Alternatives to Cairo Desktop

Open-source desktop environment for Windows that replaces the standard taskbar and shell. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Cairo Desktop.

  • Seelen UI

    Customize the Windows desktop with replacement interface components.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    Seelen UI also replaces parts of the Windows desktop with configurable panels, launching and window-management features, and is open source under AGPL-3.0.

  • RetroBar

    A replacement Windows taskbar with classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP or Vista styles.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    RetroBar replaces only the Windows taskbar, in classic Windows 95 to Vista styles, rather than the whole shell, and remains free and open source.

  • StartAllBack

    Customize the Windows 11 Start menu, taskbar and Explorer interface.

    PaidProprietaryWindows

    StartAllBack customises the existing Windows 11 Start menu, taskbar and Explorer instead of replacing the shell, but it is paid and closed source.

  • ExplorerPatcher

    Brings the Windows 10 taskbar, Start menu and Alt+Tab back to Windows 11, along with a lot of other interface options.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    ExplorerPatcher patches Explorer to restore the Windows 10 taskbar and Start menu on Windows 11, is open source under GPL-2.0, and major Windows updates can break it.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.