Yes, a Windows 10 or 11 PC can run digital signage for free. Yodeck is free for 1 screen, DigitalSignage.com for 3, and OptiSigns for 3 with its logo on screen. Xibo's Windows player is free and open source if you host its server yourself. Windows Pro also has a free built-in kiosk that shows one web page full screen.
Whichever you pick, the PC must sign in by itself after a power cut and must not restart for updates during opening hours. The setup checklist below covers both.
Free Windows signage software compared
From each vendor's own pages, read September and October 2026:
| Software | Free for | The catch | After the free screens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yodeck | 1 screen | One screen only | $8 per screen per month |
| DigitalSignage.com | 3 screens | Content is built in its SignStudio web editor | From $3 per screen per month |
| OptiSigns | 3 screens | OptiSigns logo on screen, 1 GB storage, no schedules | $9 per screen per month billed annually, $10 monthly |
| Xibo (open source) | Any number of screens | The Windows player is free (AGPLv3), but you run the server, database, backups and updates | Hosted plans from £3.50 per display per month |
| Microsoft Edge kiosk | Any number of PCs | Shows one web page. No playlists, no schedules, no remote management. Windows Pro or higher only. | Free |
Anthias, the open-source player from Screenly, does not run on Windows. It needs Raspberry Pi OS or Debian, so on a PC you would replace Windows.
Which one should you pick?
- One screen, no budget: Yodeck Free. Install the .exe, sign in, add the screen.
- Two or three screens: DigitalSignage.com Free. OptiSigns Free covers 3 too, but its logo stays on screen.
- A dashboard or a web page only: Edge kiosk mode. Nothing to install.
- Many screens, no license fee, an IT person to run a server: Xibo self-hosted. Xibo itself says self-hosting usually costs more to own than its hosted plans.
Free option already in Windows: Edge kiosk mode
Windows can lock a PC to Microsoft Edge showing one site full screen. It works on Windows 10 and 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education. Windows Home does not have it.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Other users (on Windows 10: Settings > Accounts > Family & other users).
- Under Set up a kiosk, select Get started.
- Name the kiosk account and select Next.
- Choose Microsoft Edge, then the option that shows the site full screen as a digital sign.
- Enter the web address to show, for example a published Google Slides deck or a dashboard.
- Restart the PC.
After the restart, Windows signs in to the kiosk account by itself and opens Edge full screen. If Edge closes, Windows starts it again.
Set up the PC so the screen stays on
These steps apply to any player, free or paid.
- Sign in automatically. Most signage players start when Windows signs in. Use a local account set to sign in by itself, or the screen sits at the login page after every power cut.
- Turn the PC on when power returns. Look in the PC's BIOS for a setting usually called "Restore on AC power loss" or "AC power recovery", and set it to On.
- Stop sleep. In Settings > System > Power (Power & sleep on Windows 10), set the screen and sleep timers to Never.
- Keep updates out of opening hours. In Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options (Windows 11), set active hours to cover the hours the screen is on (Windows allows up to 18 hours).
- Expect a SmartScreen warning. Some free players show "Windows protected your PC" on install. Select More info, then Run anyway, only for an installer you downloaded from the vendor's own site.
Where Brix fits
Brix runs on Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit), but it is not free. It costs $6 per screen per month billed annually, or $8 billed monthly, with a 7-day free trial and no card.
What the Windows player does:
- Install: download it from brixsignage.com/downloads and run it. The installer adds the Microsoft WebView2 runtime if the PC lacks it. An .msi is there too for Intune or Group Policy.
- Start: it opens full screen with a six-digit code you type into the CMS, and it starts at every Windows sign-in.
- Kiosk: Alt-F4 and the taskbar's Close do not close it.
- Remote control: restart the PC, take a screenshot and rotate the screen from the CMS.
- Updates: the player updates itself.
The catch: a PC cannot turn the TV on and off. Brix does that over HDMI on an Amazon Signage Stick ($99.99), which also needs no Windows setup at all. For one screen and no budget, Yodeck Free on your PC is the better choice. If you are moving from another platform, we move your content, playlists and screens for you, free, usually in a day.
Start a free 7-day Brix trial. No card needed.