Everything in its place.
Its own taskbar, an app menu and desktop icons. The way you are used to starting your day.
A familiar desktop.
A free system.
A start menu, taskbar and windows you recognize right away. A Linux desktop you can shape to your own taste.
Go to downloads See the desktopThe video could not be started. Use the video controls or open the recording directly.
Your muscle memory
can stay.
Open the start menu. Arrange windows. Put files on the desktop. The small things should feel right from the start.
Windows with room to breathe.
Arrange your windows the way you work. In floating mode, you can snap them to a screen edge.
Your taste matters.
Wallpaper, colors, input and apps in its own settings. With a light and a dark appearance.
Try it first.
Then install.
Boot the live ISO and explore the complete desktop without installing it.
If you want to keep WinDoesNot, open “Install WinDoesNot” in the live system. The selected drive is changed during installation. Back up important data before you install.
Go to downloadsBring your Windows
data along.
In the installer you see your Windows folders with their sizes and choose what comes along. Files from the Windows desktop end up in the Desktop folder of your new account.
Choose what moves.
Documents, pictures, music, videos, downloads and desktop: you decide what comes along.
Windows stays unchanged.
The installer only reads your Windows data and does not change Windows.
Passwords stay with you.
Passwords are not transferred. You export them in Windows. A program for that, "WinDoesNot Setup", is being built and is not finished yet.
Same desktop.
Different mood.
Light during the day. Dark in the evening. Adjust your desktop until it feels right, with matching colors for your programs.
Original recordings from development. Content and interface may still change before the release.
More than a look.
Ready to use.
Underneath the familiar desktop is CachyOS. WinDoesNot sets it up for your computer and explains what happens.
Made for your computer.
The installer detects your processor and graphics card, enables optimized packages and sets up the drivers.
Updates in clear words.
An updates page shows what changes and whether a restart is needed. Restore points save the system state.
Programs from one place.
The WinDoesNot Store finds programs in the repositories, on Flathub and, if you like, in the AUR.
No telemetry.
No ads.
WinDoesNot does not collect your habits or send your searches to Microsoft.
This website uses no tracking or analytics tools. It loads no external scripts or embedded content. The hosting service processes technical data needed to deliver the site.
Read the privacy policy
It started with
“There has to be
another way.”
The story behind WinDoesNot At the beginning of 2025 I switched from Windows to Linux. The desktop had to fit the way I work every day.
The first tweaks turned into my own interface, a start menu, a taskbar and settings. Out of that, an independent Linux desktop is taking shape, and I use it myself every day.
WinDoesNot is for people who are curious about Linux and want to bring familiar habits along. And for everyone who likes to design their own desktop.
From the community
You asked
for a download.
In December 2025, I shared my desktop on Reddit for the first time. People asked for the dotfiles and a release. That interest encouraged me to keep going.
The first live ISO and desktop sources are now public. If you try it, I would love to hear how it works for you.
Read the original Reddit post
More tasks, right on your desktop.
New tools help with apps, devices and everyday work.
Find and update apps.
The Store searches as you type, shows apps from Flathub and groups updates by source and topic. Flatpak is prepared. You can enable the AUR when you need it.
Keep an eye on graphics and audio.
Click the graphics icon for temperature, load and other live readings. The audio mixer lets you set the volume for each app.
Your choices in the installer.
You can also queue Chrome, Sublime Text and AI tools. They download after setup once you are online. Web apps such as Netflix or YouTube open as their own windows without browser bars. ArtCraft is on offer too and is downloaded after the installation.
Files on the desktop.
Copy, cut and paste with Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X and Ctrl+V or via right-click. You can also drag files from the file manager onto the desktop.
A boot menu in WinDoesNot style.
rEFInd, Limine and GRUB get their own theme. If you want the default look, turn it off in the settings.
A terminal with a greeting.
When you open it, it shows the WinDoesNot wordmark and system info. You can turn it off and choose Bash, Fish or Zsh.
For people
who build.
You can use a terminal on the desktop and view, start and stop containers in the Docker panel.
The Ollama panel shows local models. The installer lets you choose development and AI tools. Docker and Ollama require their respective services to be installed and reachable.
The next step:
your desktop.
WinDoesNot 0.1.0-27 is here: it runs, and it is still in active development. Try the live ISO and installer. Tested in UEFI VMs; real-hardware tests are still pending.
Choose ISO or dotfiles