Free Fences Alternatives for Windows

There are many alternatives to Fences for Windows if you are looking for a replacement. The best free Windows alternative is Portals: Desktop Organization. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 10 alternatives to Fences and 11 are free and available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free Windows alternatives to Fences are Sideslide, Nimi Places, iTop Easy Desktop and ICU - Icon Configuration Utility.

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.

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Fences

283

Paid • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool

Windows
Steam

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

Learn more about Fences

Portals: Desktop Organization
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Shell Extension
Windows
11 alternatives to Portals: Desktop Organization
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.
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.
Group Icons
Drag and Drop
Configurable
Customizable
Folder Mirroring
Launcher
Dock
Organization
Portals: Desktop Organization vs Fences
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
Free and beautiful. A must have.
Positive comment• ago

0

rosspatdev
It looks like windows native.
Positive comment• ago

0
Sideslide
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Application Launcher
Windows
19 alternatives to Sideslide
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.
Suggest and vote on features
Sideslide Features
1. PortableSideslide can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Launcher
Multitasking
Sideslide vs Fences
Some users think Sideslide is a great alternative to Fences, some don't.
Guest
Very full featured program with a steep learning curve, but it's worth it.
Positive comment• ago

0

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

0

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

0

Guest
Because it's not similar and easy to use like Fences that is a very intuitive application
Negative comment• ago

1
Nimi Places
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Windows
16 alternatives to Nimi Places
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...
Suggest and vote on features
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
Nimi Places vs Fences
Some users think Nimi Places is a great alternative to Fences, some don't.
Guest
Free, and it works almost the same. Just has a little more setup than Fences does.
Top positive comment• ago

3

Diveji
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• ago

1

Guest
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• ago

5

Guest
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• ago

-2

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

6

Guest
Just the basic but allows to define area where you can store link...
Positive comment• ago

-1

Guest
Actually it is better than Fences, giving more control over created fences.
Positive comment• ago

-1
iTop Easy Desktop
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Windows
16 alternatives to iTop Easy Desktop
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 a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Windows
11 alternatives to ICU - Icon Configuration Utility
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.
Suggest and vote on features
ICU - Icon Configuration Utility Features
1. PortableICU - Icon Configuration Utility can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
ICU - Icon Configuration Utility vs Fences
This alternative is disputed. ICU - Icon Configuration Utility is still a legitimate alternative to Fences, but it might have issues that some users think are important.
Guest
It only keeps the icons arranged, don't let you make fences which I think is the best feature of it.
Negative comment• ago

0
XLaunchpad
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Application Launcher
Windows
54 alternatives to XLaunchpad
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.
Suggest and vote on features
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
ToolBox
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Application Launcher
Windows
10 alternatives to ToolBox
ToolBox is an application launcher for Windows operating systems with many amazing features. Easy to install, you can get going in minutes. Its drag & drop interface creates shortcuts to almost anything; applications, drives, folders, even simple files.
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ToolBox Features
1. PortableToolBox can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Drag and Drop
Customizing
Group Icons
Discontinued
The program is no longer updated. Last version, 2.97h, released in May 2011, can be still downloaded from the official website.

ToolBox vs Fences
Some users think ToolBox is a great alternative to Fences, some don't.
Partitions
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Shell Extension
Windows
8 alternatives to Partitions
Partitions is the ultimate app to help you organize your desktop! Gone are the days of cluttered desktops with dozens (or even hundreds) of files. Using Partitions, you can create groupings of files and shortcuts right on your desktop.
Suggest and vote on features
Partitions Features
Widgets
Customizable
Partitions vs Fences
pros, cons and recent comments
chansoftwaresolutions
I like how this app is free to use with great customizable options.
Positive comment• ago

-1
TopTabs
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Windows
3 alternatives to TopTabs
Windows desktop organiser.

TopTabs has no features, suggest some!

TopTabs vs Fences
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
Toptabs has far more useful features, better customisation and is FREE
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
Toptabs is more practical and very easy to use and after tuning some options it feels as natural as water
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
This is how Fences should have been! It can show over other programs, instead of only under and the icons are way better customizable
Positive comment• ago

0
Coodesker
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Desktop Customization Tool
Windows
12 alternatives to Coodesker
Automatically organize your desktop shortcuts icons and running tasks.

Coodesker has no features, suggest some!