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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Seelen UI is a desktop surroundings for Home windows.
- With this app, you may obtain a Linux or MacOS look.
- Seelen UI is free to make use of and set up on Home windows 10/11.
As a longtime Linux consumer, my opinion of the Home windows UI has by no means actually wavered: I believe it is fairly dismal. Provided that Linux has a cornucopia of desktop environments from which to decide on, it makes excellent sense that somebody who enjoys a very good aesthetic would have a look at Home windows and snub it like a cat snubs the brand new meals you simply purchased.
Once I obtained a laptop computer to evaluation that ran Home windows 11 (and, for some odd motive, would not let me boot from a USB drive so I might set up Linux), certainly one of my first ideas was, “How do I make this extra nice for myself?”
I remembered that builders — years in the past — had been creating “skins” to make Home windows look a bit extra pleasing for these of us who care. There have been a number of of those enjoyable initiatives, however finally, they began to die off.
Nonetheless, I assumed, there must be one thing on the market.
Then I discovered Seelen UI, a completely customizable desktop surroundings for Home windows.
I am not gonna lie: It is fairly cool. (Coming from a hard-core Linux consumer, that is saying one thing.) In keeping with the Seelen UI GitHub web page, it is a device “designed to reinforce your Home windows desktop expertise with a concentrate on customization and productiveness. It integrates easily into your system, offering a variety of options that mean you can personalize your desktop and optimize your workflow.” Sounds about proper.
I put in Seelen UI on that Home windows 11 laptop computer, and I used to be giddy with the outcomes. No, I am not leaving Linux due to this nifty desktop surroundings. However I’m right here to say: For those who hate the feel and appear of the Home windows 11 desktop, Seelen UI is precisely what you need.
Why it’s best to give Seelen UI a strive
First off, Seelen UI is a lot extra visually pleasing than the default Home windows desktop. Past the aesthetics, you additionally get issues like:
- The choice to make use of tiling home windows
- A wide selection of configuration choices
- An built-in media module
- An intuitive technique to shortly entry purposes and instructions
- Completely different themes, taskbar layouts, and icons
Set up is easy
As a result of it is a Home windows app, the set up is kind of easy. The simplest (and really helpful) technique is to find Seelen UI within the Microsoft App Retailer and set up it from there. You may as well obtain the binary installer (be sure to snag the most recent model), double-click on the downloaded file, and stroll by means of the set up wizard.
One factor to bear in mind is that Seelen UI should have each Microsoft Edge and WebView put in for it to work. WebView is put in by default in Home windows 11, nevertheless it must be put in in case you’re operating Home windows 10. The excellent news is that WebView is included within the installer, so be sure it is enabled throughout set up (for Home windows 10).
After set up, launch the app and stroll by means of the instructive Welcome wizard.
Now, earlier than I proceed, I wish to state a specific warning that Home windows customers are most probably accustomed to. There are quite a lot of third-party plugins and themes accessible. As with all piece of Home windows software program, please use warning since you by no means know if what you are putting in may have a malicious payload alongside for the journey. That is to not say Seelen UI falls below that class, however anytime I write about putting in one thing on Home windows, I really feel it essential to state that warning.
That being mentioned…
Customizing Seelen UI
The customization of Seelen UI is pretty easy. You may discover an app known as Seelen UI in your Home windows launcher. Click on that launcher to open the Seelen UI settings supervisor, the place you can also make all kinds of modifications and add new modules and themes. I added the Spherical Toolbar theme, the (Nearly) Liquid Glass (ala MacOS Tahoe) Dockbar theme, and the Spherical Toolbar theme. Collectively, these three themes made for a somewhat Budgie-like desktop.
For individuals who do not know, Budgie is a gorgeous and extremely configurable Linux desktop surroundings.
I additionally enabled the Fancy Toolbar, which lets you customise the topbar and Dock/Taskbar.
After I added or enabled these themes, the Home windows 11 desktop abruptly turned a wholly completely different beast — one which I did not thoughts utilizing.
You would spend quite a lot of time customizing Seelen UI, however when you get your desktop precisely the way you prefer it, you may be glad you made the hassle.
For those who’re caught utilizing Home windows however detest the way in which the desktop seems and feels, give Seelen UI a try to see if it does not make the time you spend on Home windows a bit extra nice.
