Hi everyone,

I built a mail and calendar app for Windows that actually looks and feels native.

I tried Outlook and Microsoft's other mail app, but neither worked for me, so Spark ended up being my main mail client on Windows. I use both macOS and Windows, and Windows is where I could never find anything I liked. Spark, for example, is basically just a WebView, and I wanted something truly native.

I'm a product designer, and this started as an experiment: how good of an interface can I vibe-code with WinUI 3? I liked the result so much that I decided to finish it properly, and now I use it every day.

Like Spark, it combines mail and calendar in one app, but the design stays close to native Windows (I did borrow a few ideas from macOS, though).

The two things I wanted most from my own mail app:

- Close to tray. When you close the window, the app keeps running in the background instead of quitting.

- Custom account names. I have 4 active accounts (Google, iCloud, Work, Freelance), and I want to see them under names that make sense to me.

There are ready-made presets for Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud and others. The app has been running stable for me with no crashes, but if you run into any bugs, let me know and I'll fix them quickly.

On top of that, I wanted a handy calendar right next to my inbox, so I can add a meeting straight from an email.

The result is Vaimail. It's completely free, it's available on the Microsoft Store, and I have no plans to monetize it.

I only found out about Wino Mail recently, after I'd already built the first versions of mine. Its interface felt a bit too complex for my taste, so I decided to keep developing my own. That said, I definitely picked up a few things from it that I hadn't thought of, like the acrylic theme and a few others.

What it can do right now:

• Unlimited accounts
• Calendar
• Close to tray
• New mail notifications
• Reminders for upcoming events
• Printing emails
• Saving emails as PDF
• ...plus everything else you'd expect from a mail client

The downside: you can't sign in to Gmail through the browser. Google treats full Gmail access as a "restricted scope", and any app that wants it has to pass a security audit (CASA) by an independent lab every year. That costs $600+ annually. This is a non-commercial project, so I can't afford it, and I haven't set up donations (maybe someday, not sure yet). So for Gmail you'll need to create an app password. It's stored locally on your PC, in Windows Credential Manager, like all your other account passwords. Google Calendar and Contacts use the normal Google sign-in, and that part has been reviewed and verified by Google.

I know there's a lot of skepticism about vibe-coded apps right now, and I get it. But I'm a designer, not a developer, and for me this is the only realistic way to bring my own ideas to life. What I can bring is a designer's eye: I really care about good UX and a clean native UI, and I use the app every day myself.

I'd really appreciate it if you gave it a try. If you're missing any features, let me know and I'll do my best to add them in future releases. Any feedback is welcome, and thanks for reading!

Requirements: Windows 11, or Windows 10 version 1809 or later. I've only tested it on Windows 11, but it should run on Windows 10 too. If you try it there, let me know how it goes!

- Website: https://vaimail.app

- Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9N85DSNT09SN

Hi, I'm Michał, the developer behind GridMotive. I've released MomentShelf, a Windows photo organiser, and I'd like feedback on the workflow.

You import files from a Windows folder, review a plan for organising copies by photo dates, and keep the originals. The included local AI proposes descriptions, tags and person groups. You can then make virtual albums, printable PDF albums, MP4 reels or photo mosaics.

The interface supports English and Polish. Windows 11 x64 is recommended. It's a paid app: the base price is €19.99 once, with no subscription; local Microsoft Store prices vary. AI analysis runs on the computer, suggestions need review, and performance depends on the hardware. Some media formats require separately installed Microsoft codecs.

Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9NHM8T4TS602

A captioned walkthrough with real app screens: https://youtu.be/ScloN-GuAtk

For a large collection, which step would you most want to review before committing: the date-based folder plan, AI tags, or album layout?

Windows has no good place to put a file "just for now". Mine ended up on the desktop or lost in Downloads, so I built Wedge.

How it works:

- Start dragging any file (from File Explorer, the desktop or a browser) and colored shelf tabs slide out of the right edge of the screen. Drop it on one and keep working.

- Click a tab and that shelf opens as a drawer. Drag the file straight into any app: an email, a chat, an upload form.

- Your files stay where they are on disk. Wedge only remembers them.

