Here are 10 absolutely amazing docks that you can install on Windows 10. ObjectDock Stardock is one of the biggest names in customization on Windows, the company behind popular software products like WindowBlinds, Start10 and, well, ObjectDock. This dock sets up an animated launcher on your desktop, with app icons placed on a table. You can neatly organize your shortcuts, programs, and running tasks on this dock, on any edge of the screen. Plus, it is also possible to add additional functionality to it, like widgets for weather, a clock or a calendar, and a handy little battery status. You get the ability to completely change its appearance, making it as fancy as you want.
Objectdock 2.20; Windows 10. False running program with empty icon. Bugs fixed within days (!), without him whining about Windows 10 or, in one matter being the culprit, Google Chrome. Plus he enganged in a small discussion about usability of features and personal preferences. No dreadful hanging of docks, no.
Your favorite apps and programs can be added, even links to certain Windows features look nice here. XWindows Dock also comes with a plugin manager that although is a little complicated at first, can be used to add custom plugins.
This is what is used to make most of the changes in this dock, which can make the program feel a little too basic and inflexible on the outside. Yet, XWindows Dock is very customizable and richly filled with effects like reflections, transparency, shadow, and blur. It nevertheless remains one of the most stable and fast docks for the Windows platform, even if you will need to go looking for those additional modules to complete it. Circle Dock There are times when a name gives it all away, and this is one of those instances.
Circle Dock does exactly what it says on the tin — and that is offering a unique and interesting look, circle shaped obviously, for this fairly powerful dock. But the visual look is not the only thing that’s different. For starters, it works in quite a unique way than regular docks. That’s because it is not on the screen at all time, and you are required to initiate it first to use it. This can be done by in a simple fashion with the mouse, which immediately makes Circle Dock appear next to your mouse cursor, wherever it is. You will see all your pinned items as soon as the dock opens, with shortcuts to your apps and programs placed in a circular order.
These can be accessed with a single click. Not much customization options are part of what is, at the end of the day, a unique dock application, though the basic ones are here. The app also supports virtual desktops and plays nicely with multiple monitor configurations.
This free program is also available as a portable application, in case you don’t want to install it. But either way, Circle Dock is sure to add some new dimensions to your computer usage. Circular dimensions, that is to say.
Nexus Dock Why is that most products with the word Nexus in their name are usually all shiny and futuristic looking. Nexus Dock is no different and seems to have been designed to impress users with its stunning and stylish look. Of course, it also helps that not only is this application one of the best designed in the, shall we say, docking business, but also very customizable. It comes with 80 special commands, weather forecast, CPU and RAM usage monitoring, email notifications, and more. You can set custom icons for the items you place in your dock, which can go a long way to give your desktop a personal feel.
Speaking of the desktop, Nexus Dock can also double up as a replacement for the Taskbar, as it can show the minimized and running programs, as well as the System Tray right on the dock. If you want it to, that is. Other than that, you can expect top notch usability with this tidily designed application, ranging from the ability to pin your favorite apps and programs by moving them to the dock with your mouse, as well as support for files and folders. Getting the hang of this program is easy, and performance, snappy. Just like Stardock, Winstep is one of the more recognizable names in Windows customization. And while they have made Nexus Dock available for free, they also sell the pro version with more features for a somewhat substantial $24.95. But you do get features like multiple docks, sub-docks, tabbed docks and more in the appropriately named Winstep Nexus Ultimate.
Multibar Quick possibly the most stylish dock in this list, Multibar has been designed with one goal in mind. And that is to get you to your files, folders, applications, and tools as fast as possible.
Which is a noble enough quest, as far as goals go. It helps that the developers have baked in the whole array of other features into this program, making it one packed solution for power users. At first launch, Multibar will index your files and folders for use with the instant search feature. You can open the program with the simple press of a key on your keyboard (the default being the Windows key), and you will then be provided with a selection of quick launch commands. Type in the name of the program or folder you want to open, and hovering over the icons to show the recently used files.
An important consideration for professionals and power users. The settings panel comes with an ample set of options to customize the usage and look of Multibar, and it also houses the selection of skins to give the program a new themed look.
A weather forecast add-on is one of those that are available by default, and it shows a forecast for your location for the next 5 days. With its souped-up feature set, tons of customizability, and support for added tools and add-on, Multibar is a sleek, intuitive, and more importantly, unobtrusive dock application for Windows 10. Take it for a spin to see if it’s for you. Of course, open source does not mean much if the program is not capable enough, and Appetizer checks all the right boxes when it comes to the basic features one would expect from a dock application for Windows 10.
Including things like the ability to resize it, support for custom icons, plugins and skins, and a convenient little wizard to automatically import shortcuts. Organization of the icons is also simple, via dragging and dropping, and you can hide and show the dock with the press of a hotkey. It does miss out on some of the more elaborate features that are part of other docks, but that is to be expected. Appetizer keeps things elegant and easy, and sometimes that is all you need. Aqua Dock Now, here’s an application that took macOS inspiration to heart. This docking bar is almost a carbon copy of the one available on computers that a certain fruity company makes. It even has the Aqua art style in its name, something that was popularized by Apple a decade or so back.
Regardless, this tiny program delivers in both looks and functionality. You can hide the standard Windows 10 Taskbar, and rely on Aqua Dock completely if you want. It is even possible to make the actual dock transparent, in order to make the icons appear as if they are floating on the desktop. Changing the dimensions of the dock is as easy as dragging the window margins to the desired size, and the program can also be configured to enlarge the icons when the mouse pointer hovers over them to bring some attractive animation to the mix. Aqua Dock also offers an abundance of flexibility. You can drag and drop the executable file of any program, and its icon will be displayed instantly. And speaking of icons, any icon on the dock can be replaced with a custom one to keep things fresh and airy.