NotchPixel
Notch apps for Windows, compared
October 2026. Checked on 3 October 2026. Written by the maker of NotchPixel, so read the last section with that in mind.
A notch app puts a small pill at the top centre of your screen. It shows what is playing and other live status, and opens into a card when you point at it. Below are the ones I found and checked for Windows, free ones first.
The idea comes from the iPhone, where Apple calls it the Dynamic Island. On a PC there is no camera cut-out to wrap around, so these apps draw their own. Prices below are US prices in the Microsoft Store, on Steam or on the maker's site, as they were on 3 October 2026. I have not measured any other app's memory or CPU, so this page gives no performance figures for them.
The short answer
- If you only want the look, use a free one. The island mod for Windhawk is free and has 26,964 users in the Windhawk catalog. Dynamic Edge and Smart Notch are free in the Microsoft Store.
- The cheapest paid one covered here is Notchify, at $1.99 in the Microsoft Store, with a long list of widgets.
- NotchPixel ($9.99 once) is for people who want the notch to do particular jobs: a slim stats strip in games, one key to mute the microphone, files to your phone on the same Wi-Fi, and a stream chat drawer.
All of them at a glance
Free options
Start here. Every one of these costs nothing, and for many people one of them is enough.
The island mod for Windhawk
By Himanshu. Version 1.3.1, updated 26 September 2026. MIT licence.
- Price
- Free.
- Windows 10
- Its readme sets no minimum version. Its blur setting is described as needing Windows 10 version 1803 or newer.
- Installs from
- Windhawk, a free, open-source tool for installing small mods to Windows. Install Windhawk, then search its catalog for "island" and pick the mod by Himanshu.
- Good at
- Covering a lot for nothing: now playing with a waveform, calendar, weather, a hardware monitor, a game overlay with FPS, a file tray, what you last copied, Windows notifications, and dots when the microphone or camera is in use. It hides in fullscreen apps by default and has 12 languages. In the Windhawk catalog it has 26,964 users and a 9 out of 10 rating from 1,014 people.
- Keep in mind
- It runs inside Windhawk, so you keep Windhawk installed. Lasting settings live in Windhawk's Mod Settings tab; choices made from the island's right-click menu reset when the mod restarts.
If you only want media controls in the Windows 11 taskbar rather than a notch, Island Media Controls, also on Windhawk, does just that (8,653 users).
DynamicWin
By Florian Butz. Version 2.0.3, released 22 October 2025.
- Price
- Free.
- Windows 10
- Not stated.
- Installs from
- GitHub releases, as an installer or a portable zip. The repository now hosts releases only, not source code.
- Good at
- A media controller with favourites, a calendar that can connect to Google Calendar, a file tray whose files you can open or share through the Windows share dialog, and Bluetooth device battery. It updates itself.
- Keep in mind
- There has been no release since 22 October 2025, and the author's notes for the first version 2 release called it still unstable.
Dynamic Edge
By Eyuel Engida. In the Store since 20 August 2026, updated 3 October 2026.
- Price
- Free. An optional Dynamic Edge Plus add-on is $4.99 once.
- Windows 10
- Version 1809 (build 17763) or later, x64.
- Installs from
- The Microsoft Store.
- Good at
- Media: a seek bar, a switcher between players, and a volume flyout you can scroll. It can sit at the top or as a blade on the left or right edge, hides in fullscreen games, and has a clipboard shelf you can drop files on and three quick-launch slots. Five languages.
- Keep in mind
- Some customisation and power-user tools are in the paid Plus add-on.
Smart Notch
By Dev_avinash. In the Store since 12 May 2026, updated 30 September 2026.
- Price
- Free.
- Windows 10
- Version 1809 (build 17763) or later, x64.
- Installs from
- The Microsoft Store.
- Good at
- Now playing with synced lyrics, volume and brightness pop-ups, Bluetooth battery, a focus timer with tasks, camera and microphone indicators, and weather. It can be a notch or a full bar, at the top or along a side. It is the only app here with star ratings in the US Microsoft Store: 4.3 from 7 ratings.
