PowerToys 2024: Microsoft adds new power user module to its utility collection

Microsoft has released its first update to PowerToys for 2024. With the release of PowerToys v0.77.0 the team behind the software has started a new development cycle that focuses not only on stability and improvements but also the new features users so crave.

And, sure enough, this release includes a brand-new Command Not Found module -- and it's an absolute must for PowerShell users. Elsewhere there are loads of fixes, updates and a handful of new features.

See also:              

• Windows 10 users with KB5034441 update failure need to manually resize partitions to fix the problem
• Microsoft kicks off 2024 by releasing KB5034123 update for Windows 11 adding new lock screen options, security fixes and more
• Microsoft releases bug-fixing, security-bolstering KB5034122 update for Windows 10

It is, of course, always the new utilities that generate the most interest in any PowerToys release. This time around, the new module is Command Not Found and the developers explain that this "adds the ability to detect failed commands in PowerShell 7.4 and suggest a package to install using winget".

Microsoft acknowledges one issue with this current release, pointing out that "there are some incompatibilities between Command Not Found and some PowerShell configurations". More details are available here.

The full changelog for PowerToys v0.77.0 is as follows:

General

• Bump WPF-UI package version to fix crashes related to theme changes. (This was a hotfix for 0.76)
• Fixed typo in version change notification. Thanks @PesBandi!
• Code improvements and fixed silenced warnings introduced by upgrade to .NET 8.
• Update copyright year for 2024.
• Added setting to disable warning notifications about detecting an application running as Administrator.

AlwaysOnTop

• Show notification when elevated app is in the foreground but AlwaysOnTop is running non-elevated.

Command Not Found

• Added a new utility: A Command Not Found PowerShell 7.4 module. It adds the ability to detect failed commands in PowerShell 7.4 and suggest a package to install using winget. Thanks @carlos-zamora!

Environment Variables

• Fixed issue causing Environment Variables window not to appear as a foreground window.

FancyZones

• Fixed snapping specific apps (e.g. Facebook messenger). (This was a hotfix for 0.76)
• Fixed behavior of Move newly created windows to current active monitor setting to keep maximize state on moving. Thanks @quyenvsp!
• Fixed issue causing FancyZones Editor layout window to be zoned.

File Explorer add-ons

• Fixed WebView2 based previewers issue caused by the latest WebView update. (This was a hotfix for 0.76)

Hosts File Editor

• Fixed issue causing settings not to be preserved on update.

Image Resizer

• Fixed crash caused by WpfUI ThemeWatcher. (This was a hotfix for 0.76)

Keyboard Manager

• Do not register low level hook if there are no remappings.

Peek

• Improved icon and title showing for previewed files. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
• Added QOI file type support. Thanks @pedrolamas!

PowerToys Run

• Fixed results list UI element height for different maximum number of results value. (This was a hotfix for 0.76)
• Fixed icon extraction for .lnk files. (This was a hotfix for 0.76)
• Fixed search box UI glitch when FlowDirection is RightToLeft. (This was a hotfix for 0.76)
• Fixed theme setting. (This was a hotfix for 0.76)
• Fixed error reporting window UI issue. Thanks @niels9001!
• UI improvements and ability to show/hide plugins overview panel. Thanks @niels9001!
• Allow interaction with plugin hints. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
• Switch to WPF-UI theme manager. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
• Fixed issue causing 3rd party plugin's dependencies dll not being loaded properly. Thanks @coreyH!
• Added configurable font sizes. Thanks @niels9001!
• Changed the text color of plugin hints to improve the contrast when light theme is used. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
• Fix scientific notation errors in Calculator plugin. Thanks @viggyd!
• Add URI/URL features to Value generator plugin. Thanks @htcfreek!

Quick Accent

• Moved Greek specific characters from All language set to Greek. Thanks @PesBandi!
• Add more mathematical symbols. Thanks @kevinfu2!

Settings

• Fixed exception occurring on theme change.
• Fix "What's new" icon. Thanks @niels9001!
• Remove obsolete UI Font icon properties. Thanks @Jay-o-Way!
• OOBE UI improvements. Thanks @Jay-o-Way!
• XAML Binding improvements. Thanks @Jay-o-Way!
• Fixed crash caused by ThemeListener constructor exceptions.

Documentation

• Improved docs for adding new languages to monaco. Thanks @PesBandi!
• Update README.md to directly state x64 & ARM processor in requirements.
• Added Scoop plugin to PowerToys Run thirdPartyRunPlugins.md docs. Thanks @Quriz!

Development

• Adopted XamlStyler for PowerToys Run source code. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
• Consolidate Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools across solution.
• Upgraded Boost's lib to v1.84.
• Upgraded HelixToolkit packages to the latest versions.
• Updated sdl baselines.

You can download PowerToys v0.77.0 here, or make use of the software update feature in the version you currently have installed.