What Is Kando? A Free, Open-Source Pie Menu for Faster PC Workflows

Kando is a free, open-source, cross-platform pie menu that replaces hunting through menus and memorizing key combinations with directional gestures. You use it to launch applications, run keyboard macros, open files and folders, and chain multiple actions into one gesture. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and accepts mouse, stylus, touch, or controller input. It fits you if you repeatedly perform the same handful of actions and want them under muscle memory rather than under a keyboard shortcut you keep forgetting.

How a pie menu works

Instead of clicking a small button, you summon Kando and flick your pointer, pen, or thumb roughly toward the item you want. The whole screen becomes the click target, so precision matters less than direction.

Kando's own framing of this is that "your entire screen becomes a click target. You do not have to aim at tiny buttons, just throw your mouse approximately in the right direction." The payoff is speed: the project claims you can select tools and actions "within milliseconds," and that gesture recognition lets you reach items buried in sub-sub-submenus without slowing down.

The practical consequence is that selection speed stops depending on how small or how far away a target is. Once you know a direction, you stop reading labels.

What you can actually do with it

The site lists these core uses:

• Launch apps instantly — open a favorite application with a single gesture instead of navigating menus.
• Execute complex workflows — trigger a series of actions from one gesture, so you don't have to recall multi-key combinations.
• Access files quickly — jump to frequently used files and folders.
• Use intuitive gestures — selection relies on muscle memory, which is why the project says you'll be "surprised by how fast you can select items."

The most recent update, per the site, overhauled the menu action system so you can build workflows that execute multiple actions in sequence.

Setup and customization

Kando is fully customizable: you can create nested menus, assign icons, and configure behavior to match how you work. It also supports custom menu themes, icon sets, and even sound themes.

One feature worth knowing before you commit time to configuration: Kando can open different menus depending on the current application or window. That means you can build a dedicated menu per application rather than one universal layout — useful if, for example, your editor, browser, and file manager each need a different set of actions.

There's a learning curve by design. The project describes a gradual path from beginner to expert as your muscles learn the gestures, with achievements along the way for motivation. Expect the first sessions to feel slower than your current habits.

Input methods and platform support

Privacy and cost

Kando states it has no telemetry, no tracking, and no cloud — your data stays on your machine. It also states it is and always will be completely free and open source, described as a passion project built for the community. The site does not mention paid tiers, accounts, or login requirements.

When Kando is a good fit — and when it isn't

Consider it if:

• You repeat the same set of actions many times a day and want them on a single directional flick.
• You work across more than one OS and want one consistent interaction pattern.
• You want per-application menus rather than one global shortcut set.
• You care about local-only data handling and open-source code you can inspect.

Look elsewhere if:

• You want something that works perfectly on day one with no configuration — Kando's value comes from the menus you build.
• You rely mainly on keyboard-only workflows and don't want to add a pointer-driven layer.
• You need a hosted or cloud-synced solution; Kando is explicitly local and offline.

Getting started

1. Go to the Kando site and follow the Read the Docs link for setup instructions, or use Download on GitHub to get the application.
2. Install it for your platform (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
3. Build a first menu with a few actions you perform often — start small rather than recreating every shortcut you have.
4. Practice the gestures until selection becomes automatic, then expand into nested menus and per-application layouts.

The main thing to verify as you go: that each gesture direction maps to something you can recall without reading the labels. If you still have to look, the menu is probably too large or too shallow.