- Keep in mind
- The listing is in English only.
Halo DynamicWin
By Boy Labs. In the Store since 10 August 2026, updated 21 August 2026. MIT licence, source on GitHub.
- Price
- Free.
- Windows 10
- Version 2004 (build 19041) or later. x64 and ARM64.
- Installs from
- The Microsoft Store.
- Good at
- Media, mirrored notifications, a file tray, download progress, Bluetooth battery, and panels for Claude Code and Codex sessions. Eight languages, with right-to-left layout for Arabic and Persian. It is the only Store app in this guide with an ARM64 build.
- Keep in mind
- It is new and small: no Store update since 21 August 2026, and a source repository that few people follow yet.
Paid options
Each of these is a one-time price, not a subscription.
Notchify
By Kingpindev. In the Store since 17 April 2026, updated 3 October 2026.
- Price
- $1.99.
- Windows 10
- Version 1809 (build 17763) or later, x64.
- Installs from
- The Microsoft Store.
- Good at
- Breadth for the price: media with synced lyrics and a lyrics widget, a notifications panel, clipboard history with pins, a file tray, Bluetooth battery, and widgets for weather, calendar, timers, Pomodoro, notes and to-dos. It has 14 themes, a theme editor, and an option to follow your cursor across monitors. The description says 10 languages.
- Keep in mind
- Its listing does not describe a game overlay or a way to send files to a phone, so look elsewhere if you need either.
DockBar
By Wapkain. Released 18 March 2026.
- Price
- $4.99.
- Windows 10
- Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit.
- Installs from
- Steam.
- Good at
- A bar across the top with music, system info, timers, notes, a to-do list and a quick launcher, plus a glass theme and textures. Nine languages.
- Keep in mind
- It is sold through Steam, so you need the Steam app and a Steam account.
BuildNotch
By Tudor. Built on .NET and WinUI.
- Price
- $3 for its first 50 buyers, $4.99 after that, per its site on 3 October 2026.
- Windows 10
- Version 2004 or newer, x64.
- Installs from
- Its own site. After you buy, the installer comes from the seller's customer portal.
- Good at
- It is made for developers: project shortcuts, a launcher for AI apps on your PC, GitHub contribution activity, a code scratchpad, focus timers, tasks and notes, and music controls.
- Keep in mind
- Its site says the installer is not code-signed, so Windows may show an unrecognised-app warning the first time you run it.
ZenithBar
By Henry Cauan. Version 0.2.10, released 11 September 2026.
- Price
- $12 once. Its site gives $19 as the regular price.
- Windows 10
- Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit.
- Installs from
- Its own site, which links to an installer on GitHub.
- Good at
- Work tools: a visual clipboard history, a file shelf, Google Calendar events, media controls, notification previews, and pinned apps and sites. Clipboard history stays on the device, and its site says the core features need no account; the Google connection is optional.
- Keep in mind
- It is the most expensive app in this guide.
The Microsoft Store has a few smaller ones I have not covered in depth: Ghostly by Holy Panda ($9.99, a media widget that can open music services inside it), a $0.99 app by Nactro and a $1.49 app by BEEBHNY, both with music controls and shortcuts.
NotchPixel
This one is mine, so it comes last. The same five questions, answered the same way.
NotchPixel
Published by KORE INDUSTRIES. In the Store since 29 September 2026. Version 0.5.64.
- Price
- $9.99 once in the US; other countries see their own local price. No subscription, no account.
- Windows 10
- Version 2004 (build 19041) or later, and Windows 11. x64 only.
- Installs from
- The Microsoft Store, which installs and updates it. Microsoft signs the package.
- Good at
- Doing jobs, not only showing status. In fullscreen games it hides, or shows a slim FPS, CPU, GPU and RAM strip, and reminders still show over the game. Ctrl+Alt+M mutes the microphone in every app, with a call timer. Its file shelf sends files to your phone and back on the same Wi-Fi with a QR code, with no app or account on the phone. Streamers get a Twitch or YouTube chat drawer and an OBS REC pill. It also has now playing, clipboard history with pins, mirrored notifications, volume and brightness pop-ups, screenshots and screen recording, and 21 languages. At idle it uses about 13 MB in Task Manager and 0% CPU (version 0.5.64, 3 Oct 2026; how it was measured).
