Some PowerToys features work so well that you forget they weren’t always part of Windows. That’s why Microsoft should stop treating them as experimental add-ons and start integrating them into the next version of Windows 11.
8. PowerToys Run
Windows Search is annoying. It's slow, misses obvious results, and prioritizes searching the web over your actual files. PowerToys Run ( Alt + Space ) is a quick launcher that can find apps, files, folders, and system settings instantly.
Type exc and Excel will come up first; type reg to open the Registry Editor . PowerToys Run also learns your habits. If you always select Excel when you type "ex", it will bring Excel to the top after a few uses.
7. FancyZones
Windows Snap lets you quickly arrange open application windows into different layouts. You can use the Win key + Right/Left arrows or simply drag application windows to snap them into different layouts.
But what if you need a custom layout?
FancyZones is a window management utility that allows you to create custom window layouts to improve your workflow. Hold down the Shift key while dragging any window, it will snap into predefined zones.
6. File Locksmith
Normally, when you try to delete a file, Windows will warn you that it can't because the file is being used by another application - but won't tell you which program. File Locksmith can help you identify which application or process is using a file and even close it with a single click.
With File Locksmith enabled in PowerToys, right-click any locked file, select Unlock with File Locksmith , and see what processes have that file open. Click End task to kill the process and you can proceed with deleting the file.
5. Text Extractor
Windows 11 ’s built-in Snipping Tool can not only take screenshots — it can also extract text from images. However, the process is multi-step and not always accurate, especially with small text or odd fonts. Instead, PowerToys Text Extractor (formerly PowerOCR) offers a faster, more reliable alternative.
To extract text, press Win + Shift + T , then click and drag to select an area of the screen containing text. Whether it's an image, video, or a program that doesn't support text selection, the tool will scan the selected area and instantly copy the recognized text to your clipboard.
4. Always on Top
When working with multiple applications, you often need to pin a particular window so that it stays on top, no matter what else you are doing. Since Windows doesn't provide a quick way to pin any application like that, the Always on Top feature helps you do this.
Select the app you want to pin, then press Win + Ctrl + T . A thin colored border will show which window is pinned.
3. Color Picker
Color Picker helps you grab an exact color from anywhere on your screen — whether it's in an app, image, icon, or web page. Turn it on by pressing Win + Shift + C , then click any pixel to copy its color. It works with different formats like HEX, RGB, HSL, and CMYK.
The tool has a magnifying glass so you can select the exact pixel you want and automatically copies the color code to your clipboard. It also saves the last 20 colors so you can reuse them later. You can also tweak any selected color to get the perfect shade.
2. Quick Accent
Typing loanwords like café, résumé, or piñata on an English keyboard means having to memorize Alt codes or switch keyboard layouts. Quick Accent solves this problem brilliantly – hold down any letter and press the spacebar to see all its accented versions. Then use the arrow keys to select the letter you need.
You can configure it for only the languages you use, for quick selection. The overlay will appear at the cursor, so you never lose your place.
1. Awake
Awake temporarily or indefinitely suspends your computer's Sleep mode without affecting your power plan. You can toggle it on/off from the system tray when you start a long download or run an overnight backup. Use it, for example, because Sleep mode disables Wi-Fi and Bluetooth until you reboot - a bug that Awake helps fix.
Awake supports three modes: Indefinitely, for a certain number of minutes/hours, or until a certain time. This makes it useful for two hours as well as keeping your computer awake until 6am for overnight tasks. You can also choose to keep your screen on or just prevent your system from sleeping. When the timer expires, standard power settings will automatically resume.
Error code 0xc0000098 in Windows causes a blue screen error on startup. The ACPI.sys driver is often to blame, especially on unsupported versions of Windows 11 like 23H2 or 22H2 or Windows 10.
In some cases, sometimes you start your computer in Safe Mode and the computer freezes. So how to fix the error in this case, please refer to the article below of WebTech360.
Snipping Tool is a powerful photo and video capture tool on Windows. However, this tool sometimes has some errors, such as constantly displaying on the screen.
Every network has a router to access the Internet, but not everyone knows how to make the router work better. In this article, we will introduce some router tips to help speed up the wireless connection in the network.
If the results seem slower than expected, don't be too quick to blame your ISP - mistakes when performing the test can skew your numbers.
In the article below, we will introduce and guide you to learn about the concept of QoS - Quality of Service on router devices.
Windows has a built-in Credential Manager, but it's not what you think it is—and certainly not a replacement for a password manager.
Microsoft charges for its official codecs and doesn't include them in Windows 10. However, you can get them for free without pulling out your credit card and spending $0.99.
While having trouble accessing files and folders can be frustrating, don't panic—with a few simple tweaks, you can regain access to your system.
After creating a USB boot to install Windows, users should check the USB boot's performance to see if it was created successfully or not.
Although Windows Storage Sense efficiently deletes temporary files, some types of data are permanent and continue to accumulate.
You can turn off Windows 11 background apps to optimize performance, save battery and reduce RAM consumption.
When a computer, mobile device, or printer tries to connect to a Microsoft Windows computer over a network, for example, the error message network path was not found — Error 0x80070035 may appear.
We can block Internet access for any application or software on the computer, while other programs can still access the network. The following article will guide readers on how to disable Internet access for software and applications on Windows.
Instead of paying $30 for a year of security updates, keep Windows 10 safe until 2030 with this simple solution.
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Discover how to disable Game Bar Presence Writer on Windows to optimize gaming performance. Step-by-step guide to reduce lag, boost FPS, and enhance your setup for smoother gameplay. Essential tips for gamers in 2026.
