Ever feel like Windows 11 is almost perfect — but there’s always something missing? Maybe you wish you could snap windows into a layout that actually makes sense on your screen. Or batch-rename 200 holiday photos without losing your mind. Or just pick a colour from a website without opening Photoshop.
That’s exactly what Microsoft PowerToys is for.
It’s a free app made by Microsoft that bolts 28 small, useful tools onto Windows 11. Think of it as an unofficial expansion pack, the stuff Microsoft probably should have included from the start, but didn’t.
The best part? You don’t need to be a tech wizard to use it. Most features work with a simple keyboard shortcut, and you can turn off anything you don’t need. Let’s get you set up.
How to install PowerToys (takes about 2 minutes)
There are three ways to get it. Pick whichever feels easiest.
Option 1: The Microsoft Store (recommended)
This is the simplest method. Open the Microsoft Store on your PC, search for “PowerToys”, and hit Install. Done. It updates automatically, you’ll never have to think about it again.
Option 2: A one-line command
If you’re comfortable with a command window, press Win + X, choose Terminal, and paste this:
winget install --id Microsoft.PowerToys --source wingetPress Enter, wait a moment, and you’re done.
Option 3: Download from GitHub
Visit github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases, scroll to the latest version, and download the .exe installer. Run it like any other app.
After installing
A small PowerToys icon appears in your system tray (the little icons near the clock, bottom-right of your screen). Click it to open PowerToys Settings — this is your control centre for everything.
Two things to do straight away:
- Turn on “Run at startup” so the tools are always ready when you log in.
- Turn on “Run as administrator” so PowerToys works properly with every app on your PC.
That’s it. You’re ready to go.
The 15 best features (and how to actually use them)
PowerToys has 28 tools in total, but you don’t need all of them. Here are the 15 that make the biggest difference for everyday users — starting with the ones you’ll probably use every single day.
1. FancyZones — Organise your screen, your way
What it does: Lets you create custom “zones” on your screen so you can snap windows into the exact layout you want — not just the basic left/right split that Windows gives you.
Why you’ll love it: If you’ve ever wished you could have your email on one side, a document in the middle, and a chat app in a small strip on the right — this is your tool. It’s especially great on wide or ultrawide monitors.
How to use it:
- Press
Win + Shift + ``(the backtick key, above Tab) to open the layout editor. - Pick a template that looks close to what you want, or click “+ Create new layout” to design your own.
- Save it.
- Now, hold Shift while dragging any window — you’ll see the zones light up. Drop the window into a zone and it snaps perfectly into place.
Pro tip: Make 2–3 layouts for different tasks (work, browsing, creative) and assign each one a number. Then press Win + Ctrl + Alt + [number] to switch layouts instantly.
2. PowerToys Run – Find anything, launch anything, instantly
What it does: A fast, smart search bar that appears anywhere on screen. Search for apps, files, do quick maths, or even run system commands — all from your keyboard.
Why you’ll love it: It’s like Spotlight on a Mac, but for Windows. Once you get used to it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
How to use it:
- Press
Alt + Space. - Start typing what you need.
- Press Enter to open the top result, or use arrow keys to pick something else.
Handy tricks you can type into it:
| What you type | What happens |
|---|---|
= 145 * 0.25 | Calculates the answer (36.25) |
?? best pizza near me | Opens a web search |
> shutdown /s /t 0 | Shuts down your PC |
$ display | Opens Windows display settings |
< outlook | Finds and switches to your open Outlook window |
3. Workspaces – One click to set up your entire desk
What it does: Saves your complete desktop setup — which apps are open, where each window sits, how big it is — and restores the whole thing with one click. Like a “scene” button on a TV remote, but for your PC.
Why you’ll love it: No more spending 5 minutes every morning opening your apps, dragging them into position, and resizing everything. Set it up once, save it, and launch it forever.
How to set it up:
- Open PowerToys Settings → Workspaces and make sure it’s enabled.
- Press
Win + Ctrl + ``to open the Workspace editor. - Click “+ Create Workspace.”
- Arrange your apps exactly how you want them — open your browser, email, documents, chat app, whatever you need. Move and resize everything until it’s perfect.
- Click “Capture.”
- Give it a name (e.g., “Morning Work” or “Creative Mode”).
- Remove any apps you don’t want included.
