XLaunchpad

Some people like their desktops clean and tidy, with few shortcuts or none at all. Others are using every available inch of their background, slamming shortcuts all over one or more monitors. Even if you are functional in such a chaotic environment, that space will run out eventually, forcing you to buy another monitor, possibly. If you are looking for more space for your shortcuts, XLaunchpad can help. This curios utility provides you with extra background space but comes with its own dynamic.

XLaunchpad can be indeed used only to stow away more desktop icons, but it can also serve as a hub for your most accessed directories and programs. The app integrates a search bar similar to what the OS provides, allowing you to list and access whatever data you want.

Launching the tool will add an opaque layer over your background, bringing forth some often accessed shortcuts. Use the context menu to add folders, program icons, and even URLs to the canvas, or manage the looks.

For example, the background blur can be lifted, so the wallpaper can be seen. The icons can be resized and reskinned. Arranging the shortcuts can be done alphabetically or by moving the ones you use the most up to the first rows. Xlaunchpad works in full screen by default, but you can switch to Windows Mode easily, activating the drag and drop feature at the same time.

Having extra space is way better when you can hide it. The app can be dismissed to the system tray whenever you don't need it. The tool's settings can also be accessed from the same place, and provide a bit more options than the context menu.

To summarize, Xlaunchpad is a simple tool that provides additional background space for your desktop shortcuts. It's up to you how that space looks or behaves like, as you have total control over both aspects. Overall, a neat tool for perpetually expanding individuals.