Articles about PowerToys

When we write about PowerToys, it is usually about new releases and the new features that have been added; but not always. For instance, Microsoft has issued a warning that the popular utilities collection may be causing problems for some people, specifically with previewing PDF files in Outlook.

If you have seen an error message that read "This file cannot be previewed because there is no previewer installed for it", Microsoft has a couple of solutions for you. One relates to Adobe Acrobat Reader and the other to PowerToys.

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There have been a lot of updates for PowerToys released so far this year, and the pace shows no sign of slowing. It is only a week or so since the last release, but already there is another update to install.

While PowerToys v0.56.2 does not yet include any of the new utilities we have seen glimpses of, it is an important bug-fixing release. But more than just addressing problems with the likes of FancyZones this latest release also introduces new settings for other PowerToys utilities.

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While there have been dozens of PowerToys releases since Microsoft revived the much-loved utilities collection for the Windows 11 era, the software is still in preview.

Usually, it is the new sub-1.x versions that Microsoft pushes out which give cause for excitement, but there is also much to be learned about the future direction of the software from data on GitHub. Recent Pull Requests in the repository shows that Microsoft is working on not only new add-ons for existing PowerToys, but also completely new utilities. So, what can we expect to see? Is TweakUI for Windows 11 on the horizon?

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We've already had a few updates for PowerToys this year, and Microsoft has even treated us to a selection of new utilities for 2022. Now the company has released PowerToys v0.56.1, and it's another significant update.

Sadly, there are no new toys to play with in this particular release, but there have been some important changes, fixes and updates to existing utilities. Three especially noteworthy changes include a massive increase in the number of zones that can be created in FancyZones, huge changes to Find My Mouse, and a switch to VS 2022 with the .NET 6 upgrade. There are also big changes for various other PowerToys utilities.

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PowerToys was an essential tweaking tool for Windows 95 onwards. Microsoft brought it back as an open source release for Windows 10 three years ago, and has been bolting on additional tools ever since. If you use Windows 10 or Windows 11, then it’s definitely worth a download.

If you used the original PowerToys, then the chances are you used Tweak UI. In fact, that might have been the only tool of the suite you did use as it let you modify many of Windows’ lesser known settings without the need to hack the registry. Although today’s version of PowerToys is great, it doesn’t include a modern take on Tweak UI. In fact that tool hasn’t been seen since Windows XP.

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There have been some great new utilities added to Microsoft's PowerToys collection recently, and now Microsoft has released another update to its much-loved software.

While PowerToys v0.55.2 is not quite an exciting as previous releases, it is no less important. Having identified a bug affecting the installer, Microsoft has fixed the issue and is rolling out this important patch.

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It may only be a few days since Microsoft released PowerToys v0.55.0 complete with new utilities, but there is already another update available to install.

This time around, with the release of PowerToys v0.55.1, there are -- sadly -- no exciting new toys to play with... but this does not diminish the significance of the update. This is an important patch release which addresses a number of issues that have come to light.

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Making good on its recent promise to add a new mouse tool to PowerToys, Microsoft has released a new version of the utility collection complete with the addition of Mouse Pointer Crosshairs (previously previewed as Inclusive Mouse). But it doesn't end there -- there are two more new tools to explore as well!

The release of PowerToys v0.55.0 also sees the addition of two new add-ons for Explorer. For developers, there is now support for 150 file type previews, as well as a new tool for generating STL file format thumbnails.

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We have written about PowerToys quite a lot here on BetaNews. Microsoft has put a lot of work into building a useful collection of tools and utilities for Windows 11 users, and it is incredible to see each new addition and development.

PowerToys is aimed at power users looking to get more from their computers, and now there is a utilities collection designed with developers in mind. Described as a "Swiss Army knife for developers", DevToys comprises 14 outrageously useful tools and has just hit a major milestone.

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Some of the newest additions to the handy collection of tools known as PowerToys have been mouse-related. Sticking with the theme, Microsoft has just revealed that there are plans for more utilities to enhance the capabilities of mice around the globe.

We have already seen the very useful Find My Mouse and Mouse Highlighter tools in recent versions of PowerToys, and later this month there is going to be yet another member of the family -- Inclusive Mouse.

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Just days after the release of PowerToys v0.53.1 which included the new Always On Top utility, Microsoft has unleashed an update it describes as "important".

With PowerToys v0.53.3, Microsoft addresses three problems reported by users. The trio of troubles concerns PowerToys Run, so anyone using this particular utility should grab the update as soon as possible.

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The first PowerToys release of 2022 is here, and it is a strong start to the year. With the release of PowerToys v0.53.1, Microsoft has not only added a new utility in the form of Always On Top, but has also made lots of fixes, changes, additions and improvements to the existing tools in the suite.

Among the other notable additions to this release are new supports options in the File Explorer preview pan, and the arrival of web searching from PowerToys Run. Microsoft says that "the v0.53 release cycle was designed for a maintenance sprint but with some amazing community support, it is loaded with greatness" -- and there certainly is a lot of greatness to explore.

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For anyone making the switch from Windows 10 to Windows 11, there is quite a lot to learn, as well as a reasonable amount of stuff to unlearn. And for anyone venturing out into computing for the first time, or people making the switch from macoS or Linux to Windows, there even more to consider!

ThisIsWin11 is a free portable app that serves several purposes, one of which is introducing some of the key features of Windows 11. The app started life as a simple project to help people to become familiar with the latest version of Windows, but it has expanded to be a tweaking tool as well. And the latest incarnation introduces a completely new look.

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It is mere days since Microsoft released PowerToys v0.51.0 complete with the new Mouse Highlighter utility. Now the company has another update available which offers improvements to the FancyZones and PowerToys Run tools.

PowerToys v0.51.1 is by no means a big release, especially when you look at the huge list of improvements and additions in the previous update, but it remains an important one. The changes introduced in this latest version come, Microsoft says, in response to user feedback, and will be of particular interest to Windows 11 users.

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The release of a PowerToys update is always exciting, but this is especially true when Microsoft adds new utilities. And with the release of PowerToys v0.51.0, the development team does not disappoint.

We recently told you that the team was busily working away on a new Mouse Highlighter utility, and this has now been officially added to the PowerToys collection. Version v0.51.0 includes a lengthy list of tweaks, fixes and improvements, and there is also the promise of a new tool called Always On Top as well as something intriguingly referred to as "centers of gravity".

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