DesktopPlus

DesktopPlus shows your Home Assistant dashboard (or any web page) on one or more of your computer screens.

It is meant to look like a live desktop background:

• Displays the screen you choose.
• Leaves the Windows taskbar visible (when that screen has one or when in kiosk mode)
• The displayed website is still fully functional.
• Does not stay stuck on top of other programs (unless you turn on Always on top)

Current version: 2.2.0 Works on: Windows 10 and Windows 11

Upgrading from 2.0 / 2.1 / 2.1.1:
Download the new DesktopPlus.exe, put it in your folder, and keep your old config.json next to it. Your dashboard URL stays in that file — you should not need to type it again.

Project page: https://github.com/codemonkey2k5/HomeAssistant-DesktopPlus

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What’s new (2.2.0)

1. Removed Python install requirement.
2. Removed icon from task bar unless tray menu is open. Opens to the system tray. "The small tray icon near the clock".
3. Added Start on login.
4. Added Help and about to the tray menu.
5. Clearer tray menu; improved icon for shortcuts.
6. Tray settings that do not need a restart apply right away (including a page reload when needed).

More history: see CHANGELOG.md.

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Quick answers

Do I need Python?

No. Version 2.2 is a single DesktopPlus.exe. Double-click it and go.

What is .gitignore?

You can ignore this file for day-to-day use. You never open it to run DesktopPlus.

It is only for people who put the project on GitHub (or use git). It tells git:
“Don’t upload my personal settings or log files.”

Beginners: leave .gitignore in the folder (if you have one) and don’t worry about it.

Where is the tray icon?

The tray icon is the small picture near the clock (bottom-right of Windows). If you don’t see it, click the "^" arrow to show hidden icons.

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What you need before installing

1. A Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer
2. The URL of a website that you want on the screen.
   Example shape (yours will be different):
   https://homeassistant.local:8123

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Install (new users — start here)

Follow these steps in order.

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Step 1 — Download DesktopPlus

1. Open this page in your web browser:
   https://github.com/codemonkey2k5/HomeAssistant-DesktopPlus/releases
2. Click the latest release (DesktopPlus v2.2.0).
3. Under Assets, download DesktopPlus.exe.
4. Create a simple folder, for example:
   C:\DesktopPlus
5. Move DesktopPlus.exe into that folder.

That’s it for files. You only need the one program file to start.

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Step 2 — Start DesktopPlus

1. Double-click DesktopPlus.exe.
2. The first time, a small box should ask for a URL (web address).
3. Type or paste your address. Examples:

http://homeassistant.local:8123/lovelace/0
google.com
https://example.com

• You can leave off http:// — if you type something like google.com, DesktopPlus adds http:// for you.
• Prefer https:// when the site needs it.

4. Click OK.
5. A window should open with your page.
6. Look near the Windows clock for the DesktopPlus tray icon.
   • Click "^" if icon is hidden.

Tip: Your settings are saved in a file named config.json in the same folder you put the exe file into. It is created automatically. The log file is desktopplus.log (it stays small and cleans itself up).

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Step 3 — Put it on the correct screen (if you have more than one)

1. Right-click the DesktopPlus tray icon.
2. Open Display.
3. Click the screen you want (Screen 1, Screen 2, etc.).
4. The window should move there right away.

Tip:

• Fit work area (normal mode) = checked → leaves the taskbar visible when that screen has one.
• Unchecked = kiosk mode (fills the whole screen; may cover the taskbar on that screen).

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Step 4 — Optional: start automatically when Windows starts

1. Right-click the DesktopPlus tray icon.
2. Check Start on login.
3. Uncheck anytime to remove it from startup.

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Upgrade from an older version

From 2.0 / 2.1 / 2.1.1 (Python / script version)

1. Quit the old DesktopPlus if it is running.
2. Download DesktopPlus.exe from the new release (Install → Step 1).
3. Put DesktopPlus.exe in a folder (a new folder or your old one).
4. Copy your old config.json into the same folder as the new exe (if you still have it).
5. Double-click DesktopPlus.exe.
6. You should not need to type your URL again if config.json came along.
7. You can stop using the old .pyw files and Python install steps for DesktopPlus.

From version 1.0

Version 1.0 was a single script (often HAD-PLus.pyw).
Use the Install steps above for 2.2, then enter your dashboard URL once when asked.
Use the tray menu → Display to pick your screen (this replaces the old hard-coded position/size).

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Using more than one screen

Each running DesktopPlus controls one screen (one panel + one tray icon).

Easiest way — two folders

1. Make two folders, for example:
   C:\DesktopPlus-Screen1
C:\DesktopPlus-Screen2
2. Put a copy of DesktopPlus.exe in each folder.
3. Run the first copy → Display → Screen 1 → set the URL.
4. Run the second copy → Display → Screen 2 → set that URL.
5. Each folder gets its own config.json, so they do not overwrite each other.
6. Turn on Start on login in each copy if you want both to start at sign-in.

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Using the tray menu (after it is running)

Right-click the DesktopPlus icon near the clock:

Menu item	What it does
Refresh now	Reloads the page immediately
Re-apply layout	Re-sizes/re-positions to the selected screen
Set URL…	Change the web address
Auto-refresh	Turn timed reload on/off
Refresh interval	How often it reloads (5 / 10 / 15 / 30 / 60 minutes)
Display	Which monitor to use
Fit work area (normal mode)	On = leave taskbar; Off = full monitor "kiosk"
Scrolling / scrollbars	Allow or block page scrolling
Frameless / Resizable / Allow move	Window border and drag options (restart required)
Always on top	Keep above other windows (usually leave off)
Start on login	Start this copy when you sign in to Windows
Open config folder	Opens the folder with your settings and log
Help…	Full in-app instructions
About…	Version and file paths
Quit	Closes DesktopPlus

Most options apply right away. Only Frameless, Resizable, and Allow move need you to quit and start again.

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If something goes wrong

Double-click does nothing / program won’t start

1. Make sure you downloaded DesktopPlus.exe from the Releases page (not only Source code).
2. Try right-click → Run as administrator only if your PC policy blocks normal runs (usually not needed).
3. Look for desktopplus.log in the same folder and open it with Notepad.

Blank window or browser error

Install Microsoft’s free WebView2 component:
https://developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/

On many Windows 11 PCs it is already installed.

Wrong screen / window off-screen

Tray icon → Display → pick the correct screen → Re-apply layout.

Still stuck?

Open an Issue here and describe what you clicked and what you saw:
https://github.com/codemonkey2k5/HomeAssistant-DesktopPlus/issues

If you can, attach a screenshot and the text from desktopplus.log (do not share passwords).

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Files that matter to you

File name	Do you need it?	What it is
DesktopPlus.exe	Yes — double-click this to run	The program (download from Releases)
config.json	Created automatically	Your personal settings (URL, screen, etc.)
desktopplus.log	Created automatically	Activity / error log (stays small)
README.md	Optional	These instructions

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Version

2.2.0 — Standalone program, tray-only, Start on login, Help, any URL. See “What’s new” above.

2.1.1 — Reliability release (Python/script install).

2.0 — Full rewrite with tray, multi-monitor, and work-area mode.

1.0 — Original simple script (HAD-PLus.pyw).

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License

Free to use and share for personal and Home Assistant community use. Please keep credit to the project if you redistribute it.