power up your PC.)

Boot UI Tuner

7. YouVue (Watch music videos from different genres, get access to top music charts from different countries, create playlists, add videos to a favorite list, and access your history for repeated playback in this Windows Store app.)

YouVue Main

8. TwitterDownloader (Download photos posted on Twitter profiles to your Windows PC.)

TwitterDownloader

9. Dropbox For Windows 8 (The official Dropbox app for Windows 8 and RT tablets and computers that comes with all basic Dropbox functionality.)

Dropbox Login

10. Weather Beetle (A feature-laden weather application for Windows that fetches textual and graphical weather data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.)

Weather Beetle

11. Windows 8 Update Notifier (Bring back the automatic update notification bubble in Windows 8 with this handy little tool.)

Windows 8 Update Notifier_Launch

12. Reditr (Unarguably one of the best third-party Reddit clients on Windows that’s beautiful, functional, intuitive and lightweight.)

Reditr.jpg

13. aTunes (A versatile, open-source music manager for Windows that also supports Mac and Linux operating systems.)

aTunes

14. SavePictureAs (No-frills tool that lets you save pictures just using hotkeys, saving you a lot of time if you save pictures often while browsing.)

Configure Hotkeys

15. WinaeroGlass (Easily restore the Windows 7-esque Aero glass effect on Windows 8 and 8.1.)

WinaeroGlass

16. Cumolu (Access Dropbox, SugarSync, Google Drive, SkyDrive and Box under one Metro UI app on Windows 8 and RT.)

Cumulo Windows 8

17. TileManager (Create tile shortcuts in batch on Windows 8 Start Screen, edit their names, and change their icons.)

TileManager Search

18. Free Video Call Recorder For Skype (Record Picture-in-Picture Skype video calls with a few clicks.)

Free Video Call Recorder for Skype v. 1.0.2 build 114

19. Windows 8 Apps Data Backup (Easily backup and restore your Windows 8 apps, complete with their pertaining data.)

Windows 8 Apps Data Backup

20. Desktop Intray (Organize your files into specific folders according to the file types or extension.)

Desktop Intray Settings

21. CNN App For Windows (The official Windows Store app of one of the most revered news channel on the planet.)

CNN_Windows 8

22. SterJo NetStalker (An advanced firewall that monitors all TCP and UDP connections established by currently running applications and services.)

SterJo NetStalker

23. jMovieManager (A Java-based movie manager boasting a bevy of user-friendly features and a decent interface.)

jMovieManager

24. Tonido (Multi-platform personal cloud service that provides remote access to files stored across your desktop and mobile devices.)

Tonido sync pc

25. Real APK Leecher (Directly download APK files of Android applications to your PC from Play Store via the Google account associated with your device.)

Real APK Leecher

26. DuckDuckGo For Windows 8 and RT (Search the internet using DuckDuckGo’s search engine, check daily Water Cooler stories, and more.)

DuckDuckGo

27. My Computer Tweaker (This feature-laden software is a tweaker’s dream come true, thanks to its plethora of PC tweaking options for customizing your desktop.)

RT Registry Tweaks

28. 8StartButton (A highly customizable Start button and Menu replacement app for Windows 8, with loads of settings and a decent UI.)

2013-01-30 13_24_51-

29. Should I Remove It? (A unique uninstaller utility that helps you decide which software you should get rid of.)

Should I Remove It 3

30. BirdFont (An open-source application for creating various font characters from scratch by drawing vector outlines.)

BirdFont

31. DNS Angel (Lets you block unsafe or inappropriate internet content by swapping your default DNS server with a variety of options.)

DNS Angel

32. Speaktoit Assistant (Siri-like virtual assistant that aims to help you with your everyday tasks on Windows 8 or RT device or PC.)

Speaktoit

33. Sports Republic (Yet another awesome Windows Store app that allows you to keep a tab on your favorite sport.)

Sports Republic

34.UC BrowserHD (A gorgeous,feature-laden Modern UI web browser for Windows 8 and Windows RT.)

UC BrowserHD_Windows 8

35. ProcOff (From the makers of AllOff and DownOff, this miniscule app lets you configure automatic system shutdown that triggers upon inactivity of certain process.)

ProcOff_Registration

36. SkyFonts (One of the best service to try different proprietary fonts for free, and rent them for a few days or months by paying a small fee.)

SkyFonts_Web API

37. TheSage (A unique dictionary app that lets you look up meanings, definitions and synonyms/antonyms of words using Wildcard and Anagram search.)