- Tick “Create desktop shortcut” if you want a quick icon on your desktop.
- Click “Save Workspace.”
How to launch it later:
- Press
Win + Ctrl + ``and click Launch next to your workspace, or - Double-click the desktop shortcut you created, or
- Search for the workspace name in PowerToys Run (
Alt + Space).
Pro tip: Create different workspaces for different parts of your day — “Morning Focus” (email + calendar + to-do), “Deep Work” (code editor + terminal + docs), or “End of Day” (music + casual browsing).
4. Always On Top — Pin any window so it never hides
What it does: Keeps any window floating above everything else. A blue border appears around it so you know it’s pinned.
Why you’ll love it: Perfect for keeping a video call visible while you take notes, or a recipe open while you browse other tabs.
How to use it: Click on the window you want to pin, then press Win + Ctrl + T. Press it again to unpin.
5. Color Picker — Grab any colour from your screen
What it does: Lets you point at any pixel on your screen and instantly copies the colour code (like #3A86FF) to your clipboard.
Why you’ll love it: Designers, content creators, or anyone who’s ever wondered “what colour is that?” will reach for this daily.
How to use it:
- Press
Win + Shift + C. - Hover your mouse over any colour on screen. Scroll your mouse wheel to zoom in for precision.
- Click to capture. The colour code copies to your clipboard automatically.
You can choose which format to copy — HEX, RGB, HSL, and more — in PowerToys Settings.
6. Text Extractor — Copy text from images and videos
What it does: Uses built-in OCR (optical character recognition) to grab text from anywhere on your screen — even if it’s inside an image, a screenshot, a PDF, or a paused video.
Why you’ll love it: That error message you can’t highlight? The text in a screenshot someone sent you? The address on a photo of a business card? Just grab it.
How to use it:
- Press
Win + Shift + T. - Draw a box around the text you want.
- The recognised text is copied to your clipboard. Paste it wherever you need it.
7. Peek — Preview files without opening them
What it does: Gives you a quick preview of any file — images, PDFs, Word documents, videos, code files — right in File Explorer, without having to open the full app.
Why you’ll love it: Think of it like Quick Look on a Mac. You’re scrolling through a folder of 50 files and need to find the right one? Peek lets you glance at each one in a second.
How to use it: Select a file in File Explorer and press Spacebar (or Ctrl + Space). Use arrow keys to flip through other files in the same folder. Press Escape to close.
8. PowerRename — Rename hundreds of files at once
What it does: Adds a smart batch-renaming tool to your right-click menu. Rename files by searching for text and replacing it, adding numbers, changing case, or even using patterns.
Why you’ll love it: If you’ve ever had to rename IMG_2847.jpg through IMG_3012.jpg into something meaningful, this will save you hours.
How to use it:
- Select the files you want to rename in File Explorer.
- Right-click and choose “Rename with PowerRename.”
- Type what you want to find (e.g.,
IMG_) and what to replace it with (e.g.,Holiday_). - Preview the changes on the right side.
- Click “Apply” when it looks right.
Pro tip: Tick “Enumerate items” to automatically add sequential numbers (001, 002, 003…) to your files.
9. Image Resizer — Shrink photos from the right-click menu
What it does: Lets you resize one or hundreds of images in a few clicks — no need to open any photo editing software.
Why you’ll love it: Need to email photos that are too large? Preparing images for a website or social media? Select them, right-click, pick a size, done.
How to use it:
- Select your images in File Explorer.
- Right-click and choose “Resize with Image Resizer.”
- Pick a preset size (Small, Medium, Large, Phone) or enter your own dimensions.
- Click “Resize.” The resized copies appear in the same folder.
10. Advanced Paste — Paste smarter, not harder
What it does: Transforms whatever’s on your clipboard before you paste it. Strip formatting, convert to Markdown or JSON, summarise text with AI, or even transcribe images.
Why you’ll love it: Ever copied text from a website and pasted it into an email, only to get weird fonts and colours? Advanced Paste fixes that — and does much more.
How to use it: Press Win + Shift + V to see your paste options. Choose “Paste as plain text” to strip formatting, or explore the other conversion options.
Pro tip: You can connect local AI models (like Ollama) for AI-powered paste transformations — no cloud required.
11. Keyboard Manager — Remap any key or shortcut
What it does: Lets you change what any key does. Swap Caps Lock for Ctrl, remap shortcuts, or create custom hotkeys — even on a per-app basis.
