DesktopPlus

DesktopPlus Turn any website into a clean, borderless desktop window. Fixed position • Auto-refresh • System tray controls • Multi-monitor support. (100% Free)

It is meant to look like a live desktop background:

• Fills the screen you choose
• Leaves the Windows taskbar visible, or you can choose kiosk mode if you want it to go full screen.
• Still clickable and fully usable
• Does not stay stuck on top of other programs unless you want it to.

Current version: 2.0
Works on: Windows 10 and Windows 11
Cost: Free

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

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Quick answers

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.”

Examples of things it keeps private:

• Your dashboard address (config.json)
• Log files

Beginners: leave .gitignore in the folder and don’t worry about it.

What about the icons?

DesktopPlus can create the tray icons automatically the first time it runs (files named tray_icon.png and sometimes tray_icon_256.png).

They may also be included in the download. Either way is fine.

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. Your Home Assistant address (or any website address you want on the screen)
   Example shape (yours will be different):
   http://homeassistant.local:8123/lovelace/0
3. About 10–15 minutes

You do not need to know how to program.

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Install (new users — start here)

Follow these steps in order. Do not skip steps.

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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 (for example DesktopPlus v2.0).
3. Under Assets, download the Source code (zip) file.
   (If you only see a green Code button on the main page, click it → Download ZIP.)
4. Find the downloaded zip (usually in your Downloads folder).
5. Right-click the zip → Extract All… → choose a simple folder, for example:
   C:\DesktopPlus
6. Click Extract.

You should now have a folder that contains at least these files together:

• DesktopPlus.pyw
• desktopplus_core.py
• desktopplus_ui.py
• requirements.txt
• run_debug.bat

Important: Keep those files in the same folder. Do not separate them.

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Step 2 — Install Python (the free tool that runs DesktopPlus)

DesktopPlus is a small program written in Python. Windows needs Python installed first.

1. Open: https://www.python.org/downloads/
2. Click the big yellow button to download Python (any 3.11, 3.12, or 3.13 is fine).
3. Open the installer you downloaded.
4. Very important: On the first screen, turn ON the box that says something like:
   “Add python.exe to PATH”
   (If you skip this, the next steps often fail.)
5. Click Install Now.
6. When it finishes, click Close.
7. Restart your computer (recommended so Windows fully sees Python).

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Step 3 — Install the free helper packages

These are free add-ons Python needs (browser window, tray icon, images).

1. Open the folder where you extracted DesktopPlus (example: C:\DesktopPlus).
2. Click once in the address bar at the top of File Explorer (where the folder path is shown).
3. Type cmd and press Enter.
   • A black window opens. That is the “Command Prompt.”
   • It should already be “inside” your DesktopPlus folder.
4. Copy this line exactly, paste it into the black window, then press Enter:

py -m pip install -r requirements.txt

5. Wait until it finishes (you should get the blinking cursor back with no long red error).

If that line fails, try this instead, then press Enter:

python -m pip install -r requirements.txt

If you still get errors, copy everything from the black window and ask for help (or open an Issue on the GitHub page).

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Step 4 — Start DesktopPlus

1. In your DesktopPlus folder, double-click DesktopPlus.pyw.
2. The first time, a small box should ask for a URL (web address).
3. Type or paste your Home Assistant dashboard address, for example:

http://homeassistant.local:8123/lovelace/0

4. Click OK.
5. A window should open with your dashboard.
6. Look near the Windows clock for the DesktopPlus tray icon (monitor with colored tiles).
   • Click ^ if icons are hidden.

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Step 5 — 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 6 — Optional: start automatically when Windows starts

1. Right-click DesktopPlus.pyw
2. Click Show more options (Windows 11) if needed
3. Click Send to → Desktop (create shortcut)
4. Press Windows key + R, type shell:startup, press Enter
5. Drag the DesktopPlus shortcut from your Desktop into that Startup folder

Now DesktopPlus can start when you sign in to Windows.

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Upgrade from version 1.0 (people who already used the old program)

Version 1.0 was a single file (often named something like HAD-PLus.pyw).
Version 2.0 is a new folder with several files and a tray menu. You do not edit coordinates by hand anymore.

Upgrade steps (safe)

1. Close the old program if it is running
   • Close the dashboard window, or end it from Task Manager if needed.
2. Optional but a good idea: Copy your old file somewhere safe as a backup
   • Example: copy HAD-PLus.pyw to a folder named DesktopPlus-backup.
3. Download version 2.0 the same way as Install → Step 1 (new folder, extract the zip).
4. Do Install → Step 2 only if Python is not installed yet.
   • If Python already works on your PC, skip to Step 5.
5. Do Install → Step 3 in the new DesktopPlus folder
   (py -m pip install -r requirements.txt).
6. Double-click DesktopPlus.pyw in the new folder.
7. Enter your dashboard URL when asked (same address you used before is fine).
8. Use the tray menu → Display to pick your screen (this replaces the old hard-coded position/size).
9. When you are happy it works, you can delete or ignore the old HAD-PLus.pyw.

What changed from 1.0 to 2.0 (plain English)

Old 1.0	New 2.0
One script file	Several files that must stay together
Typed screen position numbers in the file	Choose the screen from the tray menu
Limited options in code	Most options in the tray menu
Refresh often unreliable	Refresh redesigned (default every 10 minutes)
No tray menu	System tray menu for settings

Your old 1.0 settings inside the old .pyw file are not copied automatically. You set the URL once in 2.0, then use the tray for the rest.

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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 dashboard 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 (some need restart)
Always on top	Keep above other windows (usually leave off for background use)
Open config folder	Opens the folder with your settings
Quit	Closes DesktopPlus

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If something goes wrong

Double-click does nothing

1. Open the DesktopPlus folder.
2. Double-click run_debug.bat.
3. A black window will show messages.
4. Read the message:
   • If it says a package is missing → repeat Install Step 3.
   • If it says Python was not found → repeat Install Step 2 (and check “Add to PATH”).

Also check for a file named desktopplus.log in the same folder and open it with Notepad.

“Missing module” / “No module named webview”

Open Command Prompt in the DesktopPlus folder (see Install Step 3) and run:

py -m pip install -r requirements.txt

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 or run_debug.bat (do not share passwords).

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Files in the folder (what matters to you)

File name	Do you need it?	What it is
DesktopPlus.pyw	Yes — double-click this to run	Starter program
desktopplus_core.py	Yes — leave it there	Helper program file
desktopplus_ui.py	Yes — leave it there	Helper program file
requirements.txt	Yes — used in install Step 3	List of free packages to install
run_debug.bat	Only if something fails	Shows error messages
README.md	Optional	These instructions
.gitignore	Optional — ignore it	For GitHub only (see above)
tray_icon.png	Optional	Icon picture (also auto-created)
config.json	Created automatically	Your personal settings (URL, screen, etc.)
desktopplus.log	Created automatically	Error log

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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.