A local catalog for the Windows software you already use.
Windows Apps finds Start Menu shortcuts, installed desktop programs, Microsoft Store apps, Steam games and portable executables.
It brings them together in one searchable catalog and merges duplicate entries into a single application card.
Windows 10/11 · x64 · Local-first
Windows keeps applications in several places. Windows Apps combines:
- Start Menu shortcuts
- installed desktop programs
- Microsoft Store apps
- Steam games
- portable executables in folders you choose
When the same application is discovered from more than one source, it appears once rather than as a collection of duplicates.
- Discover Windows software, Steam games and selected portable-app folders.
- Organize the catalog with categories, Favorites, Auxiliary tools and Scenarios.
- Launch applications through their native Windows, Steam or executable path.
Find applications by name, publisher, description or path, including typo-tolerant search. Typing a name in Russian letters finds the Latin one, naming a category returns everything filed under it, and when a match sits in another section the results say so and link straight to it.
Categories do not rely on a list of known products. Windows Apps reads the file types and protocols an application registered with Windows, the purpose the vendor wrote into the file description, and the Start Menu group the shortcut lives in — so an unfamiliar player, editor or mail client still lands where it belongs.
Shortcuts, registry entries, Store packages and other representations of the same program are merged into one card.
Steam games open through Steam, packaged apps through Windows and executables directly.
Favorites, categories and Scenarios let you keep common applications and launch-and-close setups close at hand.
Star applications for quick access, or run a Scenario that opens one group of applications and closes another.
Each Scenario shows the applications it will launch and the applications it will close before you run it. Applications are added from a searchable picker that names the category of every entry and takes the whole selection in one pass. While a Scenario runs it reports each step — asking applications to close, counting down the five seconds before anything is forced — and ends with one summary of what launched, closed and refused. Closing is not a polite request only: whatever ignores it is ended, and unsaved work in those applications is lost. If an application later disappears from Windows, its saved name and icon remain visible as Unavailable so it can be removed without deleting the whole Scenario.
Auxiliary tools, hidden applications, installers and documentation stay available without crowding the main catalog.
Inspect local file details, architecture, signature status and installation state for an application card.
Everyday settings stay visible. Scanning, backups and maintenance live under Advanced, together with the applications no rule recognised: each one lists the signals the classifier read, can be moved to a category on the spot, and the whole list copies as plain text. Settings export contains preferences only, and import reports an error if Windows Apps cannot persist the restored data. When Windows startup is enabled, Windows Apps starts in the system tray; choose Open Windows Apps from the tray menu when you need the window.
- Download
Windows.Apps_0.3.7_x64-setup.exe. - Run the installer.
- Start Windows Apps and choose Scan for apps.
Warning
The installer is not Authenticode-signed, so SmartScreen may show Windows protected your PC. Choose More info → Run anyway and download only from this repository's Releases.
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or 11 |
| Architecture | x64 |
| Runtime | Microsoft Edge WebView2 |
| Internet | Not required after installation |
| Account | Not required |
Windows Apps is local-first. It has no telemetry, cloud account, application-inventory uploads or online metadata enrichment; catalog data remains on your machine.
For implementation and security details, see Technical Documentation. Windows Apps is available under the MIT License.
- Windows 10/11 and x64 only.
- The installer is not Authenticode-signed; SmartScreen may appear.
- Microsoft Edge WebView2 is required.
Prerequisites: Node.js 22, Rust 1.88+ with the MSVC toolchain, Microsoft C++ Build Tools, Windows SDK and the Tauri Windows prerequisites.
npm install
npm run tauri devSee Technical Documentation for verification and release commands.
Bug reports and pull requests are welcome. Read Technical Documentation before changing code or workflows.