What is Endstate GUI?

Endstate GUI is the official open-source desktop application for rebuilding a Windows workstation from a saved setup. It scans installed applications and captures supported settings in a portable profile that you can open on another Windows installation. The application then previews the missing software and lets you install it, with an optional settings restore.

Applications are reinstalled through package-manager references rather than copied as executable folders. On Windows, winget supplies the main installation path. Settings coverage comes from the Endstate engine's configuration modules, so an application appearing in the inventory does not automatically mean its preferences can be restored.

The interface is built with React and TypeScript inside a Tauri desktop shell, with Rust handling native integration. A separate Go engine performs capture, planning, installation, configuration restore and verification. The GUI consumes the engine's structured responses and streams progress into the window.

This is useful when replacing a development laptop, reinstalling Windows or keeping a repeatable personal workstation setup. A profile describes applications and supported configuration; your Windows installation, project directories, credentials and personal documents need a separate backup process.

The latest published GUI release checked for this profile is 3.11.0, released October 5, 2026, with engine 2.31.0. Both repositories use Apache License 2.0. The profile is based on source and public documentation reviewed on October 16, 2026; the application has not been independently installed or benchmarked for this review.

Inside the application

Endstate GUI screenshots

Explore the interface. Open a screenshot to view it at full size.

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Endstate GUI screenshot 1

Official Endstate GUI screenshot. Source: Substrate Systems.

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Application and settings capture

Official project example of application detection and settings capture; displayed counts are not an iThub test result.

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Preview a workstation rebuild

Official project example of a target-machine preview; displayed results are illustrative.

Source: official Endstate GUI project page.

Key capabilities

Application inventory Scan software registered with Windows, including traditional installer and Microsoft Store applications. The result separates what was detected from what can actually be installed through an available package reference. Unregistered portable applications fall outside the published detection scope.
Portable setup profiles Save an application list and selected supported settings to a file you control. Current releases recognize the .endstate capture-bundle extension; older ZIP bundles and manifest workflows also exist. A bundle can include configuration payloads, while an application-only manifest carries package references without those settings.
Preview before installation Load a saved setup on the target computer and inspect which applications are present and which need installation. Choose application installation alone or installation with supported settings. Review the actual plan before approval, especially where an application is unavailable or its target version differs.
Opt-in configuration capture The product site advertises configuration modules for more than 300 applications, including editors, terminals and creative tools. Select the settings you need and verify coverage for your application's version.
Backups before settings replacement The engine documents backups of existing files before a configuration restore and a revert operation for that restore. This protects the configuration changes it handles. A complete package installation, operating-system change or application-created data set may require its own recovery procedure.
Verification and run reports The engine checks the resulting machine against its manifest and retains execution reports. Developers can also use CLI commands for planning, verification and environment diagnostics. An application launching and its expected settings loading are useful additional checks after the automated result.
Local use without an account Capture, profiles and local configuration operations do not require an Endstate account or paid subscription. Save a setup on a USB drive or another location you control. Package downloads still need a network connection; the local-first design does not make missing installers available offline.
Optional encrypted cloud history Endstate Cloud stores encrypted setup versions for transfer to another supported Windows PC. The engine performs the documented client-side encryption and key handling; the GUI displays account, backup and restore state. Cloud storage requires its own account and paid plan, while local features remain free.

Where Endstate GUI fits

Moving a developer workstation to a new laptop

Capture the applications and supported preferences from the old Windows machine before retiring it. On the new laptop, preview the profile, install the available packages and restore selected editor or terminal settings. Transfer Git repositories, SSH keys and development secrets through their established backup or credential-management process.

Rebuilding after a clean Windows installation

Store the .endstate file somewhere other than the drive being erased. After Windows and its package manager are ready, install Endstate and load that profile. Check application availability, account activation and settings compatibility before removing the old machine's recovery copy.

Maintaining a repeatable personal baseline

A saved setup makes the intended software list inspectable. The engine's plan and verify commands help compare a machine with that baseline. Update the profile when requirements change; an old capture can otherwise preserve applications that are no longer useful or available.

Sharing a starter development environment

The engine repository publishes starter manifests for several workloads, including a full-stack development machine. The documented sanitized-manifest export keeps application IDs and package-manager references while removing machine-specific paths, timestamps and credentials. Inspect the resulting file before sharing; a configuration bundle has a broader data scope.

Evaluating workstation recovery for a small IT team

An administrator can test Endstate on a spare Windows machine and document which applications and settings survive the move. The published Teams offer is still design-partner research, with no current team product to purchase. Treat any fleet-management, policy or service-level requirement as a separate evaluation.