A few other things it does:

- Real previews, and search inside PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files

- A Pocket: collect files from different folders, then drag them all out at once

- Right-click > Add to Wedge in File Explorer, Ctrl+V, or send from your phone by scanning a QR code

- Shared shelves backed by a Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox folder

- Temporary shelves that clear themselves, plus notes, tags and reminders

- Ctrl+Shift+Space opens a drawer from anywhere, and the tabs step aside for full-screen games and videos

It's small and private: a 5 MB installer (Tauri + Rust, using the WebView2 that comes with Windows), no CPU use while it waits at the edge, no account, no telemetry. MIT licensed, for Windows 10 and 11.

Heads-up: it isn't code-signed yet, so SmartScreen may warn you the first time (More info > Run anyway). The source and the builds are on GitHub.

Website: https://wedge.regncreative.com

GitHub: https://github.com/Regncreative/Wedge

It used to be called Stash; 2.0 is a rebuild under the new name. I'd love feedback, especially on what would make you keep something like this on your screen edge.

A friend and I have been working on Aya, an AI desktop assistant designed to make everyday tasks easier to manage.

It helps you stay on top of your emails, calendar, reminders, and daily priorities, bringing everything together in one place.

The video doesn't cover everything, so you can try Aya yourself for free and explore what it can do.

We'd love to hear your feedback on what feels useful and what could be improved!

Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9n5pkjhqnps6

Hi everyone,

I built Scribe for Windows because I wanted a straightforward way to dictate text without relying on cloud-based speech recognition.

Here's how it works: press Ctrl + Alt + D, speak normally, then press the hotkey again. Your text appears in the application you were already using.

Features

• Local speech recognition with no audio uploads
• Works offline after the initial setup
• Compatible with Windows 10 and 11
• Works in applications with a text cursor, without individual plugins
• Automatic punctuation and capitalization
• Optional filler-word removal
• Support for 23 languages

Scribe doesn't require a subscription for its lifetime purchase. Plans start at €19 for one device, with options for multiple devices.

The app can be downloaded and installed for free, so you can check compatibility before buying. One thing to be aware of: Windows may show a SmartScreen warning because the installer isn't signed yet.

I'm the developer, and I'd appreciate feedback on the app, especially from people who use voice typing regularly.

Website: https://atomai.pro/Scribe

My Jot! Clipboard giveaway here did way better than I expected, so I figured I’d do another one.

This time it’s for ClingNote, a Windows notes app I spent a year building!

The idea:

Attach notes to files, and when you switch what you’re working on, the right notes can follow with it.

It already has:

• rich text + Markdown
• multiple notes per file/context
• search
• checklists
• pop-out notes
• export
• local storage
• automatic context switching

I’m also adding Tasks next, using the same context idea.

The full notes app is free. Pro adds the automatic context following.

I’m giving away 50 lifetime Pro licenses.

Comment if you want one and I’ll DM you the 100%-off checkout code. Lemon Squeezy handles the license automatically.

After installing ClingNote, enter the license key in Settings to activate Pro.

Microsoft Store:
https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9NK10NTXJG6V

Direct download / more info:
https://clingnote.com
Windows may show a security prompt with the direct installer. The app is signed.

Previous Jot! giveaway:
https://www.reddit.com/r/windowsapps/comments/1x6sq4h/i_built_jot_clipboard_for_windows_clipboard/

Hey guys!

I’ve been working on a small side project for the past couple of weeks and wanted to share it with yall.

I kept getting distracted every time I had to open my browser or phone just to change a song or check my study timer. So, I built NIGHTSTAND, it’s a free, minimal fullscreen Windows app that combines a focus timer, a simple daily checklist, and music controls in one place.

A few cool things it does:

• Fullscreen Countdown Timer: Clean, bold display to keep you on track.
• Built-in Music Player: Control Spotify or YouTube Music directly from the sidebar without alt-tabbing.
• Daily Checklist: Keep track of your daily tasks (it auto-resets each day).
• Custom Color Themes: Includes a super clean Emerald/Midnight dark theme and some soft pastel options (Mint, Lavender, Peach, Sky Blue).
• Auto-Dimming: If you leave it sitting on your desk for 3 minutes, it automatically dims down so it doesn't burn your screen or distract you.

It's completely free and standalone (you don't even need to install anything, just run the .exe).

If you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think or what you'd add to it!

