5 Windows PowerToys tools I use every day to make the workday easier

Since its launch in 2021, I’ve used Windows 11 nearly each single day on each my laptop computer and desktop. Nonetheless, till just lately, I hadn’t explored the Microsoft PowerToys app — a call I now remorse. In case you’re not acquainted with PowerToys, it is an official Microsoft app designed to reinforce your productiveness with Home windows 11 by introducing new instruments and shortcuts.

I had heard of PowerToys earlier than, however mistakenly believed it was solely geared in the direction of builders and Home windows fanatics. I could not have been extra unsuitable. Home windows PowerToys gives a spread of outstanding instruments appropriate for each seasoned Home windows customers and novices. In case you’re desperate to check out PowerToys (or inquisitive about what it may do), listed here are 5 instruments I like to recommend beginning with that can enhance your Windows 11 experience and are simple to study.

1

Add Highlight to Home windows 11 with PowerToys Run

Deliver macOS’s greatest characteristic to Home windows

The software that impressed me to obtain PowerToys within the first place is PowerToys Run. This characteristic provides a macOS-like Spotlight search to Home windows, permitting you to rapidly seek for any file or program in your PC and open it.

Yow will discover PowerToys Run below System Instruments > PowerToys Run within the PowerToys app. Conveniently, it is enabled routinely and might be activated by urgent Alt+House (you’ll be able to remap this to any key mixture you favor). When you press Alt+House, PowerToys Run instantly seems in your display, permitting you to seek for something in your PC. I exploit this software to rapidly launch video games with out having to open my Steam library, and to entry applications I incessantly use all through the day that I do not normally hold open, like Adobe Photoshop.

I additionally respect the way it can swiftly find information. I work with many images day-after-day, and with PowerToys Run, I can seek for a file by identify to rapidly discover and open it in seconds, somewhat than navigating by File Explorer. It simply quickens the method of opening something on my PC, and I can not think about dwelling with out it now that I have been utilizing it for the previous few weeks. Take into accout although, to ensure that PowerToys Run to be the best, chances are you’ll must index extra of your information for Home windows Search, which you are able to do below Settings > Privateness & Safety > Looking out Home windows.

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2

Preview information with Peek

Cease opening information except you need to

In case you typically flick thru many information in your each day workflow however do not essentially wish to open each to see what’s inside, that is the place PowerToys’ Peek software proves helpful. As its identify suggests, it means that you can peek at (preview) nearly any file in your PC with out truly opening it.

To make use of it, merely click on on a file in File Explorer and press Ctrl+House to open a preview. I incessantly use this characteristic for photos and PDFs, because it permits me to rapidly look at them with out having to open them. I’ve additionally been in a position to preview Microsoft Phrase and Excel information with Peek.

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3

Discover any coloration in your PC with Shade Picker

Shade Picker can determine the HEX variety of colours in your display

In case you’re an artist or use image-editing apps lots, then you are going to love this PowerToys software. It is referred to as Shade Picker, and it means that you can discover a coloration’s HEX quantity from wherever in your PC.

By default, Shade Picker is ready to open if you press the Home windows Key + Shift + C. This shortcut mixture is awkward, so should you plan on utilizing Shade Picker incessantly, I like to recommend altering it to one thing else. Yow will discover the settings for Shade Picker within the PowerToys app below System Instruments > Shade Picker.

When you activate Shade Picker, it’s going to instantly start figuring out the colour your mouse is hovering over in your display and show its HEX quantity. By left-clicking a coloration with the Shade Picker open, a display will seem, displaying all the small print in regards to the coloration, together with its HEX, RGB, and HSL values. You’ll be able to then copy any of those particulars and simply paste them into your most popular picture modifying app, similar to Photoshop or GIMP.

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4

Multitask like a professional with All the time On Prime

By no means lose sight of your work once more

I do lots of multitasking on my Home windows 11 PC. Once I’m doing analysis and taking notes, I normally have a window open with Google Docs above what I am studying so I can jot down key factors. This PowerToys software makes multitasking seamless, because it means that you can hold a window pinned to your display. That method, should you click on on one other window, it does not disappear. It is aptly named All the time On Prime, and it is a simple but efficient software that makes multitasking a lot simpler.

To activate All the time On Prime, press the Home windows Key + Ctrl + T. By enabling the software, the window you at the moment have opened, similar to a Google Chrome tab, will routinely be pinned to your display. Which means that even when you’ll be able to click on on one other window or app, it’s going to nonetheless take priority over all the pieces else and never disappear.

To unpin a window from All the time On Prime, press the Home windows Key + Ctrl + T once more. Yow will discover the settings for All the time On Prime within the PowerToys app below Windowing & Layouts > All the time on Prime. From the identical display, you too can customise its opacity, permitting you to make it semi-transparent if that helps your workflow.

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5

Discover My Mouse

Simply find your cursor should you’ve misplaced it

Once I first noticed that Discover My Mouse existed, I laughed as a result of I believed I might by no means use it. Nonetheless, since putting in PowerToys, I admit I’ve used it a number of instances now. It is because, among the many multitude of displays on my desk, I can generally lose observe of the place my mouse cursor is, particularly if I get briefly distracted.

Because the identify suggests, Discover My Mouse locates your mouse and highlights its place in your display by inserting a highlight on it. You’ll be able to activate Discover My Mouse by urgent the Ctrl key twice. Moreover, you’ll be able to allow a setting that means that you can activate it by holding down the Home windows Key. In case you have a multi-monitor setup, chances are you’ll use the Discover My Mouse software extra typically than you suppose. To take a look at Discover My Mouse and different useful mouse options for Home windows 11, yow will discover them in PowerToys below Enter / Output > Mouse utilities.

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