TheSage's English Dictionary and Thesaurus Introduction

38. Anti Tracks (Remove traces, web cookies and temporary data stored on your computer by web browsers in a few clicks.)

Anti Tracks Main

39. Metrogram Live (Seems like Facebook has no plans of releasing Instagram on Windows 8, but this third-party app suffices for the job.)

MetroGram Popular

40. Better Explorer (Brings the Ribbon UI features of Windows 8’s File Explorer to Windows 7.)

Better Explorer Main

41. Toastify (If you listen to Spotify on your Windows machine and want to add the missing global hotkey functionality, then this app is a must-have.)

Toastify_Settings

42. Metro Scaler (This lightweight application lets you adjust Modern UI display scaling of Windows 8.)

Metro Scaler

43. Simple Watcher (Monitor your folders on local storage or over the network.)

Simple Watcher 1.3 Start

44. Media Companion (Manage and organize TV shows, movies and home videos under a single, decent interface.)

Media Companion

45. OpenWith Enhanced (Replace native ‘Open with…’ dialog box of Windows with an enhanced version that offers a lot more features.)

OpenWith (Enhanced) 2

46. Auto Screenshot Capture (Wanna automate screenshot capturing? This Windows app is all that you need.)

Auto Screenshot Capture File

47. Hola (VPN service for Windows, mobile devices and web browsers that offers access to blocked internet content without bandwidth limitations.)

Hola Connections

48. Run-Command (An enhanced version of the native Run dialog of Windows offers much more advanced functionality and additional features in a similar interface.)

Run-Command

49. Soundtracker (Discover and listen to music that is popular among people in your vicinity.)

Soundtracker_Windows 8

50. Iconmancer (Download and apply icons to files, programs and folders from a large user community.)

Icomancer_Main

51. NewsMix (The official NewsMix client for Windows 8 and RT is a great way to browse news under its Metro UI.)

NewsMix

52. Saladin (Forget the native File Explorer of Windows; Saladin lets you quickly transfer files between directories via its dual pane UI.)

https://addictivetips.com/app/uploads/2013/02/Saladin-1-1.png

53. xCloud (One of the better options to quickly sync files between PC, Mac, Android & iOS over internet & WiFi.)

xCloud_Control

54. PhotoSun 14 (This Windows photo editor is all about simplicity of use, tons of photo filters, and native Facebook integration.)

PhotoSun 14

55. SlimBoat (An intuitive alternative web browser with many useful features built-in that otherwise require extension installation on other popular browsers.)

SlimBoat

56. Share My Screen Pro (Sharing your desktop screen over the internet isn’t something new, but accessing it remotely on any Flash-enabled device can prove to be extremely useful.)

Share My Screen Pro

57. ImageCool (This app can open 500 image formats, convert 130 of them and apply over 50 effects to them.)

ImageCool 2013 Folder

58. Wunderlist For Pokki (This beautiful app will help you easily manage your daily To-do and task lists.)

Wunderlist for Pokki

59. ModernMix (This handy StarDock application enables running Modern UI apps in Windows mode on your desktop.)

ModernMix_Configuration

60. Inkulator (This metro UI app will let you solve handwritten mathematical expressions on the go on your Windows tablet.)

Inkulator

61. Breezy (One of the prettiest and most minimalistic weather apps for Windows 8 and Windows RT in modern UI flavor.)

Breezy_Windows 8

62. Eusing Maze Lock (Security application that lets you set up a pattern for unlocking your computer’s screen in a manner similar to Android’s pattern lock.)

Eusing Maze Lock_Lockscreen

63. Drop N Sync (The definitive solution for those who wish they could sync their Facebook photos to their PC.)

Drop N Sync_Preferences

64. DeskScapes 8 (Enhance your Windows 8 experience with fascinating wallpapers effects, including animated and video backgrounds.)

DeskScapes 8

65. Official Twitter App For Windows 8 and RT (Twitter’s official modern UI app looks fairly polished in its user-friendly design, and works great in both full-screen and side-by-side views.)

Twitter-for-Windows-8-RT

66. OUTDATEfighter (Keeps an eye on all installed applications on your PC, and notifies you upon a software’s update release.)

OUTDATEfighter

67. 8tracks radio (Radio apps are still not up to the mark on Windows 8, but this one is an exception.)

8tracks radio

68. Seaside (A small and straightforward application that lets you use multiple Skype accounts simultaneously on your PC.)

