Technology is always evolving, and companies always want to keep you moving forward and leaving behind the old way of doing things. But some things stick around for longer, and sometimes, software can last years and even decades after its prime. There are quite a few pieces of software you probably rely on today that have been around for a very long time, and in some cases, they're still used despite not having many changes.

So, for a bit of a throwback, we've rounded up some of the most iconic pieces of old software that are still alive and kicking... in one way or another. Let's take a trip down memory lane.

10 Control Panel

Yes, this one is obvious

We couldn't talk about legacy software without mentioning the one piece of software that Microsoft has kind of been trying to repalce for years now. The Control Panel has been around since the very beginning of Windows history, but with Windows 8, Microsoft started moving some options to a new app, called PC Settings. This was mostly meant for tablets, but with Windows 10 in 2015, the new Settings app was meant to be a proper successor to the Control Panel. Ever since then, the Settings app has gained more capabilities with each update, but as much as Microsoft tries to hide the Control Panel, it's still there in Windows 11, and it's still very important.

Many options are still only available in the classic Control Panel. Need to disable fast startup? Manage BitLocker drive encryption? Even creating a screensaver requires you to use the old Control Panel, and that's not even getting into many of the more niche options available there. In some instances, the Settings app even directs you to the Control Panel, but many options you have to gid for yourself. Either way, the Control Panel isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

9 WindowBlinds

The good old days of Windows customization

If you grew up in the late 90s or the 2000s, there's a very good chance you heard of WindowBlinds. Back in the day, changing the look of Windows to anything you wanted was the dream, and I definitely remember trying out some interesting themes on my laptop. WindowBlinds is an icon of Windows customization, and we wouldn't blame you for thinking it's dead. But it still exists and it kind of works.

Here's the thing: Microsoft has locked down the Windows UI quite a bit more since those days, and now, a lot of Windows can't be easily customized the same way it could before. So, while Stardock did release a new version of WindowBlinds last year, using it on Windows 11 really doesn't evoke the same feelings it used to. But hey, it technically still exists and works, if you can deal with its limitations today.

8 Notepad

Somehow, it keeps getting better

Another piece of software that's been around Windows forever is the Notepad, which also appeared in the first-ever release of Windows. Unlike Control Panel, though, Notepad hasn't just been left in Windows with no changes. Ever since Windows 10 came out, Microsoft has been keen on adding all kinds of improvements to Notepad. First there was dark mode support, then the ability to create and use multiple tabs, and even an auto save feature.

Microsoft is even adding spellchecking to Notepad, continuing to build on the legacy of this very old, but surprisingly useful app. Notepad may be old, but it doesn't feel like it has aged a day.

7 CCleaner

It totally makes your PC faster, right?

CCleaner is another one of those iconic pieces of third-party software that's kind of fallen by the wayside as time went on. The need to delete temporary files has really been reduced since Microsoft has its own cleaning tools built into Windows, which are normally set to run automatically, plus CCleaner has been involved in some controversy over the years.

CCleaner is still alive and kicking but most of its features aren't really worth much. You may be tempted by its "registry cleanup" claims, or even the ability to update your drivers, but most of these tools have drawbacks that can sometimes cause more headaches than they solve. But hey, it's still there.

6 Internet Explorer

It's dead, but not entirely

Microsoft really dragged the inevitable death of Internet Explorer as much as it could, but the browser eventually reached its true demise last year after many years of preparation. But the spirit of Internet Explorer isn't actually gone just yet.

IE was replaced by the Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge, but it was such a popular tool for years that Microsoft just couldn't leave its customers behind. And so, Microsoft Edge comes with a feature called IE mode, which allows Edge to replicate the behavior of Internet Explorer for tools that still require those older technologies that aren't supported in any other browser. You may not ever use this feature, buut in some businesses, some tools still depend on specific IE technologies, and IE mode is the only way to access those tools today. The browser may be gone, but it's core remains.

