What Is a Desktop Pet?
A desktop pet is a small interactive character that lives on your computer screen. It wanders around, reacts to things you do, and generally makes your desktop feel a little less like staring into the void for eight hours. They've been around since the late 90s (anyone remember the infamous Bonzi Buddy?) but the modern generation of desktop companions is much more charming and considerably less malware-adjacent.
Desktop Duck is one of the best desktop pets available right now. It's a tiny pixel duck that lives on your screen, wanders around, falls asleep when you step away, reacts to music, and comes with eight different hats. It's free, it's tiny (~4MB), and it doesn't collect any data about you.
System Requirements for Windows 11
Before downloading, make sure you meet these requirements:
- Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
- ~50MB free disk space
- No internet connection required after installation
Desktop Duck does not support 32-bit versions of Windows. If you're on a modern PC running Windows 11, you're almost certainly on 64-bit already.
How to Download Desktop Duck
Head to desktopduck.app/download and click the Windows download button. You'll get a .exe installer file. The download is under 4MB so it'll be done in seconds on most connections.
If you want the MSI version for enterprise deployment or IT-managed systems, there's an alternate download for that too.
Handling the Windows SmartScreen Warning
When you run the installer, Windows SmartScreen will likely show a blue warning dialog saying "Windows protected your PC." This is completely normal for indie apps that don't have an expensive commercial code-signing certificate. It doesn't mean the app is dangerous — it just means Microsoft hasn't seen it enough times to automatically trust it.
Here's how to get past it:
- Double-click the downloaded
.exefile - When the SmartScreen dialog appears, click More info (the small link below the warning text)
- A Run anyway button will appear — click it
- The installer will proceed normally
First Launch: Naming Your Duck
After installation, Desktop Duck launches automatically. The first thing it'll do is ask you to name your duck. This is not optional in the sense that you need to enter something — but you can always change it later from the control panel. Take a moment to think. Some users have gone with "Gerald." Others have gone with "Sir Reginald Feathersworth III." There are no wrong answers.
Once you've named it, your duck will appear on screen. By default it'll be a classic yellow duck with a crown. It'll bob around near wherever it spawns, looking pleased with itself.
Customising Your Duck
Click your duck to open the holographic control panel. From here you can change everything:
- Colour: 8 options — Classic Yellow, Snow White, Cotton Candy Pink, Sky Blue, Sunset Orange, Grape Purple, Mint Green, and Firebrick Red
- Hat: 8 hats — Crown, Cowboy Hat, Baseball Cap, Party Hat, Hard Hat, Combat Helmet, Boater, and Beanie (or no hat)
- Name: change it any time
- Free roam: let the duck wander on its own
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Desktop Duck
Drag it around. Click and hold your duck and drag it anywhere on screen. It has physics — let go and watch it bounce. You can put it in the corner out of the way, or in the middle of a second monitor if you have one.
System tray. Desktop Duck lives in your system tray (the little arrow near the clock). Right-click the icon there to show/hide the duck without closing the app. If the duck ever seems to have disappeared, check the tray first.
Free roam mode. Open the control panel and enable free roam. The duck will start wandering your desktop entirely on its own. Good for days when you want something moving in your peripheral vision without interacting with it.
Auto-sleep. If you step away from your desk for 60 seconds, the duck will find a pillow and fall asleep. Click it when you get back to wake it up. It's a surprisingly effective little indicator of whether you've actually been away from your computer.
Music detection. Got Spotify or YouTube Music open? Desktop Duck will react when music's playing. It's subtle, but noticeable.
Quick FAQ
Can I make it start with Windows? Yes — open the control panel, go to Settings, and enable "Start with Windows."
How do I uninstall it? Settings → Apps → Desktop Duck → Uninstall.
Is there an Easter egg? Press Alt+C and find out.