WindowBlinds Alternatives

WindowBlinds is described as 'Customize Windows interface with themes and skins, offering personalization for the Start menu, taskbar, and more, including fonts and colors' and is a System Tweaker in the os & utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to WindowBlinds for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Android, Android Tablet and BSD apps. The best WindowBlinds alternative is Open Shell, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like WindowBlinds are Classic Shell, 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, StartAllBack and FastKeys.

WindowBlinds iconWindowBlinds
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Customize Windows interface with themes and skins, offering personalization for the Start menu, taskbar, and more,...

More about WindowBlinds
More about WindowBlinds
WindowBlinds alternatives page was last updated Feb 17, 2025
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  1. Open Shell icon

    Open Shell

     99 likes
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    Open Shell is a fork of the Classic Shell project for Windows that getting back the classic start menu to modern versions of Microsoft Windows.

    40 Open Shell alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Open Shell screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Customize Windows
    2.  Change Start Button
    3.  System Tweaker
    4. File Explorer icon  Windows Explorer Extension
    5.  Make Taskbar Transparent
    6.  Ad-free

    Open Shell VS WindowBlinds

     

    • Open Shell is the most popular Windows alternative to WindowBlinds.

    • Open Shell is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to WindowBlinds.

    • Open Shell is Free and Open SourceWindowBlinds is Paid and Proprietary
    • Open Shell is Lightweight and Privacy focusedWindowBlinds is not according to our users
  2. Classic Shell icon

    Classic Shell

     208 likes
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    Classic Shell is free software that improves your productivity, enhances the usability of Windows, and empowers you to use the computer the way you like it.

    30 Classic Shell alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • BG flagBulgaria
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Explorer Settings
    Discontinued

    The developer announced that Classic Shell will be no longer developed because Windows 10 is updated too frequently and because Microsoft is making more difficult to customize Windows: http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8147 Last version, 4.3.1, released in August 2017, can be still downloaded from the official website, together with the source code.

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1. File Explorer icon  Windows Explorer Extension
    2.  Change Start Button
    3.  Customize Windows
    4.  Multiple languages

    Classic Shell VS WindowBlinds

     
  4. 7+ Taskbar Tweaker icon

    7+ Taskbar Tweaker

     98 likes
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    Customize the Windows taskbar with dozens of exclusive options.

    26 7+ Taskbar Tweaker alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • IL flagIsrael

    Platforms

    • Windows
    7+ Taskbar Tweaker screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Customize Windows
    3.  Multiple languages

    7+ Taskbar Tweaker VS WindowBlinds

     
    Comments about 7+ Taskbar Tweaker as an Alternative to WindowBlinds
    Guest
    Negative •Oct 10, 2021
    3

    It's a taskbar tweaker, nothing like windowsblinds.

    VeldrinMinamoto
    Negative •Jan 19, 2023
    0

    It's a great little tool to add functionality to the native Windows taskbar, but it doesn't really change the look. It is a tool to change the behaviour of the taskbar. Furthermore, the application also only refers to the taskbar. WindowBlinds, on the other hand, does not change the way the taskbar or Windows works, but changes the visuals and more than just the taskbar. Therefore, the two programmes are not comparable. Nevertheless, it is an essential little tool that everyone should know.

    WindowBlinds Icon
    7+ Taskbar Tweaker icon
    • 7+ Taskbar Tweaker is Free and ProprietaryWindowBlinds is Paid and Proprietary
    • 7+ Taskbar Tweaker is LightweightWindowBlinds is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    IObit Start Menu 8 icon
    IObit Start Menu 8

    Start Menu 8 can help users who are not willing to change their behaviors and bring back the classic start menu. Users can enjoy a familiar start menu again with just one click while other styles are also available.

    https://www.iobit.com
    Learn More
  6. StartAllBack icon

    StartAllBack

     25 likes
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    The Windows 11 version of the Startisback replacement shell. This software allows you to make Windows 11 look like previous versions of Windows or a modified version of itself.

