How to Add a New Desktop Environment to Windows 11
Shell replacements are software packages that add new graphical user interface designs to Windows. There are precious few actively supported shell replacements currently available for Windows. Classic Shell is a popular one that remained actively supported until about 2017.
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How to Download and Install Cairo
Installation of Cairo is quick and straightforward. Note that .NET Framework 4.7.1 or higher is a system requirement for Cairo. This software is also compatible with Windows 7, 8, and 10 platforms. These are the steps for downloading and installing Cairo:
A “Welcome to Cairo” message will appear when you first launch the software. You’ll also notice a new menu bar along the top of the desktop and a taskbar dock at the bottom. Choose your language on the drop-down menu, and click theStart Tourbutton. That tour will tell you a bit about Cairo before you jump into its new desktop environment.
How to Organize Apps into Categories on Cairo’s Programs Menu
Cairo’s menu bar along the top of the desktop is something akin tothe menu bar on Mac computers. Seeing such a feature on the Windows 11 desktop is a pretty radical change.Programsis the most important menu on that bar that includes shortcuts for opening any software added to it. So, that’s kind of like Cairo’s alternative to the Start menu.
You can add programs to that menu and organize them with Cairo’sApp Grabber tool. Click theProgramsmenu and selectApp Grabber. Then you can add software to the menu by clickingBrowse, choosing a program EXE file, and selecting theOpenoption.
To organize apps on that menu, press theContinuebutton. it’s possible to add new program categories by clicking thePlusbutton and right-clickingUntitledon them to input titles. Left-click programs and hold the mouse button to drag them between categories. Then clickFinishto update the menu. You’ll see the new categories added on the right side of theProgramsmenu.
How to Create Folder Stacks on Cairo’s Menu Bar
You’ll find Cairo’s top menu bar even more useful when you’ve added some folder stacks to it. Then you’ll be able to access files directly from their folder stacks on the menu bar. Cairo’s menu bar already includesDocumentsandDownloadsstacks by default from which to access files.
To add a folder stack to the menu bar, click theChoose folderbutton on Cairo’s navigation bar. Select a folder to view in Cairo, and click theOKoption. Right-click anywhere on the desktop area and selectAdd to Stacks. Then you’ll see a stack for the folder appear on the menu bar.
Clicking a folder stack on the menu bar displays its contents across the desktop, like in the screenshot below. You can click the left/right arrows to scroll through the files. Press theOpen desktopbutton to view the folder’s contents on the desktop.
How to Browse Through Folders With Cairo’s Desktop Navigation Bar
Cairo displays folders’ contents on its desktop area, which makes File Explorer a little redundant. it’s possible to view folders on the desktop and browse through them with the navigation bar. Clicking theChoose folderbutton there opens a directory selection window from which you can choose a folder to display on the desktop. Then you can click theBackandForwardbuttons to flick through opened folders.
How to Add Shortcuts to Cairo’s Taskbar
Cairo has a taskbar that includes software windows, much like the one in Windows 11. However, Cairo’s taskbar looks more like the macOS Dock (users can alsoadd a Mac-style Dock to Windowswith WinStep Nexus). You can pin a shortcut to that taskbar by right-clicking a software window on it and selectingAdd to QuickLaunch.
The Task List on that taskbar is another cool Cairo feature. That feature includes a menu of all the open software windows on the taskbar. You can switch between windows by selecting them on the Task List menu.
How to Further Customize the Cairo Desktop
you could customize Cairo Desktop’s features from its settings window. To view that window, click the small circle on the far left of the menu bar. Then selectCairo Settingson the menu.
TheMenu Bartab includes customization settings for Cairo’s menu bar. you may deselect theClock,Action Center, orSearchcheckboxes there to remove those items from the menu bar. Or select a different category for theProgramsmenu on theDefault programs categorydrop-down menu.
If you want to change the desktop’s home folder, click theDesktoptab. Then click theDesktop homeoption’s…button to choose a different home folder for Cairo Desktop. You can also change the wallpaper by clicking the ellipsis button for thePathoption.
TheTaskbartab enables you to change the appearance of Cairo’s taskbar. You can resize its icons by selecting one of the three radio buttons for theIcon sizeoption. Deselect theShow badges,Show labels, andShow window thumbnailoptions if you prefer the taskbar not to include those things. Enabling theFull display widthcheckbox will extend that taskbar across the whole screen like the one on Windows 11’s default desktop.
TheAdvancedtab includes aSet Cairo as Shelloption. Click that button if you want Cairo to replace the Explorer shell. Then Windows 11 will automatically start up in the Cairo Desktop environment. Note that you can’t select to exit the Cairo Desktop when it’s set as the shell. However, you can always undo that setting by selecting the correspondingSet Windows Explorer as Shelloption.
You’ll need to log out for some customization changes to take effect. To do so, click the circle on the menu bar and selectLog Off. Then clickLog Offon the confirmation prompt.
Transform the Windows 11 Desktop Environment With Cairo
it’s possible to step into a whole new Windows 11 desktop environment with Cario installed. Cairo effectively integrates folder navigation into its desktop environment, so you’ll seldom need to access File Explorer. Its navigation and menu bars make folders and files more directly accessible from the browseable desktop, which is a notable enhancement. So, many users may prefer Cairo’s more dynamic desktop to the default one in Windows 11.
Fancy breaking out of a two-dimensional desktop? Here’s how to set up a 3D desktop in Windows 11 and 10.
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