- Keep in mind
- It costs more than most apps here, it is x64 only, and it is new: no ratings in the Store yet.
Which one should you pick
If you only want the look, use a free one. Paying for a pill that shows the song title makes little sense when several do that for nothing.
You already use Windhawk, or want the most features for free: the island mod for Windhawk.
You want a free app that the Microsoft Store installs and updates: Dynamic Edge or Smart Notch.
Your PC has an ARM processor: Halo DynamicWin, the one Store app here with an ARM64 build.
You want lots of widgets and lyrics for very little: Notchify at $1.99.
You write code all day: BuildNotch is built around that.
NotchPixel is for you if you want the notch to take over a few specific jobs:
- A slim FPS, CPU, GPU and RAM strip in fullscreen games, or nothing at all, and reminders that still reach you mid-game.
- One key, Ctrl+Alt+M, that mutes your microphone in every app, with a call timer.
- Files to your phone and back on the same Wi-Fi with a QR code, and nothing to install on the phone.
- A Twitch or YouTube chat drawer and an OBS REC pill while you stream.
- Scripts that can put lines and live tiles on it, through a local endpoint on your PC and a command-line tool.
- About 13 MB in Task Manager and 0% CPU at idle (version 0.5.64, 3 Oct 2026; method and script).
Get NotchPixel
$9.99 once. No subscription, no account.
US price; the Store shows the price for your country. The Microsoft Store installs and updates it.
Questions
Is there a free notch app for Windows?
Yes. The island mod for Windhawk, DynamicWin, Dynamic Edge, Smart Notch and Halo DynamicWin are all free. Dynamic Edge also sells an optional Plus add-on for $4.99. Checked on 3 October 2026.
Which notch apps work on Windows 10?
Dynamic Edge, Smart Notch and Notchify list Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later in the Microsoft Store. Halo DynamicWin, BuildNotch and NotchPixel need Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later. DockBar and ZenithBar say 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. The Windhawk mod and DynamicWin do not state a minimum version.
Which ones have an ARM64 version?
Of the Microsoft Store apps in this guide, only Halo DynamicWin lists an ARM64 build. The others, NotchPixel included, list x64.
Why pay $9.99 for NotchPixel when others are free?
If a free one does what you want, you do not need to. NotchPixel is for a set of jobs that no other listing here describes together: a slim FPS, CPU, GPU and RAM strip in fullscreen games, reminders over games, one key that mutes the microphone in every app with a call timer, files to your phone on the same Wi-Fi with a QR code, and a Twitch or YouTube chat drawer. It is $9.99 once in the US, with no subscription and no account, and the Microsoft Store installs and updates it.
Does NotchPixel need an account or collect data?
No. There is no account, no telemetry and no ads. The privacy policy lists exactly what the app reads on your PC.
Who wrote this guide?
The maker of NotchPixel. Facts about the other apps come from their Microsoft Store listings, the Windhawk catalog, GitHub, Steam and their own websites, all checked on 3 October 2026. I did not measure other apps' memory or CPU. If anything here is wrong, email info@notchpixel.com and I will correct it.
Where the facts come from
- Prices, Windows versions, release and update dates, languages and US ratings for Store apps: the Microsoft Store's product data for the US market, read on 3 October 2026.
- The island mod and Island Media Controls: the Windhawk mod catalog and the mod's own readme, read on 3 October 2026.
- DynamicWin and Halo DynamicWin: their GitHub repositories and release notes. ZenithBar: its site and its GitHub releases.
- DockBar: its Steam page. BuildNotch: its own site.
- NotchPixel's memory and CPU: measured on an Intel Core i5-11400H laptop with Windows 10 22H2, method on the footprint page.
Written by the maker of NotchPixel, 3 October 2026.
Prices and features change often in this category. If something here is wrong or out of date, email info@notchpixel.com and I will correct it.