Fences Alternatives
Fences allows you to compartmentalize and organize your desktop by dividing it into sections. As paid Windows software, many of you might be looking for free alternatives to Fences. Also, since it is exclusively available on Windows, others will be looking for similar software available on macOS and Linux.
Fences alternatives are mainly Desktop Customization Tools but may also be Application Launchers or Shell Extensions. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Fences.Portals: Desktop Organization
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo11 Portals: Desktop Organization alternatives- Free • Proprietary
- Desktop Customization Tool
- Shell Extension
- Windows
Create containers (aka Portals) on your desktop which show the contents of a specified folder. Divide your desktop into folders then use Portals to display the contents of the folders in an organized fashion - you can even hide the folders away somewhere else.
- - Portals: Desktop Organization is the most popular Windows alternative to Fences.
- - Portals: Desktop Organization is the most popular free alternative to Fences.
Portals: Desktop Organization Features
Comments about Portals: Desktop Organization as a Alternative to Fences
Free and beautiful. A must have.
0It looks like windows native.
0Nimi Places
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo16 Nimi Places alternatives- Free Personal • Proprietary
- Desktop Customization Tool
- Windows
Organizes desktop into customizable containers - showing folders (e.g.: local folders, network locations) contents, displayed as icons/thumbnails on scrollable surface. In-built thumbnail engine is capable of displaying thumbnails for supported Open Documents and PSD images, but...
Nimi Places Features
Comments about Nimi Places as a Alternative to Fences
Free, and it works almost the same. Just has a little more setup than Fences does.
3I wanted to organize my desktop the way fences can and it worked out beatifully. I got just what I wanted from Nimi Places for free
1This performs ONE of Fences' secondary functions: displaying the contents of directories OTHER THAN the Desktop as virtual containers on the Desktop. IT IS NOT for organizing Desktop icons/files or setting up automatic rules for categorization of new Desktop icons/files.
5Nimi Places is not an exact replica of Fences, but(!) it will give you the look and feel. Instead of everything being on your desktop, it links it a folder. I am just going to change my behavior a tad and just know that my files, when placed in the fence, are not stored on the actual desktop. I still have easy access to move the files between the desktop to fence and vice versa, which is most important to me.
-2It will not organize my icons on my desktop.
6Sideslide
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo20 Sideslide alternatives- Free • Proprietary
- Application Launcher
- Windows
SideSlide is an advanced, portable, unobtrusive, dockable, skinnable, instantly accessible, highly configurable Desktop Extension on Steroids! Clean desktop clutter and make your computer friendlier and faster than ever before.
Sideslide Features
Comments about Sideslide as a Alternative to Fences
Very full featured program with a steep learning curve, but it's worth it.
0Running it triggers my virus scanner (BitDefender) about malware injection.
0It's a very comprehensive program with lots of features that can change the way you work with Windows.
0Because it's not similar and easy to use like Fences that is a very intuitive application
1CLaunch
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo54 CLaunch alternatives- Free • Proprietary
- Application Launcher
- Windows
You are free to choose double-click on the desktop and move mouse to the corner of the screen, such as a hot key, how to display more than 100.
CLaunch Features
XLaunchpad
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo55 XLaunchpad alternatives- Freemium • Proprietary
- Application Launcher
- Windows
XLaunchpad gives you instant access to all your shortcuts. Arrange apps in XLaunchpad any way you like by dragging icons to different locations or by grouping apps in folders. Simply drag one icon over another to create a folder.
WarningXLaunchPad setup installs adware extensions for browsers. VirusTotal result: https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/2a8eca9357cfae211564426dc461832ca2de70a9318ecba0468c4586fc4f4ffc/analysis/1426619620/ WOT comments: https://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/xwidget.com
Folderview Screenlet
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo6 Folderview Screenlet alternatives- Free • Proprietary
- Desktop Customization Tool
- Shell Extension
- Linux
- Screenlets
Folderview Screenlet is a Linux alternative to Fences (which is for Windows).
- - Folderview Screenlet is the most popular Linux alternative to Fences.
Folderview Screenlet Features
DiscontinuedThe program is no longer updated. Last version, 0.9.9, released in August 2010, can be still downloaded from the official website.
Opinions about Folderview Screenlet as a Alternative to Fences
iTop Easy Desktop
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo16 iTop Easy Desktop alternatives- Free • Proprietary
- Desktop Customization Tool
- Windows
iTop Easy Desktop is a free and easy-to-use desktop manager to organize your desktop apps, files, and folders according to your rules, freeing you from laboriously sorting desktop icons. It delivers various practical features including but not limited to grouping desktop items...
iTop Easy Desktop Features
ICU - Icon Configuration Utility
Is this is a good alternative?YesNo11 ICU - Icon Configuration Utility alternatives- Free • Open Source
- Windows
Restore your desktop when the icons get “rearranged”.
Melba23 and I found we were working on very similar ideas to restore the Desktop icons to their normal place if they became “rearranged”. Vista seems to like this doing on occasion just for fun – but we all know some applicat.
- - ICU - Icon Configuration Utility is the most popular Open Source alternative to Fences.
ICU - Icon Configuration Utility Features
Comments about ICU - Icon Configuration Utility as a Alternative to Fences
It only keeps the icons arranged, don't let you make fences which I think is the best feature of it.
0iCollections is an expertly designed application which helps you keep your desktop organized. The app's unique features are what make it the most popular method of desktop organization for Mac users.
- - iCollections is the most popular Mac alternative to Fences.
- - iCollections is the most popular commercial alternative to Fences.
iCollections Features
Comments about iCollections as a Alternative to Fences
Runs on Mac, has beautiful drawers that auto-shrink, can use (different levels of) transparency, is even more easy to use than Fences on Windows.
0