try omarchy
Try Omarchy without installing it.
The full Omarchy Linux desktop, running in a window on your Windows 11 PC. No partitions touched, no dual boot, nothing to undo later. When you're done, you delete one folder.
The real thing, on Windows 11, in real time: the desktop, the system panel, the screensavers, all live in the Try Omarchy window. Click for a bigger view.
why try it here
Nothing to undo
No new partitions, no bootloader, no Windows settings changed. The whole Linux system lives in a single file, and deleting that file is the entire uninstall process.
It's the real thing
This is the real Omarchy desktop, running on your machine. Every theme, every screensaver, the whole experience. Not a slideshow of someone else's screen.
It's fast
It draws with your actual graphics card, so the desktop feels quick and video plays smoothly. It boots straight to the desktop in seconds.
It behaves like an app
It runs in a normal window, not a VM console. The Windows key drives Omarchy while the window is focused and Windows everywhere else, copy and paste crosses both ways, and every launch after the first goes straight to the desktop.
how it works
Under the hood it's a lightweight virtual machine, using virtualization that Windows already includes (the same one WSL2 uses). A ready-made Omarchy system boots inside a normal app window. Your Windows apps keep working like always; the Linux desktop just lives in its own window.
Want the technical details? They're all written up in FINDINGS.md.
try it today
Download TryOmarchy.exe (8 MB) and open it. The first run sets everything up by itself: Windows asks permission to switch on the virtualization it already includes and restarts once, then the app pulls the graphics engine and the Omarchy image, about 1.5 GB in all. Everything it needs comes with it, QEMU included - there's nothing else to install. After that, every launch goes straight to the desktop. No commands, no sign-in screens, no console text.
questions
Is this official?
No. It's an unofficial project, not affiliated with Omarchy, Basecamp, DHH, or 37signals. Omarchy is their work. If you want the real project, that's omarchy.org.
Will it mess up my PC?
No. Setup switches on one built-in Windows feature (the same virtualization WSL2 uses) and that's it. It doesn't touch your files, partitions, or boot setup — everything it adds lives in one folder you can delete.
Do I need Windows 11 Pro?
No, Home works too. It uses the same Windows feature WSL2 runs on, so there's nothing special to enable.
What kind of PC do I need?
If your PC can run WSL2, it can run this. On our mid-range Ryzen 5 test laptop, the desktop is up about six seconds after launch.
How do I actually install Omarchy?
That's the idea: try it here first. When you're ready for the real thing, Omarchy installs straight onto your machine. Head to omarchy.org.