Windhawk is an open-source solution that attempts to restore the familiar customization settings of Windows and add new features to customize the OS.
With each new release of Windows, Microsoft removes customization and personalization options. Windhawk is an open-source solution that attempts to restore familiar customization settings and add new customization options.
The application is developed by Ramen Software, known for products such as 7+ Taskbar Tweaker or Textify. The main goal of Windhawk is to improve the process of adding settings to programs and the operating system. The tool supports Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11.
An example is the taskbar tweaker for Windows. To create such an application, you need to understand some of the internal mechanisms of the operating system, such as implementing processes or intercepting functions.
Windhawk was created as a primary customization platform that anyone can contribute to without working with the operating system layer.
One of windhawk’s central ideas is its modular design. Developers can create modifications that Windhawk users can download and apply to their systems.
Windhawk Overview
Windhawk can install on the system or run as a portable application. The program’s main interface lists several recommended modifications, such as the dark mode for Notepad and the addition of the option to hover the mouse over the volume controls or scroll through the Chrome and Edge tabs using the mouse wheel.
All available mods are displayed when you click on the Browse for mods button. They include several exciting settings, including the ability to disable taskbar grouping, change the order of taskbar thumbnails with the left mouse button, add seconds to the clock, or add text labels for programs on the taskbar in Windows 11.
Clicking the Details button opens a new page with installation options, source code, and a preview of the tweak. Some mods contain compatibility information.
There is an option to create a custom mod version on the local system. Users who do not need any development-related settings in the Windhawk interface can disable them in the settings.
When you click the Install button, you’ll see a warning that the changes could disrupt your system or compromise your privacy. If you select accept risk and install, the installation will continue.
Installation is fast and occurs in the background. The Install button is changed to the Remove button to remove the mod from the system. Applied changes become available after some time.
Windhawk is an exciting application for customizing Windows, which already supports more than a dozen different mods. The success of an app largely depends on support from other developers, and it remains to be seen how many third-party mods will be added to the project in the coming months and years.
At best, the project can turn into a massive platform of mods, similar to browser extension stores or user script repositories.
