Microsoft PowerToys

Name: Microsoft PowerToys
Brand: Microsoft PowerToys

Free, open-source set of Windows utilities for power users and developers.

softwareOS & Utilitieswindows utilitiesproductivity toolsopen source

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Our Verdict

Best for

Windows power users who want free, modular productivity utilities like window management and bulk renaming.

Skip if

You are on Mac or Linux, or need a single polished all-in-one utility suite.

What is Microsoft PowerToys?

Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of free, open-source utilities that extend Windows with productivity tools such as window layout management, a quick launcher, bulk file renaming, keyboard remapping, and a system-wide color picker. It is built and maintained by Microsoft with an active open-source community on GitHub.

SpecificationsAI-estimated

deploymentDesktop App

open source✅ Yes

api available❌ No

support optionsCommunity support via GitHub issues

Key Features of Microsoft PowerToys

Create custom window layouts and snap apps into zones with FancyZones

Launch apps and run commands instantly with the PowerToys Run and Command Palette launchers

Remap keys and build custom keyboard shortcuts with Keyboard Manager

Pick colors from anywhere on screen with the built-in Color Picker

Bulk rename files using search, replace, and regex with PowerRename

Preview file content and thumbnails for more file types in File Explorer

Extract text from any part of the screen using the OCR-based Text Extractor

Control multiple computers with one keyboard and mouse via Mouse Without Borders

Use Cases for Microsoft PowerToys

Organizing multiple windows

Use FancyZones to snap and arrange app windows into custom multi-monitor layouts.

Speeding up file management

Bulk rename large batches of files with PowerRename's search-and-replace and regex support.

Customizing keyboard shortcuts

Remap keys or create new shortcuts for frequently used actions with Keyboard Manager.

Grabbing text from images

Use Text Extractor to OCR text from screenshots or on-screen content and copy it directly.

Pros & Cons of Microsoft PowerToys

Pros

Completely free and open source
Actively maintained with frequent Microsoft-backed releases
Wide range of independent utilities you can enable individually
Backed by an active GitHub community for bug reports and features

Cons

Windows-only, no Mac or Linux version
Some utilities are still experimental and can be less polished
Requires manually enabling and configuring each utility you want

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Microsoft PowerToys free?

Yes, PowerToys is completely free and open source, distributed by Microsoft.

What operating systems does PowerToys support?

PowerToys runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11 only.

Can I install only some of the utilities?

Yes, each utility can be individually enabled or disabled from the PowerToys settings app.

Where can I report bugs or request features?

PowerToys development happens in the open on GitHub, where users can file issues and contribute code.

Pricing Overview

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Free

Detailed plans are not listed. Visit the official website for pricing information.

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