Our verdict: PowerToys is Microsoft's free toolbox for power users. It adds features many people expect Windows to have already, such as window zones, bulk file renaming and a system-wide color picker. You turn on only the tools you need.
About PowerToys
PowerToys is developed by Microsoft as an open-source project on GitHub. Each tool can be turned on or off separately in the PowerToys settings window, so it does not change Windows until you choose to.
Updates arrive often and new tools appear regularly. The release notes on GitHub list what changed in each version.
What it does well
- FancyZones. Snap windows into custom layouts, great for wide or multiple monitors.
- PowerRename. Bulk rename files with search and replace, including regular expressions.
- Color Picker. Pick any color on screen and copy it as HEX, RGB and more.
- Text Extractor. Copy text from any part of the screen with OCR.
- Keyboard Manager. Remap keys and shortcuts without editing the registry.
Who it is for
Good fit
Power users, developers and people working with several windows at once.
Look elsewhere
Users who want Windows to stay exactly as it is out of the box.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Official Microsoft tool
- Many useful utilities in one app
- Each tool can be turned off
- Frequent updates
Cons
- Windows only
- Runs in the background
- Some tools overlap with built-in Windows features
How to install PowerToys
The download button gets the x64 installer for most computers; ARM64 and per-user installers are on Microsoft's GitHub releases page. PowerToys is also available in the Microsoft Store. After installing, open PowerToys and enable the tools you want.
Questions about PowerToys
Is PowerToys safe?
Yes. It is made by Microsoft and published on Microsoft's official GitHub and in the Microsoft Store.
Does PowerToys slow down my PC?
It runs in the background, but disabled tools do not load. Keep only the tools you use turned on.
Does PowerToys work on Windows 10?
Yes. It supports both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
