Enhance your Windows experience with advanced productivity tools that feel fast, modern, and effortless.
Microsoft PowerToys is an open-source collection of system utilities developed by Microsoft, designed for power users and developers who want to get more out of their productivity. PowerToys brings customization and productivity features that are not available in native Windows.
Back in November 1996 it was first released as a toolkit called Windows 95 PowerToys, which included around 15 tools, among them Tweak UI, a utility which enabled users to change Windows Registry settings through a simple interface. In 2004, Microsoft released a follow-up set built for Windows XP, including an updated Tweak UI 2.0.
In May 2019, Microsoft announced the project would return as fully open-source under the MIT license, relaunching it simply as PowerToys. It has grown steadily since, and by 2026 the suite includes 30+ modern utilities supporting Windows 10 and 11. In June 2026, it celebrated its 20th anniversary with the release of v0.100. It's hosted on GitHub, where it has gained over 130,000 stars and 8,000+ forks.
Ready to unlock the full potential of Windows? Download Microsoft PowerToys App now!
| Name | Microsoft PowerToys |
|---|---|
| Latest Version | v0.100.2 (Latest Stable Release) |
| Size | Approx. 271.73 MB |
| Developer / Maintainers | Microsoft |
| License | MIT License |
| Platform | Windows |
| Repository Stats | 130k+ GitHub Stars & 8k Forks |
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Windows is a powerful operating system, but many users choose the PowerToys utility suite when they want more features, better accessibility, and more customization compared to default Windows. It is for people who want to remove limitations from their Windows experience. Some of the limitations users may face are:
Microsoft PowerToys solves these problems by providing a collection of utilities — each utility has its own functionality. You can enable and disable them independently, which can also save system resources. Here are the solutions they provide:
Whether you're a developer, designer, gamer, student, or everyday Windows user, PowerToys helps you work faster, stay organized, and get more done.
Microsoft PowerToys is packed with powerful utilities that help Windows users customize their workflow, boost productivity, and simplify everyday tasks. Below are some of the most popular features included with PowerToys.
FancyZones helps you create custom window layouts which enable one or multiple apps on Windows 10 & 11. You can also span zones to multiple monitors if they have the same DPI scaling. Default shortcut for FancyZones is Win+Shift+` (backtick).
PowerRename is used for bulk renaming multiple files and folders using the search and replace advanced option available in File Explorer. PowerRename comes with autocomplete history that can remember up to 10 recent patterns and also has a bulk library mode for regex syntax. By installing an extension, it can also support metadata extraction for HEIF and AVIF image files.
It is used to extract text from images, screenshots, videos, and apps using built-in OCR. By selecting an area, you can extract text instantly. It can also support multilingual extraction, but you have to install the language pack on Windows. You can open Text Extractor by the shortcut key Win+Shift+T.
Customize your keyboard keys and shortcuts by remapping through Keyboard Manager, which helps improve your workflow without any third-party software. There are two editors available: classic and modern. You can also define key remapping only in specific apps. Shortcut for this handy tool is Win+Shift+Q.
A completely new way to launch apps, place your files and folders into a customizable toolbar which can be pinned on top of your screen. It has adjustable position and size, and you can change the background. Activation shortcut is Win+Alt+Space.
A quick and simple way to pick any color from anywhere on your screen and copy it instantly. It has multiple color formats like HEX, RGB, and HSL which you can add, reorder, or turn on and off. You can also customize what each mouse button does while picking. Activation shortcut is Win+Shift+C.
Image Resizer helps you resize multiple images directly from File Explorer via the right-click menu. Four presets can be set for quicker resizing. Customize the renaming pattern and timestamps of the output file. You can also set the quality percentage of JPEG and PNG files.
Controlling multiple Windows PCs with a single keyboard and mouse has never been so easy without any third-party software. This tool comes with clipboard sharing which also supports transfer of files up to 100MB, not just text. The built-in "Easy Mouse" mode moves your cursor across multiple PCs by pushing it to the edge of the screen.
A completely new way to paste your copied content by transforming it into different formats before it lands, instead of just pasting it as-is. It can paste as plain text, Markdown, or JSON directly. It has an image-to-text tool. Paste with AI mode, a newly added feature, helps reformat content using a cloud or local AI endpoint. It can also paste as a file (.txt, .png, .html) or transcode copied audio/video straight to .mp3 or .mp4. Activation shortcut is Win+Shift+V.
