Windows 10 has been out for few months now, so it’s a good time to dip into the Windows Store and pick out the top apps on offer.
From productivity to entertainment, we’ve rounded up a selection of apps that deserve a place on your Windows device.
This article will be updated over the coming weeks and months.
If you have any apps that you think deserve a place in our chart, get in touch using the comments section below.
Best Windows 10 apps: Work and communications
Drawboard PDF
A great app for when you need to mark up PDFs, Drawboard PDF has a slick interface and a variety of useful tools. Perfect if you work in engineering or design, the app works well with a stylus and lets you add handwritten annotations to PDF documents. It also saves on having to carry around heaps of paper. (£7.69)
Trello
Organisational app Trello offers tons of additional features, such as collaboration with other users and integration with online tools, as well as several viewing modes and tags to make organising multiple pieces of work manageable. It’s cross-platform, too, so your colleagues will be able to access it anywhere, regardless of the device they’re using. (Free)
Code Writer
This free code and text editor supports over 20 different coding languages, including HTML, JavaScript, C++ and Python. The layout of the app has been optimised for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, with a similar coloured cell layout to the operating system. It looks pretty, but also works well, has an easy-to-use tabbed document interface and a number of tutorials. For anyone new to programming, this is a great tool to have on your PC. (Free)
Skype
It’s no surprise that some of the best-designed apps to hit the Windows Store have come from within Microsoft. The Skype app was built from the ground up to be ideal for use on a tablet such as the Surface, able to run silently in the background at all times, ready to burst into action when a call or instant message comes in. It’s also one of the few apps we’ve seen that remains genuinely useful when snapped side-by-side with other apps. (Free)
Wunderlist
If you’re working on several projects at once and have a ton of things to remember to do on each, Wunderlist is a great app that’s worth incorporating into your Windows life. Apart from being stylish – an achievement in itself for a to-do list – it’s very easy to use. This is partly due to its slick interface, but also because all your tasks are synced to the Wunderlist server, which allows for continuity across all devices. (Free)
Best Windows 10 apps: Entertainment
TVCatchup
This is a great app for watching live free-to-air TV channels over the internet. That said, it does have its limitations. No actual catch-up TV is confusing for one, meaning if you want to watch on-demand content you still have to go to websites such as iPlayer and 4oD. The only other niggle is that the content isn’t always pin-sharp no matter how fast the speed of your connection. (Free)
Netflix
Netflix keeps getting better and better. If Breaking Bad, House of Cards andOrange Is the New Black aren’t enough to sway you, the heaps of films available at a single tap will. The app itself is free, but you’ll need a Netflix account to log in. (Free, subscription £5.99/mth)
Plex
Plex offers a slick way to stream your personal media from any device to your Windows 8 or 10 machine. It’s a cross-platform app that enables you to stream any media from one connected device to another. So, in theory, if you have a video stored on your NAS drive at home, but are away on business somewhere, you can stream the content to your Windows 8 or 10 machine via the internet and Plex. (Free, although full functionality comes with a Plex Pass subscription)
TuneIn Radio
TuneIn Radio has all the features you’d expect: hundreds of radio stations divided up by region, and many more categorised into dozens of genres. Similar to the website, sports and news stations are given their own sections, and it’s also possible to filter the thousands of stations by language. TuneIn supports podcasts as well, with shows organised into similar genres. If you’re a radio fan, this app is a must. (Free)
Ministry of Sound
A must-have app for fans of the legendary dance club, Ministry of Sound provides a wealth of free music sessions for clubbers. The Live From The Club section provides a five-hour set from the past Saturday night, giving you a feel for the atmosphere of the London venue. There’s also pre-recorded sets from well-known DJs such as Sister Bliss. If you like the free music on offer, there’s also an opportunity to preview and download the club’s huge back catalogue of albums via the app. (Free)
Best Windows 10 apps: Multimedia
VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player has long been a staple download for Windows devices and this version for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 is definitely worth having installed. The open source player can manage most audio and video files, including FLAC, MKV, MOV, TS and ogg, and there’s also a media library complete with snazzy orange and black UI. (Free)
FL Studio Groove
Ever envied your iPad-owning friends’ GarageBand compositions? Well now you can create music on your Windows tablet with FL Studio Groove. It’s a miniature sequencer with a wealth of built-in synth and percussion sounds: program your melodies in the piano roll, or play live using the two-tier touch keyboard and drum pad interfaces.
