Paddock
What it is
Paddock is a free, open-source Windows desktop icon organizer that groups icons into resizable, styled zones. Each zone can have its own transparency, background color, corner radius, and title visibility. Icons can be sorted by name, modification date, file type, or file size in either direction. Zones can be hidden or shown from the tray icon or the default Ctrl+F12 shortcut, then rolled up to title strips. Users can save named layout profiles, switch between them, and export .paddock files for sharing. Paddock adds native Windows context menus such as Open, Open With, and Properties. Items moved into zones are stored in hidden folders under the Desktop; removing a zone or dragging an item out returns them without deleting or overwriting files. Items dragged from elsewhere are referenced in place. It requires Windows 10 version 1903 or later, or Windows 11. New zones do not automatically collect icons underneath them.
For and against
For
- Free and open source
- Resizable zones with per-zone styling
- Sortable icons with ascending or descending order
- Named layouts can be exported
- Native Windows context menus
Against
- Windows-only application
- New zones do not collect underlying icons automatically
- No multi-monitor support
- Requires Windows 10 version 1903 or later
The verdict
Paddock gives Windows desktops a zone-based organization system with styling, sorting, and reusable layouts. Its file-handling model avoids deleting moved items, but users must fill newly created zones manually and cannot use it for multi-monitor setups.
Who it suits
It suits Windows users who want organized, styled desktop areas and reusable layouts. It is also useful for people who want sortable zones and native file actions without relocating outside items.
Plans and prices
Free
Free and open source · MIT license · Windows desktop app
Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
On the record
- Distribution
- The README describes publishing a self-contained single Paddock.exe that does not require the .NET runtime on the target machine.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- File handling
- Desktop items moved into zones are stored in hidden folders under the user's Desktop, and Paddock says removing a zone or dragging an item out returns it to the desktop without deleting or overwriting files.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Known limitation
- Icons underneath a newly created zone are not collected automatically; users can instead draw zones on free space and use Fill from Desktop or drag icons into them.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Layout profiles
- Users can save named layout profiles, switch between them, and export them as .paddock files to share.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Other locations
- Items dragged in from outside the desktop are referenced in place rather than relocated.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Paddock is a free, open-source desktop icon organizer for Windows that groups icons into styled zones.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Quick controls
- Users can hide or show zones from the tray icon or with the Ctrl+F12 hotkey by default, and can roll zones up to their title strips.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Requirements
- Paddock requires Windows 10 version 1903 or later, or Windows 11; the README lists the .NET 8 SDK for building.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Security and privacy
- The README describes local file and settings locations but does not state security certifications or compliance claims.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Sorting
- Icons can be sorted by name, date modified, file type, or file size, in ascending or descending order.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Support and diagnostics
- The README says settings and paddock.log are stored in %AppData%/Paddock and can be reached through the tray menu's Open Settings Folder option.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Windows shell integration
- Paddock provides native Windows context menus for icons, including Open, Open With, and Properties.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Zones and styling
- Users can create resizable zones and set per-zone transparency, background color, corner radius, and title visibility.github.com · read 7 Oct 2026
