Create a desktop dock
Add a folder from the Manager, choose its expand style, and drop it onto your desktop icon grid.
Free public beta · v0.4.4
Every shortcut group, one desktop icon.
DeskRipple is a Windows 10 and 11 desktop shortcut organizer. Its folders sit alongside your regular desktop icons — hover or click one to open its shortcuts, and it closes back to a single icon. The desktop stays clear without burying anything in a Start-menu folder.
Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) · no account · code-signed installer
Code-signed installer Microsoft Trusted Signing
No subscription One-time paid app planned later
Feels native Snaps to the real desktop icon grid
Private by default No account · diagnostics off
Open only when you need it.
Hover or click a folder. Pick Grid, Column, Row, Fan, or Ring per folder.
Why it exists
For people who actually use their desktop shortcuts.
“My desktop was always either an icon wall, or a pile of shortcuts buried in Start-menu folders.”
DeskRipple is built by a solo developer to make desktop groups that live where your shortcuts already are — on the desktop. Each one takes up a single icon until you reach for it, then collapses out of the way.
It's for Windows users who want organization that feels native, stays light, and never turns into another subscription.
No install required
Try the expand styles in your browser.
The demo lets you feel the core interaction first — hover a folder and watch it open in Grid, Column, or Fan (the app adds Row and Ring). It's the fastest way to tell whether DeskRipple fits how you work.
How it works
A dock that behaves like part of the desktop.
It isn't a live folder mirror and it isn't an auto-sorter. It's a fast way to group the shortcuts, files, apps, and links you already reach for.
Drop your shortcuts in
Drag in desktop shortcuts, web links, documents, and other files. DeskRipple keeps its own copy of each shortcut, so entries don't break when the originals move.
Hover, click, launch
The folder fans out the moment you reach for it, then collapses back to a single desktop icon when you're done.
Built for Windows 10 & 11 desktops
The details that make it feel native.
The hard parts are the ones you only notice when they go wrong: icon sizing, grid placement, mixed display scaling, and never losing a shortcut.
Real desktop placement
Docks sit alongside your regular desktop icons — behind your windows, not floating over them — snap to the live icon grid, and match the rendered icon size on each monitor.
Five expand styles
Grid, Column, Row, Fan, and a 360° Ring — with themed translucent panels and smooth open/close animations. Pick the layout per folder.
Drag & drop anything
Drop .lnk shortcuts, web links, documents, and other files straight in. DeskRipple keeps its own copy of each shortcut so an entry survives the original being moved or renamed.
Tidy desktop archiving
Drag a desktop shortcut into a dock and the original tucks away safely. Remove it (or uninstall) and it comes right back — or switch to Copy mode to leave originals in place.
Native icons move aside
Drop a dock onto a cell that's already taken and the native desktop icon politely shifts to the nearest free spot — nothing gets buried.
Profiles for each setup
Switch between desktop setups — Work, Home, or a clean one for screen sharing — without rebuilding your folders from scratch.
Multi-monitor & mixed DPI
Per-Monitor V2 aware — designed to keep docks crisp and correctly placed across displays running at different scales.
Custom icons & the Manager
Create folders, set each one's expand behavior, and give it its own icon — all from a single Manager window.
Private & self-contained
No account, no trackers — data stays in %APPDATA%. One installer with no separate .NET and no admin rights, plus silent auto-updates you can switch off.
See it in action
A cleaner desktop — without hiding your shortcuts.
The desktop behavior, the expand styles, and the Manager where it all gets configured.
Screenshot unavailable
Screenshot unavailable
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Trust & privacy
A brand-new desktop app should earn your trust.
DeskRipple is honest about the beta, clear about privacy, and public about its releases on GitHub.
Code-signed Microsoft Trusted Signing
No account No sign-in or payment info
Local data Stored in
%APPDATA%Opt-in diagnostics Anonymous, off by default
What goes online?
The app works fully without an account. The only default network traffic is the update check against GitHub — no identifiers, nothing about you or your setup. Anonymous diagnostics are sent only if you turn them on.
- No ads, no third-party trackers.
- No sign-in, no data sold or shared.
- Public releases on GitHub for transparency (the app isn't open source).
Requirements
Built for Windows 10 & 11, installed per user.
The installer is self-contained — no separate .NET, WPF, or runtime to install.
Windows 10 & 1164-bit (x64). 22H2 or later on Windows 10.
4 GB RAM8 GB recommended.
500 MB diskThe installed app plus its update cache.
Standard userNo admin rights required.
Full compatibility notes are in SYSTEM_REQUIREMENTS.md.
FAQ
The things people ask before installing a new desktop app.
Is DeskRipple free?
Yes — free during the public beta, with no account and no payment info required. A one-time paid version is planned later (not a subscription), and beta testers get a founder discount.
I installed it but I don't see anything?
DeskRipple runs from the system tray rather than a window, and new tray icons often start hidden in the ^ overflow near the clock. Click the chevron, drag the DeskRipple icon onto the visible taskbar, then double-click it (or right-click → Open Manager) to add your first folder.
What happens on September 1, 2026?
This build stops working on that date. Beta builds auto-update, so with automatic updates left on you'll already be on a newer one. If you stop using DeskRipple, removing entries or uninstalling restores your archived desktop shortcuts — nothing is lost.
Why might Windows SmartScreen warn me?
DeskRipple is code-signed with Microsoft Trusted Signing, so Windows can verify the publisher — but it can still warn on a brand-new app that hasn't built download reputation yet. The prompt is milder than for unsigned software. Click More info → Run anyway to continue.
Does it upload my desktop or my shortcuts?
No. DeskRipple keeps its data locally in %APPDATA%. The only default network request is the GitHub update check. Anonymous diagnostics are opt-in and off by default, and the app works fully without them.
What happens to shortcuts I drag in from the desktop?
By default they're moved — a tidier desktop is the point. The original is tucked into an archive folder, never deleted, and it comes right back when you remove the shortcut from DeskRipple or uninstall. Prefer to keep originals in place? Switch to Copy mode in Settings.
Is it a live folder mirror?
No. DeskRipple keeps its own entries for the items you add, so a dock stays stable even if the original desktop shortcut is moved, renamed, or cleaned up.
Does it work on Windows 10?
Yes — DeskRipple runs on Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11, 64-bit. There's no 32-bit or ARM64 build.
How do I uninstall it?
From Settings → Apps → Installed apps, like any program. It's a clean removal: it puts any archived desktop shortcuts back, removes its startup task, and deletes its data folder. Nothing is left behind.
Why will it become paid later?
DeskRipple needs ongoing work for Windows updates, mixed-DPI setups, multi-monitor edge cases, and support. The plan is a one-time paid app — not a subscription — with a founder discount for beta testers.
Download
Install the free public beta.
Run the installer and you're done — DeskRipple keeps itself up to date and uninstalls from Settings → Apps like any other program.
The installer is code-signed (Microsoft Trusted Signing). Because the app is new, SmartScreen may still show “Windows protected your PC” while download reputation builds — click More info → Run anyway; the prompt shows the verified publisher.
Prefer not to run an installer? Grab the portable ZIP (extract and run) instead.
Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit). Free during the public beta. Beta builds auto-update (off switch in the app's About dialog); this build stops working on September 1, 2026. If you stop using DeskRipple, removing entries or uninstalling restores your archived desktop shortcuts. A one-time paid version is planned later (not a subscription), and beta testers get a founder discount. By downloading you agree to the beta license (EULA).
Mailing list
Beta testers get a founder discount when 1.0 ships.
The list is how you claim it — a few emails total, unsubscribe anytime.