Check out our latest list: The Best Portable Apps for Your Software Toolbox

Portable apps are lightweight versions of applications - either in size, functionality, or both - that don't use an installer. These can come in really handy as executables and any files associated with their operation are contained within a single folder, meaning you can run them directly from a USB drive or a cloud folder synced across PCs. Portable apps don't modify the Windows registry or leave behind configuration files on the host computer. This is especially useful in situations where you may not have administrative rights to install software, on public computers at a library, university, or at work.