A simple way to pin any window so it stays above all others. Pin any media, chats, or reference material while working on another document. It shows a customizable border around the pinned window, letting you adjust its color, opacity, and thickness. Shortcut key for the tool is Win+Ctrl+T.
A convenient way to keep your PC awake on demand without changing Windows power profiles. It gives you control by a simple on/off switch. It gives you control over how long to keep your device on the selected power plan. There are three modes: indefinitely awake, time interval, or expiration period. It is useful for longer downloads and presentations where you don't want to dim or lock the screen mid-task.
A handy PowerShell tool which suggests which package you have to install whenever you type a command that doesn't exist. It requires PowerShell 7.4 or greater. You should add it to your PowerShell profile script so it loads with every new session.
Crop and Lock lets you crop any open window down to just the part you need and keep it floating on top in a small view. It is great for watching a video or keeping an eye on a chat or CCTV app. There are three modes: one is Thumbnail mode, which creates a simple non-interactive mini view; the second is Reparent mode, which actually embeds the original app into a new smaller window; the third is Screenshot mode, which just takes a static snapshot of the window.
Environment Variables gives you a clean, simple way to view, edit, and manage your system and user environment variables without going into complex system settings. It can run as administrator so those changes actually apply.
File Explorer Add-ons bring proper preview support for file types Windows can't show right inside File Explorer itself. It covers file formats such as SVG images, Markdown files, source code files, and even 3D-printing formats like G-code. PDF preview, which is supported by default but not activated, can be enabled through File Explorer Add-ons.
File Locksmith helps you figure out exactly which app or process is locking a file/folder and using it in the background. You can close the right program to resolve the issue while facing an error where you can't move, rename, or delete something.
Grab and Move enables you to move or resize any window conveniently by holding a modifier key and dragging, i.e., left-click to move it and right-click to resize. You are no longer stuck grabbing just the title bar or the tiny window edges. The modifier key is customizable (Alt key is default). One thing to note: it may not work perfectly with touchpads.
Host File Editor lets you edit your Windows host file safely through a simple interface, instead of manually opening a system file and risking a typo that breaks something. You need to run as administrator to make changes in real time. Automatic backup is enabled, which takes a backup after each session and keeps backups for up to 15 days or up to 5 backups, whichever comes first.
Light Switch automatically switches Windows between light and dark mode. You can schedule it with sunrise and sunset or set your custom times, and also choose where it applies — taskbar, start menu, system UI, and supported apps. It can also switch the power display monitor color temperature profile automatically in reference to the theme, so your screen warmth adjusts accordingly. Can be activated through the key Win+Ctrl+Shift+D.
Mouse Utilities is a bundle of several small tools. It includes CursorWrap, which wraps your mouse cursor between monitor edges. The second tool is Find My Mouse, which highlights the cursor's position; by default, pressing left Ctrl twice is the shortcut key. The third is Mouse Highlighter, which visually marks your clicks, useful for demos and recordings. The fourth useful utility, Mouse Jump, lets you move the cursor across multiple monitors instantly using a thumbnail view. The fifth, Mouse Pointer Crosshairs, draws crosshairs centered on the cursor, with an optional gliding cursor mode for single-button mouse control.
Create new files and folders from your own custom templates right from File Explorer's right-click menu — no need to open an app just to start a blank file. Templates are stored in a dedicated folder that you can change anytime. However, PowerToys' Backup and Restore feature does not currently cover these templates, so it's better to copy them over manually if you switch your computer or install a new OS.
Peek provides a quick and easy way to preview almost any file's contents. To use it, just select a file in File Explorer and press Spacebar (or your custom shortcut) to open the preview instantly without fully loading the app. It is accessible everywhere without admin permissions. Its built-in Monaco-based viewer allows you to preview source code files.
PowerDisplay is a hub to control brightness, input source, and color settings for multiple external monitors from one place. You don't need to press physical buttons. You can open it with a quick shortcut, save custom profiles for different setups, and give your own names to color presets and inputs instead of manufacturer codes. There is also a compatibility mode for older or unresponsive monitors that don't respond to normal controls.
