Seelen UI review
A broad, free Windows shell replacement for users who want more than Start menu tweaks.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Seelen UI is a free, open-source Windows desktop customization application for personal users who want to replace or enhance the default taskbar and Start menu. It supports Windows 10 and Windows 11, and its shell-replacement approach goes well beyond changing the Start button. Users can configure a replacement dock and taskbar, search applications, files, and the web, and organize pinned applications in customizable grids and folders.
Its strongest point is breadth. Alongside Start menu and taskbar controls, Seelen UI includes live window thumbnail previews, custom Alt+Tab switching, automatic window tiling with multiple layouts, virtual-desktop support, and live video or interactive HTML wallpapers. A scriptable toolbar can show CPU, RAM, network, disk, and battery widgets, while desktop clock, media, notification, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth widgets cover everyday desktop information. This makes it a fit for users who want one Windows layer for navigation, window management, and desktop presentation rather than a narrowly focused Start menu editor.
The trade-off is that the product changes the wider Windows shell, so it may be more involved than a lightweight utility intended only for Start menu styling. Its scope is also centered on Windows desktop customization rather than integrations with other software ecosystems. Choose Seelen UI if you want extensive taskbar controls, custom search, pinned layouts, tiling, widgets, and wallpapers in a free package. Choose a narrower Start menu tool instead if you only want a small visual adjustment or prefer to leave the rest of the Windows desktop unchanged.
Seelen UI pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free and open source with Windows 10 and Windows 11 support
- Combines Start search, pinned grids, folders, and extensive taskbar controls
- Adds tiling, wallpapers, widgets, previews, and custom Alt+Tab switching
- Where it doesn't
- Windows-only, with no support for other platforms
- Shell replacement changes more than Start menu behavior
- Focuses on Windows desktop customization rather than integrations
Seelen UI fact sheet, pricing and score →
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