TheLifehacker Packis a yearly snapshot of our favorite, essential applications for each of our favorite platforms.

For our always-updating directory of all the best apps, be sure to bookmark ourWindows App Directory.

So dont forget to grab those ones manually after youve installed the rest of the pack with Ninite!

You might need tocreate some special shortcuts for Modern UI appsin Windows 10, butits still our favorite.

The same can be said for Microsofts OneNote, whichgoes toe-to-toe with Evernote in most features.

Fortunately, you canswap over all of your Evernote notes in a snapif you feel like making the switch.

Thats what text expansion does, and it cansave you hours of typing.

Once youve gotten the hang of it though,Breevymight be a worthy upgrade.

If we had to pick a favorite, though,itd be Wunderlist.

Just start it up and start making your lists.

If you arent sure which one you need,check out our comparison between the two.

If you’re gonna wanna edit PDFs, check outour favorite PDF editor,PDF-XChange.

Just ensure to suspend the auto-start feature so it isnt always running.

VLC plays every file format under the sun, and itdoes it well.

Its the app wed recommend to just about anyone.

Its customizable, lightweight, and easy to usea hard combination to find.

If MusicBeeisnt your cup of tea, check out the extended pack below for a few more options.

Spotify is a great app to keep around.

Plus,music isnt the only thing you might listen to on Spotify.

There are audiobooks, radio dramas, language lessons, famous speeches, poetry, and even guided meditation.

When it comes to Windows, uTorrent isstill our tried-and-true BitTorrent app of choice.

Its got a few ads, but theyreeasy to disable.

Once youve got it set up, ensure its optimized forspeedandprivacy.

http://lifehacker.com/5936938/how-do-i-torrent-safely-now-that-demonoid-is-down

CrashPlan

Everyone needs a backup.

Theres no worse feeling than having your hard drive crash and having to start from scratch.

Plus, itsreally easy to set up.

Set it, forget it, and relax.

And research suggests thatreducing your exposure to blue light at night will help you sleep better.

you’re free to read more about how to use it effectivelyhere.

Chances are youll need this one day, so you might as well install it now.

Its perfect forcompressing a bunch of filesorsending sensitive information online.

If you arent sure, it wont hurt to hold off.

Just verify todisable Java in your browserfor.

Its a must-have for any Windows user, especially those that like to try a lot of software.

Best of all, its 100% free and open source.

Its $5, and one of the Windows programs thatswell worth paying for.

And now Fencessupports high DPI displays and is totally compatible with Windows 10.

Its everything you need tocreate a clean, organized desktopand keep it that way.

Weve put a few other music players in the Extended Pack that should fit almost any needs.

iTunes, while far from perfect, is ideal if you have any iOS devices to sync.

Try one of these and youre sure to be satisfied.

Even if you only edit the occasional INI file, Notepad++ will make you happy.

AutoHotkey basicallyturns any action you could imagine into a keyboard shortcut.

If you havent tried AutoHotkey yet, now is the timeyoull wonder how you ever lived without it.

http://lifehacker.com/5598693/the-best-time+saving-autohotkey-tricks-you-should-be-using

http://lifehacker.com/316589/turn-any-action-into-a-keyboard-shortcut

Illustration by Nick Criscuolo.