Launch PowerToys from the Start menu (Image Credit: Petri/Russell Smith)Īlternatively, you should find the PowerToys icon in the system tray. Once you have installed PowerToys on your system, you can access it by pressing the WIN key, typing PowerToys, and selecting it from the list of search results under Best match. PowerToys Run is launcher for power users that lets you search for apps, files, folders, running processes, and perform a whole load of other tasks including:

If you don’t have a keyboard that supports stressed characters, you can use this tool instead. Quick AccentĪn accent is a small mark above a letter that usually indicates which vowel should be stressed when the word is pronounced. But it is a tool that lets you easily and quickly edit the hosts file, which contains a list IP addresses and matching domain names used for DNS resolution.

If you don’t know what the hosts file is, you probably don’t need to read about this tool further. File Locksmith (Image Credit: Petri/Russell Smith) Hosts File Editor File Locksmithįile Locksmith lets you check which files are currently in use, and by which processes, through a Windows shell extension. AwakeĪwake lets you override the selected power plan settings in Windows to make sure your PC doesn’t go to sleep while you’re performing an important task. It’s a window manager the lets you customize layouts for arranging and snapping windows, and to restore your layouts quickly. FancyZonesįancyZones is useful for those with large displays. Most of the tools are self-explanatory from their name.

Download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store (Image Credit: Petri/Russell Smith) What tools are included in PowerToys?Ĭurrently, PowerToys includes 17 tools: Always On Topġ7 tools that make up Microsoft PowerToys Alternatively, PowerToys can also be installed using the Microsoft Store. The tools are designed to improve your workflows in Windows for increased productivity. Microsoft PowerToys is a free set of tools for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

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