What is PowerToys?
Microsoft PowerToys is a powerful suite of utilities designed to optimize and streamline your Windows experience. Developed by Microsoft, this collection of tools enhances productivity, customizes your workflow, and adds advanced functionalities to Windows system. Whether you’re a power user, developer, or everyday Windows user, PowerToys provides the features you need to get the most out of your system.
Key Features and Highlights
1. Advanced Paste
Advanced Paste is a tool that enables you to paste the text from your clipboard into any format needed. It can be enhanced with an AI-powered option that is 100% opt-in and requires an OpenAI key.
2. Always On Top
Always On Top enables you to pin windows above other windows with a quick key shortcut (⊞ Win+Ctrl+T).
3. PowerToys Awake
PowerToys Awake is designed to keep a computer awake without having to manage its power & sleep settings. This behavior can be helpful when running time-consuming tasks, ensuring that the computer does not go to sleep or turns off its displays.
4. Color Picker
Color Picker is a system-wide color picking utility. Pick colors from anywhere on the screen, the picker automatically copies the color to your clipboard in a set format. Color Picker contains an editor that shows a history of previously picked colors, allows you to fine-tune the selected color and to copy different string representations.
5. Crop And Lock
Crop And Lock is a utility that creates a new window that’s a crop or a thumbnail of another window.
6. FancyZones
FancyZones is a window manager that makes it easy to create complex window layouts and quickly position windows into those layouts.
7. File Explorer add-ons
File Explorer add-ons enable Preview pane and thumbnail rendering in File Explorer to display a variety of file types.
8. Image Resizer
Image Resizer is a Windows Shell extension for quickly resizing images. With a right click from File Explorer, instantly resize one or many images.
9. Keyboard Manager
Keyboard Manager allows you to customize the keyboard to be more productive by remapping keys and creating your own keyboard shortcuts.
10. Mouse utilities
Mouse utilities add functionality to enhance your mouse and cursor. With Find My Mouse, quickly locate your mouse’s position with a spotlight that focuses on your cursor. Mouse Highlighter displays visual indicators when basic mouse buttons are clicked. Mouse Jump allows a quick jump on large displays. Mouse Pointer Crosshairs draws crosshairs centered on the mouse pointer.
11. Mouse Without Borders
Use Mouse Without Borders to interact with multiple computers from the same keyboard and mouse, sharing clipboard contents and files between the machines seamlessly.
12. Peek
Peek allows you to preview file content without the need to open multiple applications or interrupt your workflow.
13. PowerRename
Use PowerRename to perform bulk renaming; searching and replacing file names. It includes advanced features, such as using regular expressions, targeting specific file types, previewing expected results, and the ability to undo changes.
14. PowerToys Run
PowerToys Run can help you search and open your app instantly. To open, use the shortcut Alt+Space and start typing. It is open source and modular for additional plugins.
15. Screen Ruler
Use Screen Ruler to quickly measure pixels on your screen based with image edge detection.
16. Text Extractor
Text Extractor is a convenient way to copy text from anywhere on your screen.
In summary, Microsoft PowerToys is an indispensable suite of utilities that supercharges your Windows experience. From advanced window management with FancyZones to efficient file renaming with PowerRename, and quick access to tools with PowerToys Run, this collection is designed to enhance productivity and streamline your workflow. Whether you’re a developer, power user, or someone who simply wants to get more out of their Windows system, PowerToys offers the customization and functionality you need.
