List of alternative shells for Windows

This is a list of software that provides an alternative graphical user interface for Microsoft Windows operating systems. The technical term for this interface is a shell. Windows' standard user interface is the Windows shell; Windows 3.0 and Windows 3.1x have a different shell, called Program Manager. The programs in this list do not restyle the Windows shell, but replace it; therefore, they look and function differently, and have different configuration options.

Shell	Software license	Windows versions									Development status
		3.1x	9x	2000	XP	Vista	7	8	10	11
Blackbox	GPL	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Stalled
BumpTop	Apache License	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Template:Site inactive
Cairo Shell	Apache License	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Template:Site active
Calmira	GPL	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
Central Point Desktop	Template:Proprietary	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
Classic Shell	Template:Proprietary	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Template:Site inactive
Emerge Desktop	GPL	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
LDE(X)	GPL	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
LiteStep	GPL	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Stalled
Norton Desktop	Template:Proprietary	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
Open-Shell	MIT License	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Template:Site active
Packard Bell Navigator	Template:Proprietary	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
NewWave	Template:Proprietary	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
Program Manager II	MIT License	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Stalled
SharpEnviro	GPL	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
TabWorks	Template:Proprietary	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive
Talisman Desktop	Template:Proprietary	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Stalled
Xerox Rooms	Template:Proprietary	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Template:Site inactive

See also

• Comparison of Start menu replacements for Windows 8
• Comparison of X Window System desktop environments
• Desktop environment
• History of the graphical user interface
• Microsoft Bob
• Removal of Internet Explorer