Why you’ll love it: If you have a key you never use (hello, Caps Lock) or a shortcut that has no meaing, Keyboard Manager lets you fix it.
How to use it:
- Open PowerToys Settings → Keyboard Manager.
- Click “Remap a key” to change individual keys, or “Remap a shortcut” for key combos.
- Pick the key you want to change and what you want it to do instead.
- The change applies instantly.
12. File Locksmith — Find out what’s blocking your files
What it does: When Windows says “this file is in use” and won’t let you delete, move, or rename something, File Locksmith tells you exactly which program is holding onto it — and lets you close that program.
How to use it: Right-click the stubborn file and choose “Unlock with File Locksmith.” It shows you which app has the file open. Click “End task” to release it.
13. Awake — Keep your screen from going to sleep
What it does: Temporarily prevents your PC from going to sleep or dimming the screen — without changing your power settings.
Why you’ll love it: Perfect for long downloads, presentations, or when you just need your screen to stay on for a bit.
How to use it: Right-click the PowerToys icon in your system tray, hover over “Awake”, and choose how long to stay awake — indefinitely, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours.
14. Mouse Utilities — Never lose your cursor again
What it does: A bundle of small tools that make your mouse easier to use:
- Find My Mouse: Double-tap the Ctrl key and a spotlight effect highlights your cursor. Perfect for big screens or multi-monitor setups.
- Mouse Highlighter: Press
Win + Shift + Hto make your clicks visible — great for screen recordings or presentations. - Mouse Jump: Press
Win + Shift + Dto see a tiny thumbnail of your entire screen and teleport your cursor to any spot.
15. Light Switch — Automatic dark mode on a schedule
What it does: Automatically switches Windows between light and dark mode at times you choose — or based on sunrise and sunset at your location.
Why you’ll love it: No more manually toggling dark mode every evening. Set it once and forget about it.
How to use it: Open PowerToys Settings → Light Switch. Set your preferred times or choose “Sunrise/Sunset” for automatic switching. You can also link it to Night Light for warmer screen colours at night.
The complete shortcut cheat sheet
Here’s every shortcut mentioned in this guide, all in one place. Print it, bookmark it, or stick it on a Post-it next to your screen.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
Alt + Space | Open PowerToys Run (search & launch) |
Win + Shift + `` | Open FancyZones layout editor |
Shift + Drag | Snap a window into a FancyZone |
Win + Ctrl + `` | Open Workspaces editor |
Win + Ctrl + T | Pin / unpin a window on top |
Win + Shift + V | Advanced Paste options |
Win + Shift + C | Pick a colour from your screen |
Win + Shift + T | Extract text from screen (OCR) |
Win + Shift + M | Measure pixels on screen |
Win + Shift + H | Highlight mouse clicks |
Win + Shift + D | Mouse Jump (teleport cursor) |
Win + Alt + P | Show cursor crosshairs |
Spacebar | Peek at a file in File Explorer |
Double-tap Ctrl | Find My Mouse spotlight |
Win + Shift + / | Show all Windows key shortcuts |
All of these can be changed to whatever you prefer in PowerToys Settings.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, completely free. It’s open-source, made by Microsoft, and available on GitHub. No subscriptions, no ads, no catch.
Not noticeably. Each tool uses a small amount of memory, and you can disable anything you don’t need. If you want to be extra lean, turn off tools like Mouse Without Borders, Command Not Found, and ZoomIt unless you specifically need them.
Yes, PowerToys supports Windows 10 version 2004 and newer, though a couple of features (like Command Palette) require Windows 11.
Absolutely. Just go to Settings → Apps → Installed Apps, find PowerToys, and click Uninstall. Everything goes away cleanly.
Visit the PowerToys GitHub page — there’s an active community and you can search existing issues or report new ones.
Where to go from here
You don’t need to learn all 28 tools at once. Start with the three that solve your biggest everyday annoyances:
- Spending too long arranging windows? → Set up FancyZones.
- Opening the same apps every morning? → Create a Workspace.
- Searching for files and apps is slow? → Start using PowerToys Run (
Alt + Space).
Once those feel natural, explore the rest at your own pace. Every tool is optional, every shortcut is customisable, and the whole thing is free.
Happy tinkering!
