Our verdict: Fences is the best-known way to tame a cluttered Windows desktop: icons go into labelled groups that sort themselves. It is polished and light, but it stops working after the 30-day trial. A one-year subscription for one PC costs EUR 12 on the official store, and a permanent license is sold separately, including on Steam for $29.99.
About Stardock Fences
Fences is made by Stardock. It places desktop icons into shaded areas called fences, which you can label, colour, roll up into a title bar or turn into tabs. Rules sort new files into the right fence by type, name or date, and Folder Portals show the contents of any folder, including cloud folders, directly on the desktop. Peek (Win+Space) brings all fences above open windows.
The free trial lasts 30 days and stops when it ends. Home users can then buy a one-year subscription for one PC (EUR 12 on the official store), which includes future major versions, or a permanent license for $29.99, which gets updates within Fences 6. Multi-device licenses for five PCs cost more. The permanent license is also sold on Steam.
What it does well
- Fence groups. Collects desktop icons into labelled, resizable areas that can roll up.
- Automatic sorting rules. Moves new desktop files into fences by type, name or date.
- Folder Portals. Shows any folder, including cloud and network folders, as a fence.
- Peek. Win+Space brings your fences above all open windows.
- Customisation. Changes colour, transparency, tab style, icon tint and sorting for each fence.
Who it is for
Good fit
People whose desktop is full of icons and who like to keep shortcuts and files on it.
Look elsewhere
Users who keep an empty desktop, or anyone who wants a free tool with no time limit.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Tidy desktop with automatic sorting
- Folder Portals for quick access
- Roll-up and Peek save space
- Light on resources
Cons
- Stops working after the 30-day trial
- Permanent license does not include future major versions
- Only useful if you use the desktop a lot
How to install Stardock Fences
The button downloads the Fences 6 installer from Stardock's download server. Start the 30-day trial from the activation window; Stardock may ask for an email address to activate it. On first launch, Fences offers to create groups from your current desktop icons automatically.
Questions about Stardock Fences
Is Stardock Fences free?
No. Fences has a 30-day free trial that stops when it ends. Afterwards a home license costs EUR 12 per year as a subscription on the official store, or $29.99 once for a permanent Fences 6 license.
What is the difference between the Fences subscription and the permanent license?
The subscription includes all future major versions while it is active. A permanent license works forever but only receives updates within Fences 6.
Can I buy Fences on Steam?
Yes. Stardock sells the permanent Fences 6 license on Steam for $29.99.
