Microsoft PowerToys • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#11

Post by nereye » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:07 PM UTC

akudlacek wrote: post #2

Found this to keep my computer awake temporarily but there's a lot more useful stuff here, and it's available on the Microsoft store. Favorites so far: PowerToys Awake - keep a computer awake without having to manage its power & sleep settings File Locksmith - check which files are in use and by which processes PowerRename - bulk file renaming Text Extractor - copy text anywhere on screen

About PowerToys’ Text Extractor, there’s equivalent functionality in Windows now, from [1]:

It's recommended to use the Snipping Tool instead of the Text Extractor for capturing screenshots.

[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/text-ext...

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#12

Post by d3vnull » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:08 PM UTC

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #3

Why not just include in the OS?

Including it in the OS is a much bigger support commitment.

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#13

Post by jphoward » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:09 PM UTC

cryzinger wrote: post #9

FancyZones is a must-have if you use an ultrawide monitor! I set mine up with two zones, where one takes up about 1/3 of the screen and the other takes up about 2/3.

Are you me? Exact same! The problem with dual monitors is either you're sat in front of the gap, or you need to pivot. This way you get a 'normal' monitor and a portrait section to the side, much better.

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#14

Post by justusthane » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:10 PM UTC

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #3

Why not just include in the OS?

I think PowerToys are sort of a testing/QA playground. Features from PowerToys are sometimes adopted into Windows.

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#15

Post by lucasban » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:11 PM UTC

The new PowerToys command palette is looking promising as well, still very worthy of the beta label but I like where it’s going

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#16

Post by stronglikedan » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:21 PM UTC

If only there were a power toy to make it so that I can drag a file onto an app on the Win11 task bar to open it with that app, then I could actually switch to Win11. Until then, Power Toys makes every day with Win10 a little bit better.

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#17

Post by stronglikedan » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:22 PM UTC

dpoloncsak wrote: post #6

Half of this is just macOS. I'm here for it. I've used "DeskPins" for a while now to replicate "Always On Top". Exciting to see its now 'native' to Windows. It's not a significant program, but I'm gonna try to swap over ( https://github.com/thewhitegrizzli/DeskPins )

There have been various apps to do this since forever, but still, none are native to Windows.

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#18

Post by flutas » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:23 PM UTC

cryzinger wrote: post #9

FancyZones is a must-have if you use an ultrawide monitor! I set mine up with two zones, where one takes up about 1/3 of the screen and the other takes up about 2/3.

I have a pretty odd grid setup myself for a 55" TV monitor. Best part is holding shift and being able to snap a window to multiple zones. Let's me have a grid with tons of smaller zones that are useful for various apps when I need tiny windows and large ones when I don't.

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#19

Post by cataflam » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:24 PM UTC

Amazing they are still alive and kicking. Started using them with Windows 95 (different specific ones, same general concept)

These and Sysinternals (bought by Microsoft around 2006) were must have when I was still using Windows.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/

Re: Microsoft PowerToys

#20

Post by porridgeraisin » Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 4:32 PM UTC

Wow. It's been a while since I used it. It's come a long way, this is excellent. At the time I chose fluent search with everything.exe file indexing and quicklook previews (all integrated), and it was really good. If powertoys can replace all that with one tool I'll be really happy. However, everything.exe will always be the only search indexer I ever use, the thing is just orders of magnitude better than anything else. So if command palette can't interface with that, it's a deal breaker.