A double-click on the desktop will automatically hide or unhide all groups and desktop icons unless they have been specifically configured to be always visible on the desktop. New groups are created easily by drawing a rectangle on the desktop with the right-mouse button. It is then possible to move that group on the desktop and place icons in it.

The last updates that have been released to Fences have made the program compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7. The developers have also announced a commercial version of Fences which will be released soon. The paid version will come with advanced customization options like theme support and to automatically create new groups when necessary.

Fences is a one-of-a-kind program, allowing you to draw labeled shaded areas on your desktop, which become movable & resizable containers for your desktop icons. These groups can help bring organization and consistency to your computer’s desktop, solving the “constant mess” problem that has plagued the desktop since its inception.

Fences also helps you finally appreciate the wallpaper you have hiding behind all that clutter.
In addition to its organizing features, Fences offers a patent-pending quick-hide feature. Double click your desktop, and all your icons will fade out. Double click again, and they’ll return.

The free version of Fences is available at the developer’s website.

While that alone would not be really spectacular Fences comes with one of the easiest ways to hide all or specific fences. Hiding and unhiding the fences can be done by a simple double-click on the desktop. This means that you can work with a icon free desktop for most of the day. If you need any shortcuts you simply double-click the desktop, the fences containing the icons appear and you can launch them normally.

Fences does come with the possibility to exclude areas from being hidden by the double-click which is great if you need some shortcuts visible all the time.

The program offers the ability to group all icons on the computer system automatically after installation. The alternative would be to create empty fences and move the shortcuts in those fences manually.

A new fence can be easily created by right-clicking on the computer desktop and drawing a rectangle on the screen. New icons places on the computer desktop will not automatically be moved into fences. It is up to the user to perform that operation.

Another interesting feature of the software program is that it will automatically scale if the screen resolution changes. Fences can be downloaded at the Stardock website. The software is compatible with the 32-bit editions of Windows XP as well as both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.