In addition to recording and composition features, there’s also a selection of production tools, including a library of high-quality effects and automation options. Best of all is the price: while professional audio-production software can cost hundreds of pounds, FL Studio Groove turns your laptop or tablet into a portable production studio for just (£6.99)
Adobe Photoshop Express
A simple-to-use app for on-the-go photo editing, Adobe Photoshop Express is a must-have for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 PCs. Tweak your pictures with everything from cropping to colour management, or just touch up your photos with automatic fixes and a range of filters. (Free)
Phototastic Collage
If you loved cutting up photos and making your own collages as a kid this app will appeal. Phototastic Collage offers a simple way to create eye-catching collages from your photos, without any of the risk of accidentally destroying your snaps with a pair of scissors, or getting glue everywhere.
There are plenty of layouts, frames and filters to keep you or your children busy for some time, as well as options to stick up your pictures into wallpapers for your phone or laptop (or Facebook cover photo). You can also add stickers and text, which makes it a useful tool for putting together family photo albums or nostalgia mosaics. (Free)
Fresh Paint
This app emulates the joy of slapping paint on canvas like no other. Paint in one colour and then brush over that same area with another and watch as the colours bleed authentically together. When you’re ready, you can switch on the dryer and stop the colours merging. The option to paint over your digital photos is another feather in this terrific app’s cap. (Free)
Music Maker Jam
A terrific little music-timewaster, Music Maker Jam allows you to blend together your own Dubstep, Jazz or House music, simply by playing with a range sliders and effects. You get to choose which instruments and vocals appear on your tracks and how much emphasis to afford to each, and once you have the balance right you can start experimenting with key changes and writing your own loops. The resulting soundtracks are awesome, especially when played back through proper speakers. (Free)
Best Windows 10 apps: Games
Lara Croft GO
Running and gunning around forgotten tombs may not seem like the most immediate choice for a tactical, turn-based puzzle-adventure, but Lara Croft GO is an absolute delight. Aesthetically, the game goes in the complete opposite direction to the recent Tomb Raider reboot, favouring a beautifully stylised, cell-shaded design over realism. In terms of gameplay, the puzzles are taxing enough to prove a challenge, but won’t leave you completely stumped on your morning commute. (£3.89)
Sonic Dash
The blue hedgehog’s glory days may be long behind him, but Sonic Dash is an enjoyable diversion nevertheless. This Temple Run-style game sees you running, jumping and dodging past obstacles while collecting rows of floating rings. Playing for an hour or so might be a stretch, but for short bursts this is a great game to have installed. (Free)
Halo: Spartan Assault
Halo is the Xbox’s best-known game franchise, and it’s less graphically ambitious transition to tablets and smartphones is a success. It has everything you associate with Halo: a variety of futuristic weaponry from which to choose; vehicles to commandeer; and an intelligence-free pack of comrades who repeatedly need you to dig them out of a firefight. The top-down approach is unusual for Halo, but it works well, as do the touchscreen controls. Attempting to fleece you for in-app purchases after paying for the game is a touch gratuitous, but they’re not necessary. Try the Lite version first. (£3.20)
Ilomilo+
A Microsoft Studios game that has migrated from Windows Phone 7, to Xbox Live, and now Windows 8.1, ilomilo+ is a delightful little timewaster that Windows tablets could desperately do with more of. The idea is to reunite ilo and milo by navigating the 3D level of which they’re trapped on opposite sides. You alternate between controlling both characters, using one to open trapdoors or create paths for the other, until they’re back together. It’s clever, beautifully presented, but perhaps a little too prim for some tastes. A two-player mode adds longevity. (£3.20)
Chimpact
Games are the strongest suit in the Windows Store, and Chimpact is an amusing diversion, especially for tablet owners. The idea is to catapult your simian friend around the levels, collecting bananas, squishing caterpillars and avoiding foes. The game is part Angry Birds, part platformer, and works best on a tablet, where you can drag your finger across the screen to fire the little critter. Chimpact doesn’t require much in the way of grey matter. In fact, it might be best deployed as a cheap back-seat diversion for your own little monkeys. (£3.20)
Armed!
