All articles tagged with #powertoys
Microsoft is finally reversing a key Windows 11 design move by adding a movable taskbar, configurable Start menu options, and a toggle to disable Bing in Start/Search; OneDrive prompts can now be opted out, and PowerToys adds a macOS-style Alt+` window switcher. Rollout is gradual, with broader availability targeted around Patch Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2026).
PCMag catalogs 37 Windows 11 tips and features—ranging from Start-menu tweaks, taskbar alignment, and Focus Sessions to PowerToys, Copilot, Live Captions, Nearby Sharing, and File Explorer upgrades—demonstrating how to customize, speed up, and secure Windows 11 beyond the default setup.
PCMag’s guide lists 35 Windows 11 tips and features—from taskbar and Start menu customization to PowerToys, Copilot, focus sessions, clipboard history, Phone Link, passkeys, Nearby Sharing, and an improved File Explorer—showing how to boost productivity, security, and personalization on Windows 11.
Windows 11 users can reduce Copilot’s presence by unpinning it from the taskbar and uninstalling the Copilot app (though some components may persist and updates could re-enable it). For keyboard shortcuts, PowerToys lets you remap the Copilot key, and administrators can disable Copilot across devices via Group Policy and block reinstallation in future updates. Expect Copilot to reappear after major Windows updates, so periodic checks are advised.
Microsoft’s PowerToys team is exploring a top menu bar, dubbed the Command Palette Dock, for Windows 11. The configurable dock can sit on any screen edge and pin extensions to start, center, or end, aiming to give quick access to tools and system resources. It’s an optional feature under consideration, with user feedback being solicited and early experimentation available to developers via PowerToys on GitHub.
Microsoft’s PowerToys team is prototyping a configurable, top-edge dock for Windows 11 that mirrors Mac/Linux menus. The dock, tied to the Command Palette, can be pinned to any screen edge and host extensions like RAM/CPU info and shortcuts. It’s an early proof-of-concept, with customization options (location, appearance, regions) and a call for GitHub feedback; if popular, it could become an official feature.
Microsoft PowerToys 0.97 adds CursorWrap, a feature that teleports the mouse to the opposite edge on multi‑monitor setups, and heavily upgrades Command Palette with built‑in extensions, file previews, personalization options, and easier control of other PowerToys and remote desktop tools, aiming to streamline tasks across Windows displays. Availability via Microsoft Store or GitHub.
The Windows 11 Files app now supports PowerToys Peek, allowing users to preview files with a simple spacebar press, enhancing file management and user experience.
Microsoft is developing an AI-powered 'Advanced Paste' feature for Windows Clipboard, currently available via PowerToys, which leverages Copilot to enhance data manipulation, such as background removal and format conversion, aiming for deeper integration into Windows 11 to improve user workflows.
Microsoft's PowerToys 0.95 update introduces the Light Switch utility for Windows 11, allowing users to automatically switch between light and dark modes based on schedule or sunrise/sunset, along with various performance improvements and new features to enhance productivity and user experience.
Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows 11 are getting significant updates, including a feature to automatically switch between light and dark modes based on a schedule and a tool to detect keyboard shortcut conflicts, addressing long-standing missing features and enhancing user customization. The new release also includes a revamped Keyboard Manager UI and other utilities, available on GitHub.
Microsoft's PowerToys has been updated to version 0.81, introducing a new AI-powered utility called Advanced Paste. This tool allows users to convert clipboard content into various formats, such as JSON or markdown, and integrates with ChatGPT for contextual content filling. The update also includes several other improvements and fixes, with some features requiring an OpenAI key and credits.
Microsoft has introduced an AI-powered Advanced Paste tool in its PowerToys utility, allowing users to format, summarize, rewrite, or translate copied text. To use the tool, users need the latest version of PowerToys and an API key from OpenAI. The tool offers various pasting options, including plain text, markdown, and JSON, and leverages AI for advanced text manipulation tasks.
Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows 11 has introduced an Advanced Paste feature that utilizes AI to convert clipboard content on the fly, enabling users to speed up workflows by pasting code in different languages and offering options such as plaintext, markdown, and JSON. The feature also allows for paste conversion using OpenAI prompts for tasks like summarized text, translations, and code generation, requiring OpenAI API credits for its best functionality.
Microsoft has released an updated version of PowerToys, which includes two new tools, Mouse Without Borders and Peek. Mouse Without Borders allows users to control up to four computers using a single mouse and keyboard, while Peek lets users preview a wide range of file types without opening them. PowerToys was originally released during the Windows 95 era and was resurrected by Microsoft in 2019 as an open-source utility pack designed to enhance Windows functionality.