A fresh Windows install is a clean slate. Before you start dragging everything you used to have onto the desktop, take a moment to install only what you'll actually use. Here's our short list.
The disk space tool nobody talks about
Windows machines fill up fast — Steam libraries, Docker volumes, browser profiles, OneDrive caches, Visual Studio installations. Buying a new SSD costs hundreds. Moving large folders to a secondary drive without breaking anything costs nothing. Windows Symlink Creator Pro makes symlinks point-and-click — no command line, no broken applications, full undo. Full walkthrough.
If you run a website
Most Windows users also run or manage a WordPress site. The free WordPress IP Blocker Pro should be the first plugin you install on it. Stops 95% of bot and brute-force traffic with country and IP blocking. Setup guide.
Mobile companions
Most Windows users also carry a phone. CalculatorX (free) is the calculator you wish came with the OS. Lion's Legacy is the encrypted document vault for the things you absolutely don't want on a cloud sync.
Windows-specific tips for 2026
- Disable startup bloat early. Open Task Manager → Startup, disable anything you don't recognize.
- Use Storage Sense. Settings → System → Storage. It cleans up temp files and downloaded installers automatically.
- Use Windows Sandbox for testing untrusted installers. Free, built-in, and isolates anything sketchy.
- Pin only what you actually use to the taskbar. Everything else lives in Start search, which is faster than scanning a full taskbar.
Browse all Windows software
See the full Windows software catalog on LionScripts. For more on disk space and machine cleanup, see how to make an old laptop feel new and how to avoid software bloat.