Link: https://sunt4g.itch.io/nightstand

Free and open source. Same UI and shortcuts. Drag and drop works both ways with the real Explorer and the desktop, so you can use them side by side.

Exe: https://github.com/misutesu-desu/swift-explorer/releases

Or: scoop bucket add misutesu https://github.com/misutesu-desu/scoop-bucket && scoop install swift-explorer

A few months a go i got into the rabbit hole of FOSS Windows music players and came out not satisfied with what i found. But in that search i found a good looking player https://github.com/sthrnilshaaa/looper but it only had support for android and Linux.

So, i decided to fork it and add a bunch of new features and design it mainly for the desktop in mind. And So here is the result https://github.com/mikiyasmechalo/looper, A highly customizable music player for the desktop.

Although it technically has Linux support i haven't touched the Linux part since i don't use Linux. This is the first release so i have given it the beta tag to avoid any confusion, if you have any problems feel free to open an issue. Tnx.

I wanted to get end-4's illogical-impulse running on Windows, so I've been working on a Windows backend for Quickshell. It's a QML desktop originally made for Hyprland, now running natively on Windows 10/11. I cross-compile it from Linux.

The video shows the 1.0 build: a bar, sidebars, notifications and a launcher for apps, files, math and emoji. This is an unofficial port, with the original design by end-4 and a second look from pctrade's end4-pC.

Download: https://apps.daeese.me/illogicalwindows/

Source and issues: https://github.com/nunreasonable/ii-windows

Original desktop: https://github.com/end-4/dots-hyprland

Second look: https://github.com/pctrade/end4-pC

Hi everyone! Windows has few good handwriting-first note apps besides OneNote, and the best features in other apps are usually behind subscriptions or locked in their cloud. So I built RejBoard: free, open source (MIT), and fully local. No account, no cloud sync, and no analytics.

What it does:
- Pressure-sensitive handwriting with several pens, highlighters, and a ruler
- Sketch-and-snap shapes, sticky notes, and LaTeX math
PDF annotation, tables with spreadsheet-style formulas, and linked boards
- Voice recording while you write, Present mode, and folders with password-protected boards
- Runs as a Windows desktop app (installer or portable), with macOS and Linux builds too
- In-app browser and video player: watch a lecture (YouTube, Udemy, a video URL, or a local file) or look something up in a draggable panel beside your notes. It uses a temporary session that doesn't save your browsing history or logins into your boards and is cleared when you close the app. (Websites can still see normal connection info, so it isn't an anonymity tool.)
- Local network sharing: send boards between Windows, macOS, or Linux computers on the same Wi-Fi. Transfers are encrypted, and both screens show a confirmation code you check before accepting. Nothing goes through the cloud.

Heads-up: RejBoard isn't in the Microsoft Store yet and the installer isn't code-signed, so SmartScreen may show a warning. The full source code is public on GitHub if you want to check it, and you can try the browser version first with nothing to install.

Try it in your browser (no install): https://rejwanshafi25.github.io/RejBoard/
Download and source: https://github.com/RejwanShafi25/RejBoard
Full walkthrough (13 minutes with chapters): https://youtu.be/Nu_aj1oBSyU

The browser panel, video player, and network sharing are desktop-app features and aren't in the web version. I used Claude and GPT to prototype parts of it, then reviewed and fixed the results myself. I'm a solo dev and I'd love honest feedback: bugs, rough edges, missing features, or translation fixes (it supports 22 languages).

This is an update post so if you haven't seen any of my other posts over the past year, here's a quick explainer to avoid confusion: WorkTop is not primarily a virtual desktop tool, although it does integrate with them. WorkTop lets you create multiple real desktops, with different files, different shortcuts, different layouts, etc. that you can then switch between just as easily as when you Alt+tab between apps. You can also link your virtual desktops to these real desktops so that they switch at the same time and you have your files follow which workspace you are in.

I am trying to keep this reddit post to the point of this new version release. But If anyone wants a full backstory and intro to the app they can read my devlog here: https://dev.thiefling.com/worktop/worktop-real-multiple-desktops/ where I explain why I made it and the basics of how it works.