Seaside_Configuration

69. ImmensiveTaille (The Windows 8 Start Screen is very feature-limited when it comes to customization. This simple app allows changing its size and position however you please.)

ImmersiveTaille

70. Synei System Utilities (An all-in-one, one-click PC maintenance suite carrying loads of features in a decent interface.)

Synei System Utilities

71. File Rplacer (Saves a ton of time if you constantly find the need to replace your backup files with their updated versions.)

FileRplacer-Windows

72. Reboot Restore Rx (This system restore utility is a much improved alternative to the default one found in Windows.)

Reboot Restore Rx

73. Talk.to (IM aggregator for Windows 8 that lets you chat with contacts on Facebook, Google Talk, Microsoft account and Pingpong from one interface.)

Talk.to-Windows-8-RT

74. Fotor (The gorgeous, multi-platform photo editor that was previously only available on mobile, landed on Windows and Mac in 2013.)

Fotor

75. QuiteRSS (If you don’t mind using desktop-based RSS readers, than this powerful application is worth giving a shot.)

QuiteRSS

76. AkelPad (Open-source, Notepad++-like text editor that brings a wide array of options to the table.)

AkelPad

77. MindMaple (Mind mapping is a great way for brainstorming, and this app does a great job of providing you with the best solution.)

MindMaple New Map

78. Screenstagram (Displays a grid of Instagram photos as your Windows screensaver.)

Screenstagram screensaver Windows

79. SmartDeblur (An innovative application that quickly gets rid of unwanted Gaussian blur, lens blur and motion blur effects from images.)

SmartDeblur

80. Nokia Music (The Finnish phone maker brought its music offering to Windows 8 and RT in the form of a Modern UI app.)

Nokia Music_Windows 8

81. ELE (Easily open a new elevated Command Prompt window with Administrator privileges in the currently selected folder path.)

ELE_Explorer_Ele

82. XnRetro (Turn your favorite images into vintage masterpieces by overlaying a bevy of retro effects.)

XnRetro

83. Window On Top (Keep any window of your choice on top of all other desktop items.)

Window On Top

84. Surface Taskbar Helper (Hide the Taskbar on Microsoft Surface & other Windows 8 tablets based on the screen orientation.)

Surface TaskBar Helper_Landscape

85. OPALIS PDF Reducer Free (A PDF size compression tool that enables compressing PDFs without significant loss in quality.)

ORPALIS PDF Reducer

86. Everything Search Engine (Unarguably one of the fastest third-party file searching tool for Windows.)

Everything Search Engine

87. Le Dimmer (Enable a distraction-free mode by dimming everything on your desktop except the window you’re currently using.)

Le-Dimmer

88.Add2Run (Assign aliases to programs and files to instantly launch them via the Run command of Windows.)

Add2Run

89. Comfy Reader (An awesome Windows 8 and RT app that lets you save web pages for distraction-free offline viewing.)

Comfy Reader

90. Messenger Reviver 2 (Provides a viable solution to continue using Windows Live Messenger without the mandatory Skype upgrade.)

Messegner Reviver 2

91. Xion Audio Player (A customizable interface with powerful music features in a compact design – what more could you want from a music player?)

Xion Audio Player

92. BetterDesktopTool (Switched from Mac to Windows and miss the Expose feature? You won’t anymore, after using BetterDesktopTool.)

BetterDesktopToolOverview

93. BitTorrent Sync (This official release from BitTorrent allows securely syncing files between multiple computers and mobile devices using P2P.)

BitTorrent Sync Setup

94. 3RVX (Lets you control the global volume in Windows using keyboard hotkeys and mouse shortcuts.)

3RVX_Volume Icon

95. Viber (The official Viber app for Windows and Mac OS X.)

Viber-desktop-app-chat

96. PhrozenSoft VirusTotal Uploader (Quickly upload suspicious files to the cloud-based VirusTotal scanning engine from your desktop.)

PhrozenSoft - VirusTotal Uploader

97. MetroTube (The Windows Store variant of the ever-popular Windows Phone YouTube app, MetroTube is loaded with amazing features.)

Metrotube-Windows-8

98. Seafile (A cloud service that allows you to create and share a private cloud library of files with friends or colleagues.)

Seafile Client admin page

99. MRT Mixer (A lightweight application that helps you mix audio files by adjusting their volume, tempo and pitch.)

MRT Mixer

100. Start Menu Reviver (A fantastic third-party Start Menu for Windows 8 carrying a ton of features in a gorgeous design.)

