PC Pro

{{Short description|British computer magazine}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}

{{Infobox magazine

| image_file = PC Pro November 2024 cover.webp

| image_caption = Cover of the November 2024 issue

| title = PC Pro

| editor = Tim Danton{{cite web|url=http://www.pcpro.co.uk/contact|title=Contact Us|access-date=16 January 2017}}

| frequency = Monthly

| circulation = 24,232 Jan-Dec 2016

| category = Computer magazine

| company = Future plc{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/aug/16/country-life-owner-buys-dennis-publishing-in-300m-deal|title=Country Life owner buys Dennis Publishing in £300m deal|date=August 16, 2021|website=the Guardian}}

| founded = 1994

| firstdate = November 1994

| country = United Kingdom

| based = London

| language = British English

| website =

}}

File:PC Pro magazine May 1997.jpg

PC Pro is one of several computer magazines published monthly in the United Kingdom by Future plc. Its headquarters is in London.{{cite book|author=Caroline Taggart|title=Writer's Market 2010: Make Money Writing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j6iqPJyUmfwC&pg=PT638|year=2010|publisher=F+W Media|isbn=978-0-7153-3529-1|page=638}} PC Pro also licenses individual articles (or even the whole magazine) for republication in various countries around the world - and some articles are translated into local languages.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}} {{As of|2006|lc=on}}, it claimed to be the biggest-selling monthly PC magazine in the UK.{{cite web|url=http://subscribe.pcpro.co.uk|title=PC Pro Magazine|work=PC Pro|access-date=16 January 2017}}

PC Pro is promoted as a magazine for "IT professionals, IT managers and power users."{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}} It is a fairly 'rounded' magazine as it contains information on many different aspects of IT (such as cheap hardware, extreme hardware, software, business, home, retailers) rather than just one of these areas like many UK PC magazines. While it is primarily Windows-focused, it does contain some open source and Apple content.

The magazine was launched in November 1994.[https://web.archive.org/web/20060217012534/http://wsa.org/prnewswire/detail.asp?newsFEedID=147410 Internet Archive copy of news release]; date mentioned half-way down page, in About PC Pro section{{cite web|title=Magazine launches in 1993, 1994 and 1995|website=Magforum|url=http://www.magforum.com/1993-95.htm|access-date=24 September 2023}} The website was launched in December 1996. On 3 June 2015 Dennis Publishing relaunched the PC Pro website as Alphr.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dennis.co.uk/awards/602/dennis-publishing-launches-alphr-a-fresh-take-on-technology|title=Dennis Publishing launches Alphr – a fresh take on technology|work=Dennis Publishing|access-date=16 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629101012/https://www.dennis.co.uk/awards/602/dennis-publishing-launches-alphr-a-fresh-take-on-technology|archive-date=29 June 2015|url-status=dead}} The magazine continued to operate under the PC Pro brand, with the two publications occasionally sharing content but otherwise serving different audiences with bespoke content.

Each issue used to come with a cover disc – either a CD in the £4.49 version or a DVD in the £5.99 edition. The CD contained complete commercial software products (usually older versions) and commercial software trials. The DVD contained these and also a selection of applications which featured in every issue. These regular applications are usually freeware or open source.

The issue of cover discs has been superseded by downloadable software accessible via a 'bonus software code' printed on the spine of each issue.

The PC Pro team also publish a weekly podcast available on the Magazine website and on the iTunes Store.

In February 2001 they reissued, with new artwork, a free copy of the controversial "Area 51: The Alien Interview" DVD.

Future acquired Dennis Publishing and its computing division including PC Pro in 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-08-16|title=Country Life owner buys Dennis Publishing in £300m deal|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/aug/16/country-life-owner-buys-dennis-publishing-in-300m-deal|access-date=2021-09-18|website=the Guardian|language=en}}