Freedom251 › Desktop Organization Software

Paddock

Free plan Windows

What Paddock is

Paddock is a free, open-source Windows desktop app for arranging icons in resizable zones. Each zone can have its own transparency, background color, corner radius, and title visibility. Icons can be sorted in ascending or descending order by name, date modified, file type, or file size. You can hide or show zones from the tray icon or with the default Ctrl+F12 shortcut, and roll a zone up to its title strip when you want it out of the way.

Named layout profiles let you save arrangements, switch between them, and export them as .paddock files to share. Paddock adds Windows context menus for icons, including Open, Open With, and Properties. Desktop items moved into zones are kept in hidden folders under the Desktop; removing a zone or dragging an item out returns it to the desktop without deleting or overwriting files. Items brought in from elsewhere are referenced in place. Paddock requires Windows 10 version 1903 or later, or Windows 11. A new zone does not automatically collect icons already beneath it; you can draw zones on free space and use Fill from Desktop, or drag icons into them.

Who it suits

Paddock suits Windows users who want to group desktop icons into styled areas and save different arrangements as profiles. It is also suited to people who want to share layouts or organize icons without relocating items brought in from outside the desktop.

What it does well

Resizable zones with per-zone appearance settings
Sort icons by four criteria in either direction
Save, switch, and share layout profiles
Windows context menus include Open and Properties
Removing zones returns contained items to the desktop

What to know first

New zones do not collect underlying icons automatically
Supports Windows only and has no multi-monitor support

Limits

A newly created zone does not automatically collect icons already underneath it. Paddock does not support multi-monitor use.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	Free and open source · MIT license · Windows desktop app	Free

As github.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Paddock project website on GitHub
Use a Windows 10 version 1903 or later or Windows 11 PC
Get the self-contained Paddock.exe described by the project
Draw zones on free desktop space, then use Fill from Desktop or drag icons into them
Save a named layout profile and export it as a .paddock file if you want to share it

Verdict

Choose Paddock if you want a free Windows tool for styling icon zones and keeping multiple desktop layouts. Consider its automatic collection limitation when placing zones over existing icons, and note that multi-monitor support is not available.

Questions

How much does Paddock cost?

Paddock is free and open source under the MIT license.

Which Windows versions does it support?

It requires Windows 10 version 1903 or later, or Windows 11.

Does Paddock support multiple monitors?

No. Its listed platform support is Windows only, with no multi-monitor support.

Where are items stored when moved into zones?

They are stored in hidden folders under the user's Desktop. Removing a zone or dragging an item out returns it to the desktop without deleting or overwriting files.

Can I share a desktop layout?

Yes. Named profiles can be exported as .paddock files.

Facts from Paddock's own pages

Distribution: The README describes publishing a self-contained single Paddock.exe that does not require the .NET runtime on the target machine. · github.com, 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, 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, 7 Oct 2026
Layout profiles: Users can save named layout profiles, switch between them, and export them as .paddock files to share. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Other locations: Items dragged in from outside the desktop are referenced in place rather than relocated. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: Paddock is a free, open-source desktop icon organizer for Windows that groups icons into styled zones. · github.com, 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, 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, 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, 7 Oct 2026
Sorting: Icons can be sorted by name, date modified, file type, or file size, in ascending or descending order. · github.com, 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, 7 Oct 2026
Windows shell integration: Paddock provides native Windows context menus for icons, including Open, Open With, and Properties. · github.com, 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, 7 Oct 2026

Where Paddock stands on Freedom251

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