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.

Fences alternatives page was last updated

Fences

286

Paid • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool

Fences allows you to organize your PC by automatically placing your shortcuts and icons into resizable shaded areas on your...

More about Fences

Portals: Desktop Organization
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Shell Extension
Windows
11 Portals: Desktop Organization alternatives
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.
Suggest and vote on features
Portals: Desktop Organization Features
1. LightweightPortals: Desktop Organization consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Ad-freePortals: Desktop Organization doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. Works OfflinePortals: Desktop Organization can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
Group Icons
Drag and Drop
Configurable
Customizable
Launcher
Organization
Folder Mirroring
Window organizer
Dock
Comments about Portals: Desktop Organization as a Alternative to Fences
Almost everyone thinks Portals: Desktop Organization is a great Fences alternative.
Free and beautiful. A must have.
Positive comment•
0

It looks like windows native.
Positive comment•
0
Nimi Places
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Windows
16 Nimi Places alternatives
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...
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Nimi Places Features
1. PortableNimi Places can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Group Icons
Skinnable
Special Folders
Configurable
Comments about Nimi Places as a Alternative to Fences
Some users think Nimi Places is a great Fences alternative, some don't.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Free, and it works almost the same. Just has a little more setup than Fences does.
Top positive comment•
3

I 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
Top positive comment•
1

This 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.
Top negative comment•
5

Nimi 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.
Positive comment•
-2

It will not organize my icons on my desktop.
Negative comment•
6

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5 of 7 comments
Sideslide
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Application Launcher
Windows
20 Sideslide alternatives
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.
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Sideslide Features
1. PortableSideslide can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Launcher
Multitasking
Comments about Sideslide as a Alternative to Fences
Some users think Sideslide is a great Fences alternative, some don't.
Very full featured program with a steep learning curve, but it's worth it.
Positive comment•
0

Running it triggers my virus scanner (BitDefender) about malware injection.
Comment•
0

It's a very comprehensive program with lots of features that can change the way you work with Windows.
Positive comment•
0

Because it's not similar and easy to use like Fences that is a very intuitive application
Negative comment•
1
CLaunch
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Application Launcher
Windows
54 CLaunch alternatives
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.
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CLaunch Features
1. LightweightCLaunch consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Support for GesturesCLaunch supports touch or mouse gestures and interactions.
3. Ad-freeCLaunch doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
4. PortableCLaunch can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
5. Support for ThemesYou can use themes and templates to change the look and feel of CLaunch.
Customizable
XLaunchpad
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Application Launcher
Windows
55 XLaunchpad alternatives
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.
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XLaunchpad Features
1. PortableXLaunchpad can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Launcher
Warning
XLaunchPad 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?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Shell Extension
Linux
Screenlets
6 Folderview Screenlet alternatives
Folderview Screenlet is a Linux alternative to Fences (which is for Windows).
- - Folderview Screenlet is the most popular Linux alternative to Fences.
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Folderview Screenlet Features
Group Icons
Discontinued
The 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
Almost everyone thinks Folderview Screenlet is a great Fences alternative.
iTop Easy Desktop
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Windows
16 iTop Easy Desktop alternatives
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...
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iTop Easy Desktop Features
Customizable
ICU - Icon Configuration Utility
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Windows
11 ICU - Icon Configuration Utility alternatives
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.
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ICU - Icon Configuration Utility Features
1. PortableICU - Icon Configuration Utility can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Comments about ICU - Icon Configuration Utility as a Alternative to Fences
Some users think ICU - Icon Configuration Utility is a great Fences alternative, some don't.
It only keeps the icons arranged, don't let you make fences which I think is the best feature of it.
Negative comment•
0
iCollections
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Mac
14 iCollections alternatives
iCollections 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.
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iCollections Features
Extensive customization
Group Icons
Drag and Drop
Customizable
Comments about iCollections as a Alternative to Fences
Most users think iCollections is a great Fences alternative.
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.
Positive comment•
0