Desktop Duck looks great out of the box — a classic yellow duck with a crown is a solid combo. But personalising it is half the fun. Here's everything you can change and how to do it.
Opening the Control Panel
Everything happens in the control panel. To open it, simply click your duck. A holographic-style panel will float up near the edge of the screen. This is your command centre for all things duck-related.
On the control panel you'll find colour options, hat selection, your duck's name, and settings like free roam mode and startup preferences. Changes take effect immediately — there's no save or confirm step.
Changing the Duck's Colour
Desktop Duck comes in 8 body colours. Click the colour swatch in the control panel to switch. The duck updates instantly so you can preview each one before committing.
The Snow White duck is a popular choice for dark-themed setups where it contrasts nicely with the background. Mint Green has become a community favourite for its clean look. Classic Yellow remains the most common because sometimes you just want a duck that looks like a duck.
Choosing a Hat
8 hats. No unlocks. No grinding. Just click and wear.
Crown
For the duck who knows its worth. Classic royalty vibes.
Cowboy Hat
Wide brim, frontier spirit. Yeehaw energy mandatory.
Baseball Cap
Casual, sporty, approachable. The everyday duck look.
Party Hat
Every day is a celebration with this one on.
Hard Hat
For the duck who means business. Safety first.
Combat Helmet
Battle-ready. Serious. Not to be questioned.
Boater Hat
Straw flat-brim with a red stripe. Nautical. Distinguished.
Beanie
Cosy blue knit. The go-to for autumn vibes all year.
You can also select "No Hat" if you prefer your duck in its natural, unencumbered state. Some users find this very peaceful. Others find it wrong.
Renaming Your Duck
Open the control panel and find the name field. Click it, type a new name, and confirm. The name displays above the duck on screen and is stored locally — it's never sent anywhere. Change it as often as you like. Some users rename their duck seasonally. We support this.
Dragging the Duck to a New Position
Click and hold anywhere on the duck's body, then drag it to wherever you want it. The physics will kick in when you release — it'll settle with a small bounce. Common favourite spots: bottom-right corner out of the way, centre of a secondary monitor, or perched somewhere inconvenient on your primary display as a productivity challenge.
System Tray Settings
Right-click the Desktop Duck icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS) to access quick settings without opening the full control panel. From here you can:
- Show or hide the duck instantly
- Toggle free roam mode on/off
- Enable or disable start with system
- Quit the app
Tips for the Best Duck Setup
A few combinations that work particularly well together:
- Classic Yellow + Crown: The original. Timeless. Hard to go wrong.
- Snow White + Boater: Clean, elegant. Works especially well on dark-themed desktops.
- Mint Green + Beanie: Cosy and fun. Popular in autumn and winter.
- Firebrick Red + Combat Helmet: This duck means business and will not be taking questions.
- Any colour + Party Hat: For when you want your desktop to feel like a celebration even when it isn't.
Whatever you choose, it's all saved automatically. No manual saves needed.