# Microsoft Powertoys: Free powerful tools to optimize your Windows :

PowerToys: The first time you hear the name, you may think that it is a product for children or related to games, but PowerToys is a set of additional tools for the Windows system provided directly by Microsoft, which provides advanced features to control Windows and its settings.

The Microsoft powertoys toolkit is an add-on provided by the Microsoft Company, but these tools do not come with the basic version of Windows when installed on the device, so you need to Install PowerToys separately.

PowerToys from Microsoft is not a new toolkit, it was available from the time of Microsoft Windows 95, but it was only somewhat primitive tools with limited capabilities, such as changing the screen resolution or adding additional options to the side menu of the mouse button.

But with the development of the Windows system, the PowerToys tool has evolved with it greatly, and it contains a large and distinct set of tools that will help you to use the Windows system in a professional and different way, especially after the recent update that added new and advanced tools.

So why not share with you some of the great and good tools offered by the PowerToys package, which will make your Windows experience better and more productive.

How can download Microsoft PowerToys toolkit?

To download Microsoft PowerToys You have two ways to do that, I advise you to download the tool via the second method and I will mention why in the context of the article.

The easiest way to download PowerToys tools via microsoft store, where through the store's search bar you will be able to download the add-on to your device.

The second method, which I recommend, is to download PowerToys through The official Microsoft repository on GitHub, so why is it better than the microsoft store?

Because Microsoft is constantly updating PowerToys tools and adding new features in an update, updates are available on GitHub faster, unlike the Microsoft store whose software is updated about once a month.

Is Microsoft Powertoys Safe on my computer?

Of course Microsoft Powertoys is safe, the program is provided by Microsoft, so there is no need to worry about the security of the Microsoft Powertoys program, and you can safely download it to your device using one of the methods we mentioned earlier.

Tools that can be obtained after installing PowerToys on your device

PowerToys File Locksmith utility

Many times when you connect external devices to your computer such as SD card, hard drive, USB drive or other accessories, and you have finished your work with it, and you want to remove it from the device via the Eject feature.

A message from the Windows system will appear to you stating that one of the programs installed on your device is running one of the files on one of the accessories that you're connected to your computer.

And the system will prevent you from removing your accessory from the system to avoid any problem that occurs to your device connected to the computer.

The pop-up message will not tell you which program is using your device connected to your computer, but when you install the File Locksmith utility, you will be able to show the programs that use one of the files on the external extension connected to your device.

You can access the tool by standing with the mouse button on the extension that you want to remove from your device, then pressing the right mouse button to show you the additional options, then clicking on the option what's using this file?.

A window will appear that gives you information about the programs that use one of the extension files attached to your device, and you can remove all program to use your external accessory, and then you can make a safe Eject for your extension.

There is another addition provided by the File Locksmith utility, where if you want to change the location of a file, delete it, or rename it, but the Windows system refuses to complete the process, the same tool allows you to show the problem of not executing the command.

PowerToys tool Always on Top

The work of the tool is known from its name, as the Always on top tool will help you to choose an application and make it work on top of any other application or program, and this reduces the process of switching between applications and focusing on one application.

You can choose the application or program that you want to make it on top of all applications by going to the application and pressing the buttons (win + Ctrl + T) from the keyboard.

PowerToys text extractor tool

Text extractor tool is one of the smart and useful tools provided with the PowerToys package, it uses image analysis technology to automatically recognize any text written inside any image or video.

you can activate the feature via click (Win + Shift + T) from the keyboard, you will be able to select any text inside any image that was on your own device or on the Internet, as the tool will recognize the text and take a copy of it.

After that, you can paste the text anywhere you want or edit it, in addition to that the feature works on PDF files and videos such as YouTube videos, whether they are on your device or on the Internet.

PowerToys Run utility

PowerToys Run utility One of the useful tools in searching within the Windows system, the PowerToys Run utility is very similar to the Spotlight search tool in the macOS system and offers the same way to work in searching within the system.

You can show the PowerToys Run utility search bar by pressing (Alt + Space) from the keyboard, and you will be able to search for any file or any program installed on your device in a very fast way, and many other tasks that the tool.

PowerToys Image Resizer utility

The Image Resizer utility will give you the ability to resize any image you want to a set of available default sizes (small , medium , large , phone), in addition to the ability to add additional custom sizes.

You can access the tool by selecting the images whose sizes you want to reset, then pressing the right mouse button and then choosing Resize pictures, then a window will pop up for you with the available sizes, after that the tool will create images of the sizes you chose.

PowerToys Mouse utilities

PowerToys Mouse utilities are mouse utilities that improve mouse and pointer functionality while you work.

Find My Mouse

If you press (Ctrl) twice, the tool will put a white circle around the mouse button inside the screen, with a shadow on the all screen in black, and the tool will be deactivated after a period of time after the mouse button stops moving.

Mouse highlighter

When this option is activated, a small yellow circle will be created when clicking anywhere with the mouse, which is very useful while making explanations by capturing the computer screen.

Mouse pointer Crosshairs

The tool will place a line from right to left and from bottom to top, and its center is the mouse button.

PowerToys Color Picker utility

PowerToys Color Picker utility is one of the great and useful tools for designers, where the tool enables you to get the code of any color you pass by the mouse, and when you click on the place where you want to get the color code in which a window will pop up with information about the color you chose.

Windows key shortcut guide

The work of these tools is very simple, as they will provide you all keyboard shortcuts for the Windows system.

These tools will save you a lot of time and will provide you with all the shortcuts that will make it easier for you to work on the Windows system with ease and speed.

PowerToys PowerRename utility

The PowerRename utility is very powerful for renaming and reorganizing files, as if you select a group of files and press the right mouse button, then choose the PowerRename option, a serious window will appear that has many features.

PowerRename will enable you to replace file names with other names without the files having the same name, delete a word from a specific name for all files, change the extension of all files at the same time, and many other features.

PowerToys FancyZones utility

The advantage of the PowerToys FancyZones utility is that it gives you complete control over the way the applications are divided on your computer screen.

There are many ready-made templates for dividing the screen on FancyZones, with the provision of custom partitioning according to your own need.

These are just some of the tools that Microsoft Powertoys provides for free on the Windows system.

You can get many other tools that offer powerful features and make it much easier to use the Windows system.