PowerToys Run is a fast, lightweight search bar for launching apps, finding files, and running quick calculations. You can open it with Alt+Space and start searching. Its input is smooth, waiting for you to finish typing before it starts searching for files. This keeps the results quick and stable.
Quick Accent lets you type accented or special characters in any language just by holding a letter key and pressing Left, Right, or Space to pick the accent you need. You can control how long you need to hold the key before the accent menu pops up (300ms by default). You can sort characters based on usage, i.e., most-used characters show faster.
Registry Preview is a quick, simple way to visualize and edit .reg files in a clear and structured manner — you can view them before actually applying them to your Windows Registry, which minimizes the risk of breaking something.
Screen Ruler allows precise measurement of pixels, distances, and objects directly on your screen, handy for design, layout, and UI work where exact spacing matters. You can open the command bar with Win+Ctrl+Shift+M. It includes a per-color-channel edge detection mode with an adjustable pixel tolerance slider, which helps with precise measurement on low-contrast edges.
Shortcut Guide shows an on-screen overlay of every keyboard shortcut available for Windows and whatever app you currently have open. Hold Win+Shift+/ to open it. You can choose which side of the screen it appears on. There is also an option to exclude apps so it will never show while you are using them.
Workspaces gives you a quick and easy way to launch a whole set of applications into their custom positions and configurations with just one click. Instead of manually reopening and rearranging everything after a restart, you save the setup once through the Workspaces editor and relaunch it anytime with Win+Ctrl+` (backtick).
ZoomIt is a screen zoom, annotation, and recording tool built for technical presentations and demos, letting you zoom in with Ctrl+1 and draw live on top of whatever you're showing. It comes with a full drawing toolkit — switch colors with R/G/B/O/Y/P, add a highlighter or blur effect, draw shapes, or even type text directly on screen — and you can also snip screenshots straight to your clipboard or a file, or run a countdown timer for demos.
Not sure how PowerToys stacks up against what Windows already offers, or against other popular tune-up tools? Here's a quick look at how it compares to native Windows features and Wintoys, a well-known system optimization app.
| Feature / Aspect | Native Windows | PowerToys | Wintoys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Built-in OS features | Productivity utility suite (30+ tools) | System optimization & debloat tool |
| Price | Included with Windows | Free | Free |
| Window management | Basic Snap Layouts only | FancyZones, Always on Top | Not included |
| Quick app / file launcher | Basic Start Menu search | PowerToys Run | Not included |
| App uninstaller / debloating | Basic Settings uninstaller | Not included | Removes even stubborn pre-installed apps |
| Open source | No | Yes | No |
| Best for | Casual, everyday users | Power users, developers, designers | Users who want to clean, debloat & tune Windows |
PowerToys and Wintoys solve different problems, so many power users run both side by side: PowerToys for daily productivity, and Wintoys for occasional system cleanup and tuning. Download PowerToys now to get started.
Microsoft PowerToys is designed to run on modern Windows systems and requires a few basic software and system conditions to work properly.
After downloading it from the download section, go to your download folder and run the installer. It's better to run it as administrator so no errors come up.
After running the installer, it will ask you to accept the license. Click Accept to proceed.
Wait a few minutes for the installation to complete, then click Open PowerToys.exe to use this utility.
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Microsoft PowerToys is a free and open-source utility toolkit designed to enhance productivity on Windows. It provides a collection of powerful tools like FancyZones for window management, PowerRename for batch renaming files, Color Picker, Keyboard Manager, and more.
Developed by Microsoft, PowerToys is lightweight, regularly updated, and built to improve workflow efficiency without slowing down your system. It integrates smoothly with Windows and gives users more control over everyday tasks.
You can download Microsoft PowerToys from the official Microsoft website or GitHub page and start using its features right away.
Overall, PowerToys is a must-have tool for anyone who wants to work faster and smarter on Windows.
We appreciate your support and input! Your comments and suggestions are very valuable to us. They help us improve Microsoft PowerToys and make it better for all users. Whether you want to share feedback, report an issue, or request a new feature, we are always happy to hear from you. You can reach us via email at mspowertoys@gmail.com.