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Guide · Open source

How to use daedalOS: a desktop in your browser tab

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

daedalOS is an open-source desktop environment that runs entirely in a web browser, with windows, a start menu, a taskbar, a file explorer and a set of built-in apps. It is mainly a showcase and playground for web technology, so there is nothing to install. This guide shows you how to open it, get around the desktop, use the main shortcuts and find the bundled apps.

daedalOSDustinBrett/daedalOS · ★ 13.1k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Open the live site. Go to https://dustinbrett.com in a modern browser. No install is required.
  2. 2Open the Start Menu. Press SHIFT+ESC to open the Start Menu and browse the apps list.
  3. 3Explore File Explorer. Open it with SHIFT+CTRL+E and try the address bar, search and thumbnail or details views.
  4. 4Try an app. Open Monaco Editor, Paint or PDF from the Start Menu to see how the bundled apps behave.
  5. 5Use the shortcuts. Try SHIFT+CTRL+D to show the desktop and F11 to toggle fullscreen.

Open daedalOS in your browser

The README lists no prerequisites and no install steps. The only access method given is the live site, so you open it in a browser at https://dustinbrett.com.

Because it runs inside a browser tab, it is not a separate operating system and does not replace Windows, macOS or Linux.

https://dustinbrett.com

Learn the desktop basics: windows, Start Menu and taskbar

Windows can be dragged, resized, minimized, maximized and closed, and their size and position are remembered. The Start Menu has an expandable sidebar with the apps list and Documents, Pictures and Videos shortcuts.

The taskbar shows a hover preview of open windows, an indicator for the focused window, and a search menu that includes recent files.

  • Open the Start Menu with SHIFT+ESC (or the Windows key in fullscreen).
  • Power in the Start Menu clears the session.
  • The taskbar also includes an AI Chat Agent, which the README says uses the Prompt API and WebLLM.

Use the File Explorer

The File Explorer supports back, forward, recent locations, going up one level, an address bar and search. You can switch between thumbnail and details views and sort by name, size, type or date.

You can drag files in from outside the browser, and the context menu offers options such as Cut, Copy, Rename, Download and Open Terminal here. The README also says ZIP and ISO files can be browsed as folders and that ZIP files can be created.

  • Refresh with F5 or CTRL+R.
  • Rename with F2 and open Properties with ALT+Enter.
  • Switch to thumbnail view with CTRL+SHIFT+3 and details view with CTRL+SHIFT+6.

Learn the keyboard shortcuts

The README lists these shortcuts. In fullscreen, the Windows key opens the Start Menu and Windows key combos work in place of SHIFT+CTRL, for example Windows Key + R.

  • SHIFT+CTRL+E opens File Explorer.
  • SHIFT+CTRL+R opens the Run dialog.
  • SHIFT+CTRL+S opens Search.
  • SHIFT+CTRL+D shows the desktop.
  • SHIFT+F10 opens Terminal.
  • SHIFT+F12 opens DevTools.
  • CTRL+ALT+F4 closes the focused window; in fullscreen, ALT+F4 does this.
  • F11 toggles fullscreen and ESC exits it.

Open the built-in apps

The README describes a set of bundled apps. Each one handles particular file types, as listed below.

  • Monaco Editor: code and text editing, saves with CTRL+S, with Prettier formatting for several languages.
  • PDF: renders and prints PDFs with page count and zoom.
  • Paint: creates and edits images such as PNG, JPG and BMP.
  • Marked: a Markdown viewer for .md files.
  • js-dos: a DOS emulator for .exe, .jsdos and .zip files.
  • Browser: loads websites with bookmarks, Google search from the address bar and IPFS support.
  • Terminal-style tools include a DesktopFly pet app launched with fly [count] and a Terminal opened with SHIFT+F10.

Load a specific file or app with a URL

The README says you can load content by adding query parameters to the URL. Two examples are given.

/?url=/CREDITS.md /?app=Browser

What people use it for

  • Exploring how a desktop interface, windowing and file handling are built with browser technology.
  • Studying a large, real-world JavaScript UI as a reference for your own web projects.
  • Trying a retro or novelty desktop with a DOS emulator and screensavers from a browser tab.
  • Viewing Markdown, PDFs and fonts in one place without installing software.

Frequently asked questions

Is daedalOS free?

daedalOS is released under the MIT licence, according to the README. The source is on GitHub under DustinBrett/daedalOS, and the live site is at https://dustinbrett.com.

Do I need to install daedalOS?

No. The README lists the live site as the way to open it and gives no prerequisites or install steps. You simply open the site in a browser.

Can daedalOS replace Windows, macOS or Linux?

No. It runs inside a browser tab and the README presents it as a showcase and playground, not a replacement for a real operating system. It is not suited to reliable daily document or file management.

Why are some features not working on my computer?

The README notes that AI generated wallpapers via Stable Diffusion require WebGPU. Older or low-powered devices may struggle with the animated features, so try a current browser on a more capable machine.

What are the alternatives to daedalOS?

The source names Puter, webtop and JSLinux as comparable projects. The README does not compare them in detail, so check each project to see which fits your needs.

What is daedalOS built with?

The project is written in JavaScript, according to the source. The README also lists libraries it uses, such as Monaco Editor for the code editor and PDF.js for PDFs.

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Our verdict

daedalOS suits people who are curious about how desktop interfaces work, web developers who want a large browser-based UI to study, and anyone who wants a quick retro desktop in a tab. It is not a replacement for a real operating system, so people who need reliable daily file management should choose Windows, macOS or Linux, or a more production-oriented alternative such as Puter.

Install options & downloads