Microsoft PowerToys is a set of utilities designed to enhance productivity on Windows. It includes tools like FancyZones for custom window layouts, PowerRename for batch renaming files, Command Palette for quick app launching and file search, and other utilities like Color Picker, File Explorer add-ons, and Mouse Utilities.

Is PowerToys safe to use and does it slow down my PC?

PowerToys is completely safe and it's an official Microsoft open-source project, with frequent updates and visible development. It generally has a light impact on system resources. Users report no noticeable slowdown, and you can disable individual tools if you don't use them.

How do I set up FancyZones for custom window layouts?

To use FancyZones, launch the PowerToys Settings app, go to the FancyZones section, and click "Launch layout editor." You can create a custom layout by splitting your screen into zones, and then assign windows to those zones using Shift + drag. It makes multitasking more efficient, especially on large or ultrawide monitors.

Can I use PowerToys on Windows 11?

Yes, PowerToys is fully compatible with Windows 11. In fact, it takes advantage of some of Windows 11's newer UI features and integrates smoothly into the operating system. Many users treat PowerToys as an optional "advanced mode" layered on top of Windows rather than a replacement for built-in features.

Which PowerToys tools are actually worth using daily?

The most commonly relied-on tools tend to be FancyZones for custom window layouts, PowerRename for batch file renaming, the Keyboard Manager for remapping keys and shortcuts, and the Command Palette (which replaced PowerToys Run) for quickly launching apps, files, and commands. Others are more niche, but useful once you discover a specific need.

Current utilities

  • Advanced Paste
  • Always on Top
  • PowerToys Awake
  • Color Picker
  • Command Not Found
  • Command Palette
  • Crop And Lock
  • Environment Variables
  • FancyZones
  • File Explorer Add-ons
  • File Locksmith
  • Hosts File Editor
  • Image Resizer
  • Keyboard Manager
  • Mouse utilities
  • Mouse Without Borders
  • New+
  • Paste as Plain Text
  • Peek
  • PowerRename
  • PowerToys Run
  • Quick Accent
  • Registry Preview
  • Screen Ruler
  • Shortcut Guide
  • Text Extractor
  • Workspaces
  • ZoomIt

What's New

PowerToys 0.101 introduces Window Hopper for quickly moving between windows from the same app, a redesigned update experience with Stable and Insider channels, and compact mode for Command Palette. This release also continues our WinUI 3 modernization, brings on-device Phi Silica transformations to Advanced Paste, and adds a big set of improvements across PowerDisplay and Shortcut Guide.

Meet Window Hopper

If you regularly have several windows open from the same app, switching between them is now much faster. Window Hopper works like Alt + Tab, but stays within the app you're currently using. Once the utility is enabled, press the configurable Alt + backtick shortcut to cycle through that app's windows without stepping through everything else on your desktop. It is especially useful when you're juggling multiple browser windows, terminals, File Explorer windows, or editor instances.

A smoother update experience and the new Insider channel

PowerToys updates now have a clearer home in Settings. Open Settings > General > Update channel to choose between Stable and Insider. Stable remains the default, while Insider lets you opt in to PowerToys Preview builds and try the latest work sooner. The selected channel remains visible when the setting is collapsed, preview builds are clearly labeled, and managed devices can still have preview updates controlled by organizational policy.

We also redesigned the update experience with clearer badges and a compact status surface that tracks each step, from checking and downloading to installation or errors. Bug reports are easier too, with progress updates, quick access to the generated ZIP, and a prefilled GitHub issue.

Command Palette goes compact

Command Palette can now stay out of the way until you need the results. Enable compact mode in Command Palette Settings and the palette opens as a focused search box at a configurable vertical position. Start typing and it expands just enough to show matching results; you can also use Down Arrow or Tab to expand it from the keyboard. Pages that need more room, such as detailed views and confirmation dialogs, still expand fully when required. Compact mode is off by default, so the existing full experience remains unchanged unless you opt in.

