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 the Windows shell; Windows 3.0 and Windows 3.1 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.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Shell !! rowspan="2" | Software license !! colspan="9" | Windows versions !! rowspan="2" | Development status
|-
! 3.1 !! 9x !! 2000 !! XP !! Vista !! 7 !! 8 !! 10
!11
|-
| Blackbox || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
| BumpTop || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
| Cairo Shell || || || || || || || || ||
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| Calmira || || || || || || || || ||
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| Central Point Desktop || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
| Classic Shell || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| Emerge Desktop || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
| LDE(X) || || || || || || || || ||
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| LiteStep || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
| Norton Desktop || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
| Open-Shell || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| Packard Bell Navigator || || || || || || || || ||
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| NewWave || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
|-
| Program Manager II || || || || || || || || || || ||
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| SharpEnviro || || || || || || || || ||
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| TabWorks || || || || || || || || ||
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| Talisman Desktop || || || || || || || || ||
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|-
| Xerox Rooms || || || || || || || || ||
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|}
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