WindowSwap, similar to the Facebook group ‘View From My Window,” is a project created by two founders, Sonali Ranjit and Vaishnav Balasubramaniam, that allows people from around the world to share the views from their windows and help someone else relax, focus, meditate and travel without moving.

The co-founders told Bored Panda that it started in May 2020, during the strictest period of the Singapore lockdown.

“We were feeling a little cooped up and antsy in our little one-bedroom apartment in Singapore. It had a nice but bland view overlooking a reflective glass building—not the most interesting of views. And like us, our friends in lockdown around the world, were tired of their views. 

One of them in Barcelona posted an IG story of his gorgeous view, talking about how tired he was of it. We were joking about how we wished we could just swap places with him. And that’s when we came up with the idea—if we couldn't swap places, perhaps we could swap window views and pretend we were somewhere else for a while. The website launched on June 5th, 2020,” recalls Sonali and Vaishnav.

Now, 4 years and one pandemic later, they keep the WindowSwap alive so it could continue to be a tranquil oasis of calm on the internet. “There are those who visit WindowSwap to get rid of anxiety, teachers who use it to help students focus and learn, and those who come just to relax,” they tell us. 

“It’s the opposite of TikTok and the rest of the manic internet, which is just one constant stream of dopamine hits. We have created a place on the internet that’s making people around the world calmer, stiller, inspired, and relaxed. What started out as a way to travel without moving has changed. Our users come to WindowSwap for various reasons—to fight anxiety, unwind, travel virtually, get inspired to travel, focus, and learn about different places and cultures,” share the creators.

WindowSwap differs from Facebook groups like "View from My Window" by showing 5 to 10 minute videos of window views of people from around the world, along with ambient sounds of their lives. “We don't just showcase views. We showcase slices of people's lives,” say Sonali and Vaishnav.

Anyone who wants to submit their own window view can do so by recording a 5- to 10-minute, clear, high-quality video of their window view, preferably with a bit of their window frame visible. Then, find the 'submit’ button on the WindowSwap page on the bottom left, fill in the details, choose the file, hit upload and it’s done.

“We hope WindowSwap gives our visitors a sense of connection and a fresh perspective on the world,” say Sonali and Vaishnav. “Our goal is to provide a moment of calm and escape while fostering empathy and understanding across cultures. We want people to experience the beauty and diversity of global views, reminding them that despite our differences, we share a common human experience. Ultimately, we aim to inspire joy, curiosity, and appreciation for both the familiar and the unknown.”

In the last four years, they’ve built a vibrant community of people from all over the world who return regularly to their site, and they couldn’t be more proud of it. “We've created a simple yet powerful platform that allows people to connect and share their window views, fostering a sense of global community. Our goal has always been to provide a moment of calm and escape, while also nurturing empathy and understanding across cultures. It's heartening to see how WindowSwap has evolved from a 'quarantine project' into a meaningful space for people worldwide to experience the beauty and diversity of humanity,” say Sonali and Vaishnav, signing off.