How to Add a Circular App Launcher to Windows 10 & 11 With Circle Dock
An app launcher lets you’re able to add shortcuts for opening programs, folders, and files. There are numerous desktop app launchers for Windows 10 and 11. Such launchers typically have a rectangular or square shape.
However, Circle Dock is an app launcher with a difference. As its title implies, Circle Dock is an app launcher that has a unique circular ring shape. The launcher takes up less horizontal desktop space due to its circular design. This is how you can add Circle Dock to Windows and configure that launcher.
How to Download and Install Circle Dock
You can utilize Circle Dock on 64 and 32-bit Windows platforms from XP to 11. It’s freely available GPL software that’s straightforward to install. However, you’ll need to extract the software from its ZIP archive before installing it. You can add Circle Dock to Windows by downloading, extracting, and installing it as follows:
During setup:
How to Add Shortcuts to Circle Dock
Now you’ll see an empty ring dock on your desktop. Left-click that dock and hold the mouse button to move the app launcher anywhere on the desktop. It’s best to move it to a space where it won’t overlap any icons.
However, you won’t need any software packages on the desktop when you can launch them from Circle Dock. You can move all your icons onto the app launcher, a big part ofcleaning your Windows desktop up once and for all.
To do so, drag shortcuts onto the Circle Dock launcher by holding the left mouse button. Shortcuts added will disappear from the desktop and appear on the launcher.
Software shortcuts are a great way to quickly open your favorite apps. You can add software shortcuts to the Windows context menu, and you can also add them to your new circle menu.
To add new software shortcuts, right-click Circle Dock and selectAdd. Select theFile, folder, or special itemoption to view the window directly below. Click theFilebutton, choose an EXE file to include on Circle Dock, and select theOpenoption. Then selectFinishedto add the software to the app launcher with a default name and icon.
Circle Dock has a nice folder stack feature that displays a stack of subfolders and files for directory shortcuts. you could add one by right-clicking Circle Dock and selectingAdd>Folderstack. Choose a folder and clickOK. SelectOKon the “Create new Folder Stack” window.
Now you’ll see a folder stack icon on Circle Dock. Click the folder to expand its stack, like in the snapshot below. Then you’re able to access all a folder’s files or subfolders from the stack.
How to Customize the Dock’s Appearance
Circle Dock is stuffed with loads of customization settings. TheElementstab in the Circle Dock Configuration Settings window includes most options for customizing the app launcher’s appearance. To get there, right-click Circle Dock and selectDock Settings>Elements.
TheBackgroundsubtab inElementsincludes options for changing the ring’s width (size) and transparency level. Drag theNormal Sizebar’s slider right or left to make the ring bigger or smaller. Dragging theOpacitybar’s slider left will add transparency to the dock.
You can also change the ring style from theBackgroundsubtab. Press theBackground Imageoption’s file selection button. Choose a background file and clickOpento add it.
Circle Dock has a few different Windows logo images you can add to the center of the dock. Select theCentre Buttontab and clickImage; click the file selection button for theCenter Button Imageoption. Select an alternative center button and clickOpen.
TheOpacity and Sizetab for the center button includes options for customizing the size and transparency of that feature. Drag the sliders for theOpacityandNormalsize bars to adjust transparency and resize the center button.
You can also customize the labels for shortcuts. To do so, click theLabelstab; then click the font color button on that tab to select a different color for label text. Press thefontbutton just above the color option to customize the text style. The “Font style” window includes font, formatting, and size options for the dock’s shortcut labels.
How to Change the Dock’s Shape
TheDock Shapetab includes options for adjusting the circle’s height and width. To change the dock’s shape, click theEllipse 1setting and drag theHeightand theWidthbars’ sliders. There isn’t any option to restore the circle’s default shape. So, consider noting down the original values before changing the shape.
you may change the radius of the dock’s icon circle to fit it within a resized ellipse. Select theCircleoption on theShapedrop-down menu. Then drag the slider for theMinimum Radiusbar.
How to Customize Circle Dock’s Visibility Keyboard Shortcut
Circle Dock has a defaultF1hotkey that hides and shows the app launcher when pressed. PressingF1when the dock isn’t visible will bring up the app launcher where your mouse cursor is (over any open windows). So, the dock reappears wherever you place your mouse cursor on the desktop.
you could customize that hotkey from theVisibilitytab on Circle Dock’s settings window. Select theCtrl,Alt,Shift, orWincheckboxes for theToggle Visibility Hotkeyoption to expand theF1keyboard shortcut. Or select an extra key for the hotkey on theNonedrop-down menu.
you could configure Circle Dock to appear when you move your cursor to a screen edge. Click theShow Docksubtab to view checkboxes for theShow Dock When I Move My Mouse tooption. Then select a left, right, top, and bottom setting to set the dock to appear when you move the cursor to any of those edges.
Add Your Favorite Software to Circle Dock
Circle Dock is a good place to add shortcuts for opening your favorite software packages. It’s a customizable app launcher that doesn’t take up too much desktop space thanks to its circular shape.
TheF1hotkey for showing the dock where you’ve placed the cursor is also a convenient access feature. So, Circle Dock is ideal for users who need to clear up a cluttered Windows desktop or simply want a new place to launch apps from in Windows.
Windows 11’s new taskbar is nice, but it’s not macOS nice. Here’s how to bring a sleek Mac-style doc to Windows 10 and 11.
My foolproof plan is to use Windows 10 until 2030, with the latest security updates.
Not Linux, not Windows. Something better.
Anyone with more than a passing interest in motorsports must see these films.
Tor spoiled me forever.
If an AI can roast you, it can also prep you for emergencies.