Start Menu Reviver

101. Whip (This multi-platform app for Windows 8 lets you create photo+music slideshows and share them with others.)

https://addictivetips.com/app/uploads/2013/05/WHIP.jpg

102. Unreal Commander (Another awesome dual-pane file manager for Windows with an impressive set of features.)

Unreal Commander

103. Expi Desktop Manager (Create different Windows zones on your desktop and switch among them on the fly using hotkeys.)

Desktop Manager

104. SafeIP (VPN client that lets you swap your real IP address with a fake one and enjoy anonymous internet surfing.)

SafeIP

105. Ashampoo MP3 Cover Finder (Search and download album cover art for your music collection with one click from sources like Amazon, iTunes and Google.)

Ashampoo MP3 Cover Finder

106. Audials Light (Beautifully designed media center with radio, music TV, streaming and a customizable interface.)

Audials

107. Protectorion ToGo (Protect your confidential files stored on portable and local drives from prying eyes.)

Protectorion ToGo_Password

108. Pically (Create gorgeous calendars out your favorite images.)

Pically's user interface

109. Cupcloud (Syncs all your documents, folders and browser tab states across multiple computers over the cloud.)

https://addictivetips.com/app/uploads/2013/05/Cupcloud-Sign-In.png

110. Adobe Photoshop Express ( A feature-limited version of Photoshop built from scratch for the Windows 8 and RT platform.)

Adobe Photoshop Express - Home Page

111. Portable Update (Apply Windows update to multiple computers offline by carrying them on a USB drive.)

History - Portable Update

112. LaMP (Now you can learn languages from movie subtitles in the most convenient manner using Lingual Media Player.)

LaMP user interface

113. AV Audio Editor (Audio editors come in all shapes and sizes, but this one looks pretty impressive from top to bottom.)

AV Audio Editor - main user interface

114. Picturelife (Consider this multi-platform app as the photo sharing equivalent of Dropbox.)

Picturelife_Web

115. Windows 8 Multiple App Launcher (Allows you to quickly launch multiple instances of Windows programs and utilities.)

Windows 8 Multiple App Launcher_Multiple Windows

116. TurnedOnTimesView (Monitor and log Windows’ power state to detect time periods during which you pulled the plug.)

TurnedOnTimesView

117. 8Smoker Pro (Performance tweaking tool for Windows 8 that lets you optimize and personalize various aspects of the operating system.)

8Smoker Pro

118. Bing Translator (The official Bing Translator app for Windows 8 and Windows RT.)

Bing-Translator-camera-and-text-translation

119. Bitdefender Safepay (This highly secure web browser keeps malicious threats and intruders at bay by sandboxing your web surfing.)

Scan

120. herdProtect (A VirusTotal-like service with a Windows tool that scans your computer with 68 cloud antivirus engines to detect viruses and malware.)

herdProtect Anti-Malware Scanner

121. Songza (The Windows 8 and Windows RT app of the popular music streaming service that suggests playlists based on your mood.)

Songza Windows 8 Home

122. Bytescout Watermarking (Watermarking photos can be a tedious task, but this app turns it into a fun and simple chore.)

Bytescout Watermarking

123. SnipSnip (This impressive screenshot tool can let you capture and save screenshots of individual UI elements within windows.)

SnipSnip in action (1)

124. EpicPen (Open source application that lets you draw over your desktop and any opened windows in real time via a hotkey.)

Epic Pen Drawings

125. Oxynger KeyShield (An ultra-secure virtual keyboard designed to protect your private information from keyloggers and spyware.)

Oxygner

126. BZR (A music player with a sleek design, some powerful sound effects, and support for over 480 formats.)

BZR Player

127. Dexclock (Spice up your desktop with beautiful, dynamic clock wallpapers.)

Desktop

128. QGifer (Open-source application that lets you create animated GIF images from videos, along with a bevy of customization options.)

QGifer

129. Decrap (Get rid of bloatware that comes pre-installed on computers.)

Decrap my Computer

130. MouseController (Looking for a way to record your mouse movement sequences and automatically repeat them to accomplish repetitive tasks easily? Wish granted!)

MouseController

131. Free Photo Blemish Remover (The perfect application to quickly remove zits and blemishes from your favorite portraits.)

Free Photo Blemish Remover

132. Cloudup (There are lots of cloud storage services, but how many of them give you 200GB free space?)

Cloudup windows app

133. EagleGet (If Internet Download Manager had a free version with every paid feature unlocked, EagleGet would be it.)

EagleGet

134. HIddeX (A small, portable tool that lets you hide any program window like a web browser, game, media player via mouse or keyboard shortcuts.)