5 WinZip

Yes, it still exists (for some reason)

Back in the day, handling archive files wasn't something you could count on Windows to do by itself, and the alternatives that supported all those file types were often paid. Sure, today we ahve tools like 7-Zip and WinRAR that mostly work for free, but back in the days when charging for this kind of feature was acceptable, WinZip was a big player. Most of you have probably erased WinZip from your memories, and if that's the case, I'm very sorry to tell you that it still exists and gets updated.

WinZip is owned by Alludo, a company better known by its former name Corel Corporation, arguably everyone's favorite maker of software no one cares about anymore. The program is still sold, and it even comes with different pricing options if you want to unlock some extra features. Is there a reason to use it today? No, but at least the free 21-day trial is more than enough to remind yourself of why 7-Zip is a better option.

4 Winamp

It's not the same, but it lives on

Winamp was one of the most popular media players (especially music) in the mid-2000s, but development slowed down in the early 2010s and things came to a halt for a few years. After changing hands a couple of times, Winamp was finally brought back in 2018, and the platform has been receiving updates since.

Winamp isn't just a music player anymore, it's also a platform for creators to upload their music and get support from their fans, which can compensate them by buying certain perks. You can also find podcasts on the Winamp website, but a Windows client is still available for download if you just want a local music player. But it's fair to say things aren't quite what they used to be.

3 iTunes

It's still kind of alive

iTunes is one of the most well-known pieces of Apple software, but in 2019, the company replaced it with multiple different apps... on macOS, at least. iTunes was split into Apple Music, Podcasts, Apple TV, and some features were built into Finder. But for Windows, iTunes stuck around for a few more years, until in 2023, Apple finally replaced them with Apple Music, Apple TV, and the Apple Devices app for managing an iPhone or iPad.

But iTunes is still alive for a couple of things. First, since there's no Apple Podcasts app on Windows, you can still use iTunes for that as well as audiobooks. But also, the Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps all require access to the Microsoft Store and you need to be running Windows 10 or later. So there's a chance your PC still doesn't support them, and in that case, iTunes is for you. So while iTunes is on its last legs, it's not quite gone yet.

2 Adobe Flash

Gone, but not forgotten

Adobe's Flash technology used to feel like the backbone of the internet, but the advent of HTML5 really turned the technology into laughing stock, and it felt like everyone wanted Flash to be dead and buried. So, after years of mounting pressure to end it, Adobe finally terminated support for Flash in 2020, after initially deprecating it in 2017.

But Flash also had a huge legacy. You couldn't be a kid in the 90s and 2000s and not know of at least one website where you played all your Flash games (for me, it was Miniclip and Minijuegos, but there were a lot of options). And while you can't use Flash anymore in your browser, one of the minds behind Newgrounds developed Ruffle, a Flash emulator that allows you to play all kinds of Flash content in your browser without any of the risks of using outdated technology. It really can't be understated how huge this move was for the preservation of these old games. Going to Newgrounds today is a total nostalgia blast with so many Flash-based games still available to play right in the browser. Even if I don't play a lot of these games myself, it's so good to see this legacy kept alive.

1 Windows XP

Yes, really

You may be thinking no one uses Windows XP anymore, but in reality, there's a good chance millions of people still use Windows XP today. It just may not be on their own PCs, and they may not know about it.

While consumers are often forced to upgrade for one reason or another, many businesses will do everything they can to avoid spending money and time upgrading their tools, and a great example of that are ATMs. As recently as 2020, a study showed that a lot of ATMs are still running Windows XP, and we'd bet money that a good chunk of them are still running that same OS today. But there's probably a lot more, from medical or industrial equipment that has a single-purpose application to POS systems. Much of the world still runs on Windows XP, even if it is unbeknownst to most people.

Old technology dies hard

As quickly as the technology world tends to evolve, it seems like some parts of the industry have no interest in moving forward. It's impressive just how much old software can still be important in toda's world. Sometimes, it's important to users, other times, it may just be important for the companies who own these once massively popular brands. But in one way or another, they live on.