Deskloom

Overview

Deskloom is a free Windows app for coordinating desktop appearance and layout in reusable scenes. It suits people who want wallpaper, taskbar styling, widgets, desktop groups and cursors managed together. Its local operation and rollback options are compelling, but its strict Windows 11 requirement excludes older systems.

Key features

A scene can coordinate wallpaper, taskbar style, widgets, workspace layout, desktop groups and cursors. That breadth is useful if you want a consistent desktop arrangement you can reuse, rather than separate tools for each customization. Five built-in scenes provide a starting point without an online gallery.

Taskbar choices run from System Default to Crystal Clear, Atmosphere Glass, Immersive Solid and Floating Dock. Widgets include clocks, system readings, Quick Notes, network throughput, storage and battery cards. These options cover appearance and glanceable information, but the Microsoft Store 1.0 release does not replace classic Windows desktop-system icons.

Desktop groups visually arrange existing items while leaving their files where Windows keeps them. That helps tidy a crowded desktop without moving files, though it is not a file-management system. Capability checks, recovery journals, rollback and a Restore Windows defaults option support reversible Windows changes.

Scenes, settings, imported assets and layouts stay in the Windows user profile; no account or runtime internet connection is required. Deskloom has no advertising, behavioral analytics, usage tracking, cloud sync, online gallery or maker telemetry and diagnostic-upload service. Imported self-contained HTML wallpaper is blocked from network access, downloads and external navigation. Support diagnostics are optional, stop automatically within 24 hours and are not uploaded automatically. Direct support opens the user's mail application without automatically attaching diagnostics or files. Weather is off by default; enabling it sends configured latitude and longitude to MET Norway for forecasts.

Pricing

Deskloom costs nothing through the Microsoft Store release. There is no paid tier to weigh against the free version. That makes it an easy choice to try if your PC meets the requirement, though the offer is specifically the Store release rather than a broader platform option.

Platforms

Deskloom requires x64 Windows 11 version 25H2 (build 26200) or later. Windows 10 and earlier Windows 11 releases are unsupported, a significant compatibility constraint for anyone unable or unwilling to update.

Who it's for

Choose Deskloom if you want several desktop customizations assembled into reusable scenes, prefer local storage, and value recovery controls. Look elsewhere if you need classic system-icon replacement or use an unsupported Windows version.

Pros and cons

Pro: Scenes coordinate multiple desktop controls, reducing the need to manage separate customizations individually.

Pro: Local storage, no account requirement and no runtime internet dependency suit privacy-conscious users.

Pro: Recovery journals, rollback and a Windows-defaults restore option make changes more reversible.

Con: The Windows 11 25H2 minimum rules out Windows 10 and earlier Windows 11 releases.

Con: Classic Windows desktop-system icons remain outside the Store 1.0 product's scope.

Alternatives

Taskbar Customization Software is a useful category starting point if you want to compare taskbar-focused choices.

Choose DisplayFusion instead if its freemium model and Windows support better fit your setup; its Pro Standard plan is $34 as a one-time purchase, billed per machine for a lifetime license. Winstep Nexus Dock is a Windows freemium alternative if you want a dock-centered option, with free personal use and a $12.95, paid once commercial license per user.

SpaceMonger is a paid Windows alternative with a free trial. GroupManager is a free, GPL-3.0 self-hosted option. MonitorDock is a free GPL-3.0 Windows alternative for Windows 10/11 64-bit. RainbowTaskbar is a free and open-source Windows taskbar customization option. SmartTaskbar is a free Windows alternative with no paid plans or usage limits stated. Taskbar Groups is a free MIT-licensed Windows utility.

Verdict

Deskloom is a strong fit for Windows 11 25H2 users who want coordinated, reusable desktop scenes with local settings and recovery controls. Its breadth and privacy-conscious design are the reasons to choose it; the narrow OS requirement and missing classic system-icon replacement are the reasons to look elsewhere.