Compact mode is only one part of this Command Palette update:

  • Search and responsiveness: Better ranking, cached Window Walker results, and progressive icon loading make results feel faster and more predictable.
  • Reliability: Improved backdrop switching, icon loading, dock cleanup, and extension-resource management make prolonged use more stable.
  • Dock improvements: Auto-hide reclaims screen space, while the dock clock and an optional bell provide quick access to Notification Center.
  • Richer notifications: Extensions can show toasts with configurable positions, icons, and action buttons.
  • Performance Monitor: New disk activity metrics and clearer network bands make it easier to keep an eye on system performance.
  • Extension Gallery: Deep links can open the gallery or take you directly to a specific extension's installation page.
  • Windows Update commands: Update and restart and Update and shut down appear when Windows is waiting for a reboot.

Massive thanks to @jiripolasek for the sustained Command Palette work across this release!

Quick Accent and Mouse Jump move to WinUI 3

We're continuing to modernize PowerToys utilities with WinUI 3, and this release brings refreshed foundations to Quick Accent and Mouse Jump. Quick Accent keeps its familiar character picker while gaining better theming, accessibility, and DPI-aware placement. It also adds an optional Press and hold the letter activation mode: choose it in Quick Accent Settings, configure the hold duration, then hold an accent-capable letter to open the picker. Use the arrow keys or Space to select a character and release the letter to insert it. A quick tap still types the original letter, and normal Ctrl, Alt, AltGr, and Windows-key shortcuts remain unaffected.

Mouse Jump now uses a WinUI 3 interface with improved multi-monitor and mixed-DPI behavior. Invoke Mouse Jump with your configured shortcut, then click the destination in the preview or use the number keys, Home and End, or the arrow keys to select a monitor from the keyboard. Smaller improvements across the two utilities include more reliable Quick Accent activation, better first-frame rendering, expanded language, currency, punctuation, and IPA character sets, plus updated Mouse Jump layout and release support for both x64 and ARM64.

PowerDisplay gets linked controls and faster access

PowerDisplay can now control the brightness of several monitors together. Turn on linked brightness to get one All Displays slider for every included brightness-capable monitor, while keeping selected displays independent when needed. Individual display cards remain available in an expandable section, and applying a saved profile returns to per-monitor control before restoring its values. You can also opt in to brightness control from the tray icon: choose whether scrolling over it adjusts the primary display or all linked displays, then set the amount each mouse-wheel notch should change.

PowerDisplay can now wake supported monitors by selecting On from the display's power-state control, and a new command-line interface lets you inspect displays, change monitor settings, and apply saved profiles from scripts. This release also improves built-in panel detection on hybrid-GPU systems, makes Maximum compatibility mode more resilient with unreliable monitors, preserves recent setting changes during exit, restores saved brightness, contrast, volume, and color temperature more reliably, and cleans up monitor and tray resources more consistently.

Advanced Paste brings local AI to custom actions

Advanced Paste now supports on-device transformations with Phi Silica on supported Windows devices, so you can use local AI without configuring a cloud endpoint or API key. In Advanced Paste Settings, check Phi Silica availability and download the model when prompted. You can then choose Phi Silica as the provider for an action, customize its prompt and coaching behavior, and assign a shortcut for quick access. Provider selection, prompts, and shortcuts can all be configured per action, making it easier to mix local and online models for different clipboard workflows.

You can also hide the AI paste section when you do not use AI features, keeping the Advanced Paste window focused on the actions you need. Custom OpenAI and Azure OpenAI actions now work more reliably with models that do not support the minimal reasoning-effort setting by allowing those services to use their own defaults.

Shortcut Guide adds Windows-key activation and search

Shortcut Guide can now respond when you hold the Windows key. In Settings, choose whether this shows taskbar indicators, opens the full guide, or remains disabled. You can also configure the hold duration and whether the full guide closes when you release the key, while keeping the regular activation shortcut independent.

Shortcut Guide now includes page-local search across shortcut names, descriptions, modifiers, and displayed keys. This makes it much faster to find one command without scanning an entire app's shortcut list.

The experience also moves to a single transparent overlay, enabling smoother transitions, cleaner click-outside behavior, and taskbar indicators that adapt to taskbars positioned along any screen edge. Shortcut Guide adds coverage for Brave Browser, Zoom Workspace, the new Outlook for Windows, DaVinci Resolve, Greenshot, 1Password, Godot, Obsidian, ON1 Photo RAW, and Postman, alongside fixes for key rendering, navigation, and stability.