Extending Windows with Microsoft PowerToys

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The program will allow you to fine-tune the position and size of windows, teach you how to use Windows hotkeys and simplify working with files.

Microsoft's PowerToys toolkit has been around since Windows 95, but very few people know about it.

Meanwhile, these "toys" provide a lot of interesting tools for Windows 10. For example, PowerToys allows you to quickly sort program windows on the monitor according to pre-created templates, rename files in bulk or even resize photos right from the Explorer window.

To install PowerToys, download and run the.msi file with. Here are the tricks you can do after installing this package.

Sorting windows by templates

Press Win + `, and the window layout template editor will open in front of you. There are pre-installed templates from Microsoft, in addition, you can create your own, and of any complexity.

Select the required template and click Apply. Then grab your window while holding down the Shift key and drag it to the desired part of the desktop. The window will take the desired position by itself. This is much better than manually dragging the borders.

Preview MD and SVG files

If you are taking notes in Markdown format, you may be annoyed that Explorer displays them in the preview pane as plain, unformatted text.

PowerToys makes your notes look the way they should - with subheadings, links, bold and italic text, lists and quotes.

In addition, Explorer will learn how to display SVG files correctly, which is important for designers and artists.

Group photo resizing

Previously, in order to change the size of your pictures, you had to open them in photo editors or upload them to specialized services. Now you can do it right in Explorer.

Select the files you want in the folder, right-click on them and click "Resize Images". Select the appropriate size from the template or enter it manually and click "Change".

Bulk rename files

Now the ability to change the names of a whole bunch of files at once is in every self-respecting manager - Finder on macOS, Mautilus and Thunar on Linux. But "Explorer" is deprived of this useful feature - it can add numbers to the file names as much as possible.

PowerToys significantly expands the set of functions of "Explorer", allowing you to search and replace specific fragments of names, use regular expressions, change file extensions and rename entire folders with all their contents.

Hotkey tooltip

Windows 10 has a huge number of keyboard shortcuts that use the specific Win key. It can be used to sort windows, open Explorer, Start menu, and so on.

To quickly see a list of functions, press and hold the Win key and PowerToys will display the most useful keyboard shortcuts with it.

Search among open windows

Do you have so many programs on your screen that you are already confused about them? You don't have to collapse them all and search one at a time in the taskbar. Instead, press Ctrl + Win and PowerToys will display a search bar on the screen.

Start typing in it the name of the program you want to bring to the front, and you will instantly find it.

For a more detailed understanding of the PowerToys settings, simply open the program from the Start menu. All options will be concentrated in one window.