I spend most of my day in front of my computer. My hands go from the keyboard to the mouse all day. I keep my most-used apps pinned to the taskbar, but look for the rest using Windows Search. That chapter of my life is over now that I can see what PowerToys Command Palette can do for me. It’s a free launcher that opens apps, does quick math, digs up Settings, and shows me various items I've added to my clipboard. I still glance at the Start menu, but click? Not as often.

I stopped fighting Windows Search just to open my own apps

A few letters and Enter get me there faster than the Start menu

My old routine was pretty much a pain, since I had to take my hands off the keyboard. I would grab my mouse, click the Start menu, and look for the app there. So when I saw I could open my apps without taking my hands off the keyboard, that was enough for me.

With the Command Palette, I only have to press Win + Alt + Space, type a few letters, and press Enter. For example, I needed to open WhatsApp, so I went through the steps, and there it was. I didn’t have to stare at a Start menu that showed a bunch of things I could do when all I wanted to do was open it. Since the PowerToys 0.100 update on June 9, Microsoft has treated the Command Palette as a bigger part of the suite rather than an experiment, and after seeing how it works, I can understand why. The Start button is still pinned to my taskbar like something from a museum, and so far it’s something I’ve needed less and less.

Command Palette took over three of my daily tools

Math, Settings pages, and clipboard history without hunting for anything

The first thing I tried with the new Command Palette was doing some math. I can’t remember why I needed to work out 3*67 + 34/2, but when I typed the numbers without opening the calculator first, I was taken to Google’s calculator after I pressed Enter. However, when I typed an equals sign before the numbers, the result appeared without leaving the Command Palette.

If you’re not constantly going into Windows Settings, finding the specific page for a feature can feel like a maze. I liked how easy it was to enter a few characters and, after pressing Enter, see the page appear without all those clicks. For example, I needed to go to my display settings. So, I entered:

• $ display
• Pressed Enter, and that specific page opened.

After that, I could only kick myself for not doing this sooner. Then there’s the clipboard history, which was a huge help since I could access not only the last thing I copied but also the last 25 things I copied. Yes, I meant to type 25; it’s not a typo. Command Palette lists actions you can choose from at the bottom, such as copy, paste, and more. There is also a preview window where I can read the entire text to avoid copying the wrong one. Three jobs that used to mean three separate windows now happen in one box, and my hands stay on the keyboard the whole time.

Pinning my most-used extensions made the Command Palette feel like mine

I installed Browser Tabs and parked them right at the top

This is where the Command Palette went from a tool I use to a tool I arranged in my own way. By pinning my most-used extensions, I kept them right there without having to navigate further. I did have to download them first from the Extension Gallery that came with the 0.100 update, a built-in gallery where I could browse extensions without hunting through GitHub for downloads. That’s where I found Browser Tabs, an extension that listed the browser tabs I had open and let me jump to any of them from the palette, and the Weather extension, which explains itself.

The Extension Gallery has a long list of options, but these were the first two I downloaded. I usually have so many tabs open that I almost feel embarrassed. So, finding the one I need isn’t always easy. However, now I can look through the list and find it. Knowing if it's going to rain is always a plus. Also, to have them in order of importance, I only have to right-click and choose from the listed options: move them up or down, move them to the top, or unpin them. The Start menu never let me decide what mattered most. Command Palette did, and that’s why it feels like mine.

Not everyone wants to install a tool just to open apps

Windows Search is already on your PC and needs no setup

If you don’t care much for the features that PowerToys has, then the setup might seem pointless. Window Search comes with the OS, asks for nothing, and opens apps, files, and settings the second you turn on your PC. On the other hand, you have to install PowerToys, learn a new keyboard shortcut, and how it works. The whole experience might feel more like trying to fix a problem than adopting a hobby. Also, if your PC is running on the slow side, having another tool run in the background doesn’t sound like fun.

I only had to set it up once, but the payoff shows up every day

The Start menu never gave me a reason to go back

Calling it a hobby project sounds fair until you actually use it for a few days. It only took me one sitting to set up the Command Palette. Now that it’s out of my way, all I had to learn was one simple keyboard combination, which was easier than I initially thought. The default is Win + Alt + Space.

The three keys are all right next to each other, so it’s not like you have to spread your fingers all over the keyboard. And when you think of all the things you can do with the Command Palette, the easy learning curve is worth it. Before, I would waste more time than I’d like going through the Windows Settings; now I can open a specific page in a few seconds. Browser Tabs sits pinned at the top before I even type a thing. The Start menu asks me to go looking. Command Palette already knows what I came for.

My mouse isn’t dead; it’s just quieter

Just because I’m using the Command Palette more, that doesn’t mean I don’t reach for my mouse. There are things I absolutely need it for, but if setting it aside saves me time, then that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Windows finally feels keyboard-first instead of mouse-first, and having everything set up the way I like it's too good to give up.