Microsoft’s PowerToys are a free collection of utilities that add extra features and customization options to Windows. It’s a bit like a tool drawer, as PCWorld explains here.
The latest release (Version 0.102) introduces a couple of new features. The first one is called Mouse Button Lock, which lets you drag and select items without having to hold down the mouse button. The feature is activated by holding down the mouse button for a few seconds. Upon releasing the button, you can continue dragging or selecting until you click again. This can be useful for tasks such as image editing and other activities that require long mouse movements.
The next feature is called CursorHide, which automatically hides the cursor while you’re typing on the keyboard or when the mouse hasn’t been used in a while (or both!). The cursor will reappear as soon as you move the mouse.
More Command Palette features
The Command Palette also receives several improvements. A new quick-access panel lets you pin favorite commands and launch them using the Alt 1 to Alt 9 keyboard shortcuts.
You can also search through settings, use multiple clocks with different time zones, and control the Command Palette using the Copilot key on compatible keyboards.
Meanwhile, the Keyboard Manager tool has gained more options for customizing key functions. For example, you can assign a key an alternative function when pressed on its own while keeping its normal function in key combinations.
Other new features include the ability to combine screenshots with locally transcribed voice notes, as well as support for controlling more PowerToys features via the command line.
In addition, Color Picker and Text Extractor have been updated to WinUI 3, while FancyZones now supports switching between window layouts using the mouse wheel.
PowerToys 0.102 is available to download from Microsoft’s GitHub page and can also be installed as an update from within the program.