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 called 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
bbZero	GPL	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Discontinued
BumpTop	Apache License	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Discontinued
Calmira	GPL	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Discontinued
Emerge Desktop	GPL	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Discontinued
KDE Plasma Workspaces	GPL	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Stalled
LDE(X)	GPL	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Discontinued
LiteStep	GPL	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Stalled
Packard Bell Navigator	Proprietary	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	Discontinued
Pokki	Freeware	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Active
ReactOS Explorer	GPL	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Active
SharpEnviro	GPL	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Discontinued
TabWorks	Proprietary	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Discontinued
Talisman Desktop	Trialware	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Active

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