A real-time strategy game in the ilk of PC classic StarCraft, Armed is proof that Modern Windows apps don’t lack substance. Equally manageable with a touchscreen tablet or a mouse, Armed requires you to build a base, harvest resources, defend against attack and explore new territories. It’s a little complicated to wade straight into either single or multiplayer gameplay, but the excellent tutorial shows you the ropes. (Free)
Pinball FX2
Touchscreen tablets are perfect for pinball games, allowing you to merely tap on either side of the screen to operate the flippers. Pinball FX 2 isn’t the most impressive pinball app we’ve seen but it has some great features, not least the ability to see how your scores compare to other friends on Xbox Live, and the online tournaments. (Free)
Best Windows 10 apps: News and information
Flipboard
Apple may be after Flipboard’s blood with its News app, but this is still one of the best ways to curate and organise your reading. Browse articles, photos and videos with a few easy swipes, then build your own magazines with articles taken from different publications and share with friends via Facebook and Twitter. (Free)
News Republic
Apps that aggregate news are ten a penny these days. Some are good, some are average and some are terrible. This is a good’un. Why? Because it recognises that content is king. It brings in news from the major publishers and learns what sort of news you like, as well as which services are your favourites. (Free)
ESPN FC
With no sign of a Sky Sports app on Windows 8 devices, it’s up to rival ESPN to bring us our football news and scores, and this quickly improving app does a fantastic job. You can select favourite teams for quick updates, view the latest results and tables from pretty much every major league of interest around the world, as well as European competitions, and it also has some nice feature articles from the ESPN writers. (Free)
Wikipedia
The Wikipedia app provides a convenient way to browse the people’s encyclopedia, particularly on tablet devices. The app’s homescreen highlights featured images and articles of the day, allowing you to dip into completely random topics. (Free)
Redditting
Navigating the morass of news, memes and endless discussion threads that comprises Reddit is no mean feat, but the Redditting client does a brilliant job of boiling it down. Essentially, it turns Reddit into an RSS reader, allowing you to browse your favourite subreddits and filter out sources or contributors you’d rather not hear from. Once you’ve filled out the simple in-app registration, you can also vote posts up or down, add comments or submit links of your own. A setting that allows you to filter adult content could also make Reddit palatable at your place of work. (Free)
Best Windows 10 apps: Miscellaneous
Duolingo
One of the best free language learning tools out there, Duolingo is a must-have if you’re looking to take your first steps in a new tongue. Perfect for swatting up on the essentials before a holiday, or testing the waters before embarking on a larger course, the app comes with fun, easy-to-use lessons for Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish and Gaelic.
Whether you’re learning the very basics or a few set phrases, the app has a variety of courses for each language. You’ll loose hearts for answering incorrectly, which turns the whole process into a rather addictive game, and adds an important element of fun into the learning process. (Free)
Skyscanner
Flying is almost as unenjoyable as actually paying for the tickets, so anything that improves the latter process is welcome. Skyscanner already enjoys a reputation for finding some of the keenest prices around, and the app makes navigating them easy and quick. It’s intuitive considering the wealth of information it manages, and we especially love the Explore feature, which allows you to circle the globe finding prices to virtually anywhere from your home airport. (Free)
Great British Chefs
The Great British Chefs app looks as appetising as the dishes it will help you to cook. A compendium of recipes from culinary luminaries such as Marcus Wareing, Nathan Outlaw and Tom Aikens, the app provides a wide selection of dishes for cooks of all abilities. Once you’ve selected your chosen dishes, the combined ingredients can be added to your shopping list, which is handily broken down by shopping aisle and can be exported to email or Evernote. (Free)
Toolbox
This multitasking tool is one of the cleverest apps we’ve seen in the Windows Store. It includes a host of small utilities, from a calculator and converter to weather and clock tools, and it even has a basic web browser and social-networking clients, with Facebook and Twitter supported. That’s not the clever bit, however. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen reveals a host of different layouts, with between two and six windows included on each. Different apps can run in each window, so it’s great for multitasking, and Toolbox also includes six pre-set configurations. (Free)
Cocktail Flow
Cocktail apps aren’t rare on iOS and Android, but this Windows app is a fine example of the genre. Select cocktail recipes by name, type and even colour, or – we like this bit – select all the spirits, mixers and liqueurs you have in your kitchen and the My Bar section will scan its database for cocktails it can create from them. (Free)
Star Chart
Star Chart takes a familiar app idea – using your tablet’s camera to explore the night sky – and executes it with tremendous panache. Use it as an augmented-reality star finder, or simply as an educational tool if you’re indoors – and it has a neat Night mode to make it easier to see what’s going on in the dark. (Free)
Khan Academy
If you haven’t heard of Khan Academy, it’s a global not-for-profit organisation that aims to educate the world for free. The iPad app gives access to its library of more than 3,200 teaching videos, covering all the branches of maths, the sciences (including its foray into computing), history and even finance and economics. It also has a section for talks, similar to the TED app. The quality of the teaching varies by topic and teacher, but it’s a free resource that’s designed specifically to engage and explain rather than simply talk at students. (Free)
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