Give your Windows 11 a stylish new look - MacOS, Linux or simply more exciting

5 days ago 8

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ZDNET's key takeaways

You don't have to be stuck with the Windows 11 UI.
These three options can turn Windows 11 into something else.
Two of these options are free, and the other is affordable.

I remember, way back when I worked for a company that required the use of Windows, I discovered alternative user interfaces that could at least make Windows look a bit more exciting and, well, like Linux.

Flash forward to today, and I thought I'd see if some of those good old alternative Windows shells were still around. Although those UIs I remember using no longer exist, I did find three that are not only still available but can help give the Windows UI a facelift.

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Of these three shells, only one dramatically changes the way Windows 11 looks and feels, while one of them works a bit more subtly, and the other is even more subtle. But even with the changes, you can get Windows 11 to look a bit less square and clunky… if that's up your alley.

1. Seelen-UI

I covered Seelen-UI in depth back in 2025 and found it to be a real breath of fresh air. With this alternative shell, you can customize Windows to pretty much look however you want. You can move panels, change transparencies, alter the menu, theme the UI, and so much more. In just a few quick seconds, I was able to tweak the Windows 11 desktop to resemble MacOS or just about any given Linux desktop.

I find Seelen-UI to be the easiest way to have a custom Windows 11 desktop, but I don't think this is just for aesthetics. Seelen-UI also makes it possible to eke out a bit more efficiency from Windows, with a much-improved UI.

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With Seelen-UI, you can also add tiling windows into the mix, enjoy a vast array of customizations, use an integrated media module, and apply different themes, layouts, and icons.

Seelen-UI is fairly straightforward to use, and (even better), it's free.

What more can you ask for? Well, Seelen-UI allows you to get very granular with your customizations, and there are also plugins you can install, such as Fancy Taskbar and (Almost) Liquid Glass.

I would say, of all the alternative Windows shells I've ever tried, Seelen-UI is by far the best.

2. Cairo Desktop

Cairo Desktop comes in a close second for my favorite alternative Windows 11 desktop. Cairo Desktop is dynamic, gives you a more efficient programs menu, eliminates ads, supports folder stacks, and allows you to organize your start menu how you want it. You can quickly open important folder locations, create stacks on the menu bar, and browse from your desktop.

What does that even mean?

Essentially, Cairo Desktop serves as an interactive file browser. Double-click a folder to navigate without even having to open a file manager. You also get a dynamic desktop overlay, without having to hide or interrupt your work.

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Another handy feature is the ability to add/remove/manage the apps found in your desktop menu. You can even add categories to the menu and shift them around as needed. This is a great way to add even more efficiency to your Windows workflow.

From my perspective, Cairo is far more efficient than anything Microsoft has ever produced.

3. Start11

Start11 really just affects the Windows Start menu. This alternative was created by Windowblinds, which happens to have been one of my favorite alternative Windows shells from back in the day.

Start11 is much more subtle than the other two options, but if you already like the Windows 11 UI, you can give it a few personalized tweaks with this app.

You can choose from a selection of Start Menu styles, including Windows 7, Modern, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows App, Windows Pro, and Windows Launcher. Each option can be further customized to give it a unique look and feel.

The customizations do not end with the start menu, but also allow you to tweak the panel.

If you've ever wanted to give your traditional Windows 11 UI a bit of a facelift, Start11 is what you want.

The only caveat to Start11 is that it's not free. You can try Start11 with a 30-day trial, but after that, it's either $10 annually or a $20 one-time fee.

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