Hiddex

135. Folder Merger (Dead-simple app that allows you to merge contents of multiple folders into a single folder.)

Folder Merger

136. Free Convert FLAC To MP3 (Easily Convert FLAC files to MP3, WMA, AAC, M4A, OGG, AIFF, WAV, AC3, MP2, AU and AMR.)

Free Convert FLAC To MP3

137. Foursquare (The official Modern UI Foursquare app for Windows 8 and RT looks gorgeous and works like a charm.)

Foursquare main

138. MAXA Cookie Manager (Easily delete potentially harmful cookies from Firefox, Chrome, IE and other major web browsers.)

MAXA-Cookie-Manager (1)

139. Naturepic Audio Editor (This feature-rich application proves that professional grade audio editing can be achieved via free software.)

Naturpic Audio Editor

140. Tresorit (If file security is your main focus when choosing a cloud storage service, then Tresorit is worth giving a shot.)

Tresorit WIndows Sign in

141. ClipboardFusion (The ultimate clipboard manager to store and sync clipboard items across multiple computers and mobile devices over the cloud.)

ClipboadFusion Context Menu

142. AudioStreamer (Music streaming from PC to phone done right.)

AudioStreamer - Google Chrome

143. SoundVolumeView (Get a general overview of volume of all sound devices, as well as control it under one roof.)

SoundVolumeView

144. Cometdocs For Desktop (The easiest way to convert PDFs to various formats straight from the right-click content menu.)

Convert To

145. Bot Revolt Anti-Malware (Block potentially harmful incoming connections to your PC via the internet.)

Bot Revolt Anti-Malware Free Edition 1.4.3

146. Roccat Power Grid (A highly customizable app that lets you control your PC from an iPhone or Android device.)

Desktop App

147. MetroSidebar (Add various, customizable Metro-style gadgets to the side of your Windows 8 desktop.)

MetroSidebar

148. F-Secure Key (Store passwords on the cloud and sync them across mobile and desktop.)

F-Secure Key_New

149. 8oot Logo Changer (Set a custom boot logo on Windows 8 and 8.1.)

8oot Logo Changer

150. Flipboard For Windows 8.1 And RT (Flipboard’s exquisite news reading app is more than impressive on Microsoft’s platform.)

Flipboard for Windows 8 - 01

Check out our other year-end best-of compilations:

55 Best Mac OS X Apps Of 2013

172 Best Android Apps Of 2013

100 Best iPhone & iPad Apps Of 2013

40 Best Windows Phone Apps Of 2013

100 Best Google Chrome Extensions Of 2013

50 Best Firefox Addons Of 2013

13 Comments

  1. Thanks, picked a few of them and add another one to your list. It’s called Lookeen. Nice desktop search tool for free using.

  2. List of apps provided in the blog is very helpful to decide to use these apps as per our requirement. After going through this page no need to go through the various web pages on the internet for searching of apps for your window 8. Information about latest apps are available and also the steps to how to integrate the specific application to your PC.

  3. Is there a way to custom configure the F keys in Windows 8/8.1 so one can use them for alternate purposes? For example I’d like to press Alt F3 to open a different Firefox profile.

  4. I don’t think the link to number 28 8startbutton is correct, however the article The Year’s 11 Most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013 was really gripping and sentimental and pulled at my heart and made me cry.

  5. Haven’t looked at the entire list yet. But there are a couple things that aren’t right.
    1) Why all the Windows 8 software?
    Corporate America isn’t using that OS and probably never will. Neither are the technicians/administrators that have to maintain windows. Okay, there might be a few of us that have Windows 8, but it’s probably being run in a virtual environment and not the main OS.
    2) It would have been nice if the little one liner actually said what the OS was for so we don’t have to click on the links just to find out it was only for Windoze 8.
    I’ll still check out the rest of the list. Just not sure how much of this is for W7 or W8.

    • I’m not a Win8 user but this cracks me up because they said the EXACT same thing about Win7 lol!

    • With the exception of the few Metro apps included in the review (most of which should be easy to spot at a glance based on the included screenshot), the other ones i.e. the desktop apps should work fine on Windows 7 as well as Windows 8, the only few exceptions being the likes of start menu replacement apps, and apps for bringing Aero glass effect to the OS, which would be redundant on Windows 7.

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