Windows has always been popular for its flexibility, wide software support, and how well it works for almost everyone. But if we are being honest, design has never really been its strongest point. Sure, it looks fine and is functional, but when you compare it to something like macOS, Windows often feels plain and, at times, a little boring.
The good thing about Windows, though, is that it gives you complete freedom to mess around. There are plenty of great tools that let you change the look and feel easily. So I decided to experiment, and now my setup doesn’t just look good, it actually feels cleaner than macOS.
Give your Start menu and taskbar a full makeover
From dated to deliberate in minutes
If there’s one place where Windows really shows its age, it’s the Start menu and taskbar. They’re the first things you see when you boot up and the things you interact with all day. Unfortunately, Windows does not include that many options to change their look and feel. So I went ahead and installed Start11. It hands you full control over the Start menu and the taskbar so you can style them exactly the way you want.
The first thing I did with Start11 was swap the Start menu with a modern one that places all the icons in the top right corner, with apps neatly organized below it. I also enabled the Mica effect, so it blends with my desktop background.
One feature I absolutely love is the resizing. Start11 lets you resize the start menu, so you can just hover your cursor over the edge and resize it, just like in Windows 10.
After fixing the Start menu, I went ahead and set the taskbar transparency to 30%, so it matches the Start menu. There’s an option to apply texture in the same menu. I used it to apply a subtle grid-style effect, but you can pick whatever you like. There’s even an option to use a custom image, so the possibilities are endless.
Choose the right wallpaper and cursor style
Setting the mood with visuals
No matter how clean your layout is, if your wallpaper is boring, it falls apart. For the wallpaper, I skipped Windows’ built-in options and grabbed an abstract wallpaper with minimal shapes. Something that looks good without demanding attention every time you turn on your PC.
Of course, wallpapers are completely subjective, so there’s no right or wrong answer here. Some love minimal solid colors, others prefer landscape shots, and some go all in with digital art. You can even go with live wallpapers if you want a bit of motion.
Once the wallpaper was sorted, I also changed the cursor. After all, it’s the one thing that’s almost always visible on your desktop. I switched to a clean, macOS-style cursor pack because I like how modern it looks. You can find plenty of others on Pling, from colorful anime styles to futuristic neon themes.
Less mess, more focus
A cluttered desktop can easily ruin the look of the wallpaper and your overall setup. Mine used to be packed with random shortcuts and screenshots scattered everywhere. Instead of organizing them, I went nuclear. I right-clicked on the desktop and went to View, and unchecked Show desktop icons.
An empty desktop can also feel a bit lifeless, so to make it feel more intentional, I added a few widgets. I used Rainmeter to place a clean, minimal clock widget and another that shows weather. Nothing over the top, just some information I find useful during the day.
There are plenty of cool Rainmeter skins available on the web, so I don’t blame you if you get carried away. That said, the trick here is restraint. Don’t go crazy with ten different widgets. Instead, stick with just two or three if you have a large display, keep them aligned, and match them to your wallpaper and overall color theme.
Replace File Explorer with something better
A modern home for your files
This last thing isn’t necessary, but it’s something I did because I open File Explorer dozens of times a day, and the default one feels a bit dated. So I replaced it with the Files app. It’s technically a paid app, but you can get it for free by downloading its installer file from its website.
Files is basically a modern take on File Explorer. It has a cleaner layout, theming options, and integrates nicely with Windows. More importantly, it compliments my overall desktop setup rather than clashing with it.
The Files app is not just about looks, though. It also has plenty of useful features that File Explorer lacks. You get column view, dual pane, custom keyboard shortcuts, and a lot more. Having used it for a while, going back to the default File Explorer almost feels like a step backward.
If you’re going to spend most of your day working on a PC, it’s worth taking some time to make it look more beautiful. The goal isn’t to make it exactly like macOS, but to experiment and settle with something that reflects your personality.