Written by: Shauli Zacks
Last updated on April 25, 2024

Microsoft PowerToys is a must-have software for Windows power users. It’s an excellent collection of tools designed to increase productivity for Windows 10 and 11.

The PowerToys suite includes apps for pinning windows, remapping your keyboard, disabling and enabling microphones and webcams, an updated window manager, a color picker, and more.

Some of the PowerTools are beta versions of features that will be integrated into future releases and versions of Windows. The PowerToys are open-source and licensed under the MIT license, and hosted on GitHub.

Follow the instructions below, and I’ll show you how to download and install Microsoft PowerToys on your PC for free.

Download Microsoft PowerToys for Free!

How to Download and Install Microsoft PowerToys on  Your PC for Free

  1. Go directly to the PowerToys download page in the Microsoft Store.
  2. Click on the Get In Store App button, and the Microsoft Store app will open.
    Download Microsoft PowerToys
  3. Confirm that you want the Microsoft Store to open. Then, the PowerToys installation page will open. Click the Install button, and PowerToys will automatically install on your computer.
    Insdtall power toys
  4. When the installation is complete, Microsoft PowerToys will automatically integrate the features into your Windows 10 or 11 operating system.

 Microsoft PowerToys Overview

Microsoft PowerToys was first introduced as a way to test new tools and features for Windows 95 and XP. It was so popular that Microsoft released a new version of PowerToys for Windows 10 and 11. The tools are 100% open-source, allowing anyone to inspect the code to ensure it’s secure and adjust the features to make it more complete.

The focus of PowerToys is to increase productivity by adding intuitive features to the current operating system. In addition to the general operating system, PowerToys is available for several other Microsoft products, including Visual Studios, OneNote, and a Windows tablet.

 Microsoft PowerToys Features

There are a total of 15 PowerToys included in the software download. Once the download is complete, the PowerToys will automatically integrate with your OS. You can launch some of them with keyboard shortcuts, and others integrate into the system menu or specific tools.

Always on Top

You can pin one or more windows to always stay on top of other open windows and applications. If you have multiple windows pinned, they will automatically adjust so they can both be seen. You can customize how the pinned window appears by choosing a color and thickness for a border that will go around the page.

Always on Top PowerToys

The pinned window will always appear above other windows

To activate this feature, click on the window you want to pin and hit Windows + CTRL + T.

Awake

The Awake feature makes it easy to stop your computer from going to sleep without adjusting the Power and Sleep. It’s really convenient if you’re frequently changing your sleep settings based on what you’re doing.

The Awake icon looks like a blue coffee mug and is automatically added to the system tray on the Windows menu bar.

Awake powertoy

Click on the Awake icon to open the settings menu

Color Picker

This tool makes it easy to find the exact color of anything that appears on your computer in RGB, HEX, CMYK, and more.

Activate the feature by pressing Windows + Shift + C, and a box will appear next to your mouse pointer that displays the color code. When you click the mouse, a window will open with the code for the color in various formats. PowerToys color picker

Use the color picker to find the exact color on your screen

FancyZones

The FancyZones tool is similar to the Snap feature that already exists on Windows, except with more customization options. There are 6 prebuilt options for screen layouts, or you can create a custom layout.

FancyZones

Create a layout for when you have multiple windows open simultaneously
Press Windows + Shift + ‘ to activate FancyZone. When you drag a window to the corner of the page, you can choose which zone you want that window to go to.

Image Resizer

Adjusting the size of multiple images has never been easier. The image resizer is added to the file explorer for easy access.

PowerToys resizer

To activate the feature, simply highlight the image or images you want to resize and right-click your mouse. Choose Resize Images from the menu and select a predefined size or add custom dimensions.

Keyboard Manager and Mouse Utilities

Take control of your keyboard using the PowerToys Keyboard Manager. With this tool, you have the freedom to personalize it according to your preferences, whether it’s crafting new shortcuts or making letter adjustments to enhance usability. For instance, if the standard QWERTY layout isn’t your cup of tea, you can easily switch to an alphabetical arrangement by replacing Q with A, W with B, and so forth.

The Mouse Utilities allows you to highlight a circle around your pointer and add mouse pointer crosshairs that center on the pointer.

To access these settings, open the PowerToys interface, find the Keyboard Manager or Mouse Utilities and press the Open Settings button.

PowerToys Run

This feature enhances the usability of the Run function by adding additional features. The main upgrades include:

  • Making it easier to search for applications, files, and folder
  • Clickable buttons with keyboard shortcuts
  • Execute system commands
  • Call for a Shell Function by typing  >
  • Open web pages or search the web

You can open the run window by pressing the Alt + Space.

Screen Ruler

This handy tool makes it easy to measure pixels on your screen. It has multiple spacing modes, a bounding box, and tracing pixels along a vertical and horizontal axis.

Press Windows + Shift +M, and the screen ruler toolbar will open on the top of your computer screen. Choose the type of ruler you want, and drag it to the area you want to measure.

Page Ruler Poweroys

I chose to measure the vertical and horizontal axis

Shortcut Guide

You don’t have to worry about keeping track of all the shortcuts. Just press Windows + Shift + / to see a complete list of all your shortcuts.

Text Extractor

The text extractor tool works like a screenshot or snipping tool, except instead of taking a picture, it copies the text you highlight. Then you can paste it into a different application, such as Word, PowerPoint, and WordPad. This tool works with websites, images, PDFs, videos, and any other medium with text.

Press Windows + Shift + T to launch the tool.

Video Conference Mute

Video conference mute is a helpful tool for anyone on a video conference or call. You can mute or enable the microphone and camera by pressing the shortcut keys. This PowerToy works on all video conference applications. The shortcuts are:

  • Windows + Shift + Q – Changes the status of both the microphone and camera
  • Windows + Shift + A – Changes the status of your microphone
  • Windows + Shift + O – Changes the status of your webcam

 How to Uninstall Microsoft PowerToys

If you’re not a power user or don’t need the PowerToys, you can uninstall them in a few easy steps.

  1. Type Add or Remove Programs in the Windows search bar and press the Enter key.
  2. Locate PowerToys in the list of installed programs and click Uninstall.
    Uninstall powertoys
  3. Confirm that you want to remove the tools, and Microsoft will delete all 15 programs immediately.

 Other Software from Microsoft

  • Microsoft 365: The bundled software includes all the tools you need to stay productive at work. One download gives you unlimited access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and more. Collaborate with others and share your work easily through the Microsoft cloud.
  • Visual Studio: A popular integrated development environment (IDE) software is a popular tool for developing computer programs and apps. It integrates with Microsoft development tools such as Windows API, Windows Forms, and Microsoft Silverlight.

 FAQ

Is Microsoft PowerToys free?

Yes! You can download Microsoft PowerToys for free. You’ll receive all the tools, and they will automatically integrate to your OS, so you can start using the PowerToys right away.

Are Microsoft PowerToys safe?

Microsoft PowerToys are completely safe, provided you download them from an official source. I tested the file I downloaded from the Microsoft Store with several antivirus software, and it came up 100% safe. PowerToys are open-source, so you can inspect the code and ensure that there are no malicious or suspicious files inserted in the downloader.

How do I activate the Microsoft PowerToys?

Once the PowerToys are installed on your computer, they will automatically integrate with your OS. Some of the tools are added to the file explorer; others need to open the PowerToys interface to launch the application, but most require a keyboard shortcut to launch the program. While there is a default keyboard shortcut, you can change it to anything you want, provided the first key is the Windows or Shift button.
Download Microsoft PowerToys now!