    27 StartAllBack alternatives

    License model

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Desktop showcase

    StartAllBack Features

    1.  Customize Windows
    2.  Context Menu extension

    StartAllBack VS WindowBlinds

     

    • StartAllBack is the most popular commercial alternative to WindowBlinds.

    • StartAllBack is Paid and ProprietaryWindowBlinds is also Paid and Proprietary
  7. FastKeys icon

    FastKeys

     116 likes
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    All in one Windows automation software. Fully configurable text expander, start menu, shortcuts, auto complete and mouse gestures. User-defined commands to run files, open webpages, send macros or automate anything. Incredibly powerful but yet simple to use.

    127 FastKeys alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    FastKeys screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Text Expansion
    2.  Autocompletion
    3.  Autohotkey
    4.  Run Windows software
    5.  Portable
    6.  Cloud Sync
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Support for Gestures
    9.  Exe Compiler
    10.  Macro Recording
    11.  Support for Hotkeys
    12.  Launcher

    FastKeys VS WindowBlinds

     
  8. Start11 icon

    Start11

     26 likes
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    Enhance Windows 10/11 personalizing Start Menu and Taskbar with style changes, icon and section adjustments, taskbar improvements, quick access menus, and advanced search features for improved productivity.

    27 Start11 alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Start11 screenshot 1

    Start11 VS WindowBlinds

     
  10. StartIsBack icon

    StartIsBack

     32 likes
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    StartIsBack returns Windows 8 a real fully featured start menu and start button, behaving exactly like the ones in Windows 7. StartIsBack radically improves desktop usability and makes new Start screen clutter-free.

    27 StartIsBack alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Boot to Desktop

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Portable
    4.  Ad-free

    StartIsBack VS WindowBlinds

     
  11. RetroBar icon

    RetroBar

     11 likes
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    Pining for simpler times? RetroBar teleports you back in time by replacing your modern Windows taskbar with the classic Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Longhorn, or Vista style.

    18 RetroBar alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • CA flagCanada

    Platforms

    • Windows
    RetroBar screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Customize Windows
    2.  Themes

    RetroBar VS WindowBlinds

     
  12. Start Menu X icon

    Start Menu X

     26 likes
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    Start Menu X is a replacement of the system menu for professionals.

    Virtual Groups Group programs by purpose (office applications, graphics, etc) without changing their location on the hard drive.

    One-click start

    The PRO version allows you to assign a primary program to any f.

    25 Start Menu X alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Country of Origin

    • UA flagUkraine

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Start Menu X screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Tabbed interface

    Start Menu X VS WindowBlinds

     
  13. Start8 icon

    Start8

     29 likes
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    Return the Start Button to Windows 8 With these features:

    • Search for Windows 8-style (Modern UI) apps
    • Pin desktop and Metro apps to the start menu
    • Jump List support
    • Unified Search for apps, settings and files
    • Boot directly to the Windows 8 desktop
    • One click access to.

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Start8 screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    The program is only for Windows 8 and no longer updated. For Windows 10 or 11, Stardock offers Start11 icon Start11

    Start8 VS WindowBlinds

     
  14. Window Maker icon

    Window Maker

     7 likes
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    Window Maker has a reputation for being fast, efficient and highly stable. Window Maker has been characterized as reproducing "the elegant look and feel of the NeXTstep GUI" and is noted as "easy to configure and easy to use.

    40 Window Maker alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Window Maker, from www.windowmaker.org

    Window Maker Features

    1.  Unix-like

    Window Maker VS WindowBlinds

     

    • Window Maker is the most popular Linux alternative to WindowBlinds.

    • Window Maker is Free and Open SourceWindowBlinds is Paid and Proprietary
  15. Taskbar icon

    Taskbar

     3 likes
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    Puts a start menu and recent apps tray on top of your screen accessible at any time, increasing your productivity and turning your Android tablet or phone into a real multitasking machine.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid

    Taskbar VS WindowBlinds

     

    • Taskbar is the most popular Android & Android Tablet alternative to WindowBlinds.

    • Taskbar is Free and Open SourceWindowBlinds is Paid and Proprietary
12 of 38 WindowBlinds alternatives