Power-user tools for Windows
Microsoft PowerToys is a free, open-source collection of utilities that add power-user features to Windows 10 and Windows 11. It is developed by Microsoft and its community on GitHub.
Popular tools include FancyZones for snapping windows into custom layouts, PowerToys Run (and Command Palette) for quickly launching apps and searching files, Color Picker, PowerRename for bulk-renaming files, Image Resizer from the right-click menu, Keyboard Manager for remapping keys, Text Extractor for copying text from anywhere on screen, and Always On Top for pinning windows.
Each tool can be switched on or off individually, so you only use what you need. Some utilities are aimed at advanced users and the sheer number of options can feel like a lot at first. For anyone who wants to work faster in Windows, PowerToys is an essential free install.
Pros
- Many useful tools
- Official Microsoft project
Cons
- Some tools are niche