PowerToys is one of those apps that are easy to install and forget about. I only really started using it a while ago to boost my graphics work, and it was the right move. But, of course, PowerToys offers more than graphics-related features, so I’ve been exploring it a lot more and eventually figured out which tools are best suited to my PC workflows. I also love how nicely it plays with Windows – the OS I’ve been using my whole life.

PowerToys is not a heavy install, the tools are dead simple to set up, and they’re not trying to be fancy. Just simple utilities that fix daily annoyances like faster window snapping and batch file resizing. It’s the kind of stuff that makes your system feel like it’s working with you instead of against you. These are the PowerToys features that earned a top spot in my setup because they make everything else I do faster and smoother…

Image Resizer

For resizing in batches

I’ve already raved about how the Image Resizer boosts design work. But it’s not just designers who handle image files on the daily – anyone who works with images semi-regularly could benefit from a batch resizer. I use this resizer almost every day, not just for creative work, but for tasks like resizing the images of my articles and social posts. It comes in really handy for making sure all my screenshots and photos meet the format standards.

There’s a list of preset sizes, which may suffice for you, but I like setting a custom size, which PowerToys lets you do. I love how I don’t need to open an image editing app for this task; all I have to do is select my images, right-click, and select the resizer.

FancyZones

Custom window layouts

I tend to juggle Figma, NotebookLM, Brave, and Obsidian at any given time, and often use these apps together. The Windows 11 built-in snapping options are decent, and I do use them from time to time. But FancyZones gives me better options.

There are some preset layout options to choose from, but they’re pretty much the same you get on Windows by default. The real power of this tool lies in its custom options. You can create a custom grid using the split and drag controls. And my favorite part is that you can create a “canvas”. The difference between a canvas and a grid is that windows can overlap one another in the former. This is a great option for windows that you don’t need on full display at all times, but still want instant access to.

PowerToys Run

It’s basically an advanced command bar

I use PowerToys Run more than the actual Windows Start menu. It’s a universal search bar that pops up when you hit Alt + Space, and from there, you can search for almost anything from apps to files. I can find these things through Start, but PowerToys Run is much faster and also more accurate; the results don’t jump around, so clicking on the wrong item happens less often.

You might also wonder, why not just use Windows Run? Well, PowerToys Run comes with a bunch of plugins that extend its usage. I can run system commands from the text bar like shutting down my PC, I can do calculations with the quick calculator, search my local OneNote notebooks, convert units, do web searches via my default browser, and much more. I can run an entire workflow through this one feature, all with just a couple of keys. It’s become the center of gravity for how I navigate Windows.

Awake

Keep my PC from disappearing on me during important tasks

Awake is one of those background features you don’t think you need until you start using it. It keeps your PC from going to sleep or turning off the display, and you don’t need to go into the system settings to configure anything – just enable Awake. I use this constantly for long downloads, long video calls, rendering my footage in an editing app, stepping away but still needing apps running, and even reading on my PC. Sure, I still have to go into PowerToys to enable it, and there are some configurations available too, but it’s much simpler and quicker than digging through the power settings.

Text Extractor

Copy text from anywhere

Text extractor feels like a superpower once you start using it. You press Win + Shift + T, drag over any part of your screen, and it instantly copies any text in that area. Doesn’t matter if it’s an image, video, or PDF, it’ll grab the text, copy it to the clipboard, and you can paste it anywhere. There are also a couple of formatting options that come with the tool. It’s like having built-in OCR without needing a separate app. I use this a lot for information from YouTube videos that I don’t feel like retyping.

The quiet power of PowerToys

PowerToys is a collection of tools that smooth out the rough edges of Windows. I don’t use all of them, but these are the ones that stuck and fit nicely into my everyday workflows, and they genuinely make my tasks faster and cleaner. Once you get used to them, it’s hard to go back.