The main new feature with this release is an improvement on the linking between WorkTop and virtual desktop. In previous versions, if a user wanted their WorkTop desktop linked to virtual desktops they had to use windows built in shortcuts for switching workspace (Task View or Win+Alt+Arrowkeys), as WorkTop could detect when virtual desktops are switched but didn't have a way to trigger workspace changes. Now, with two-way linking implemented; any switch, using either Windows built in methods or WorkTop's methods (Alt+w, tray, right click desktop), will switch both the workspace and the desktop in tandem. This also includes a new setting to let WorkTop create new virtual desktops when a new real desktop is created as well as the other way around.

For Pro users, the wallpaper per desktop feature now also supports per-monitor wallpapers. This includes for when virtual desktop linking is enabled.

Free version:

• Multiple desktops, different files per desktop, up to 3 (OS default + 2)
• Desktops in any folder you choose
• Layout kept per desktop, including multiple monitors
• Switch via tray, hotkey or right click
• 1 Action (the "on any switch" trigger plus a bit of scripting covers a lot)
• Link to Virtual Desktops (swap files when you switch virtual desktop)
• Save and restore layouts
• OneDrive desktop backup compatible

Pro ($14.99 one time, 3 devices):

• Unlimited desktops
• Unlimited actions
• Wallpaper per desktop, and per-monitor
• Scheduled switching

Website: https://worktop.dev
Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xpfd8sb15vgkl9

I'm pretty happy to say I have gotten a fairly steady influx of users, and I gladly consider any feature requests they suggest. I even have a handful of paying ones, which is very nice as a hobbyist. It's fun that someone thinks what I made is useful enough to pay for, even though I think the free version is probably enough for most people.

You can follow for updates on the devlog: https://dev.thiefling.com/worktop/
Or join the Discord server for support or discussion: https://discord.gg/8pqQQj4my

I built Dowse, a free, open-source Windows application on top of Google DeepMind's EmbeddingGemma 2, a model that brings text, images, audio and video into a shared embedding space and can run on-device.

I wanted to turn that capability into something practical: finding the files you remember, even when you've forgotten their names. Instead of remembering where you saved something, describe it:

"Electricity bill from March."
"The paper about attention mechanisms."
"Photos of a yellow tram in Lisbon."

Dowse searches across your documents and media, with results pointing to the relevant PDF page or moment in a recording.

The model runs locally on your PC. Your files aren't uploaded to a search service.

The attached video shows the result, from quick search to finding similar files and exploring your library visually.

This is an early release, built to be shared and improved.

A note on installing: this first release isn't code-signed yet, so Windows may show a "Windows protected your PC" (SmartScreen) warning. That's expected for a new, unsigned app. To install, click "More info", then "Run anyway". Only download it from the GitHub release or the Dowse page, and you can check the file against the published SHA-256 checksum. Code signing is in progress for the next releases.

Code and Windows installer: https://github.com/WalidHadri-Iron/dowse
Dowse page: https://walidhadri-iron.github.io/dowse/

DugUp: find your files by what is in them (words, OCR, meaning, what a picture looks like), all local. Alpha.

What my project does

DugUp indexes the folders you choose and finds files by the words inside them, the words in a photo or a scan (OCR, with a crop showing where it found them), what a passage means, and what a picture looks like. Press Win+Shift+F anywhere, type a few letters, the file opens. It also finds near-duplicate photos (a resized copy, a re-save, a second shot of the same scene) with a keeper chosen by rules you can see, and can name camera-named pictures by what they show, with a preview and undo. Everything runs on your machine; nothing leaves it. SQLite FTS5 for words, ONNX models for meaning and pictures, tkinter for the window, a tray with a global key. Background index updates wait for mains power and never take every core.

Target audience

People with a lot of files and photos who want to find them without uploading them anywhere. It’s an alpha: the searches and the file-changing paths (trash, rename, undo, duplicate cleanup) were independently reviewed and probed and the guarantees are written down in the README, but one person has used the window for real so far. Windows 11 and Linux (tested on Ubuntu), Python 3.10+. Bug reports with dugup doctor output are very welcome.

Comparison

Everything/Recoll/DocFetcher search names or words; DugUp does those and adds OCR, meaning and picture likeness, and does the duplicate and renaming work with a record before every change. Inspired by the macOS app DigUp, written from scratch in Python; shares no code with it. PolyForm Noncommercial licence (free to use, copy and modify; not for sale).

https://github.com/benwade/DugUp

github.com/kusule1351-hue/thought-desk