> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/microsoft/powertoys/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Quick Start Guide > Get started with Microsoft PowerToys - learn the essential utilities, keyboard shortcuts, and configuration options to boost your Windows productivity # Getting Started with PowerToys Welcome to Microsoft PowerToys! This guide will walk you through the most essential utilities and get you productive in minutes. Make sure you've [installed PowerToys](/installation) before continuing with this guide. ## First Launch After installing PowerToys, you'll see the PowerToys icon in your system tray (near the clock). Click it to access: * **Settings**: Configure all PowerToys utilities * **Quick Access**: Quick toggle for utilities * **Documentation**: Links to help resources * **Check for updates**: Manually check for new versions * **Exit**: Close PowerToys completely Right-click the PowerToys tray icon to access these options quickly. The icon adapts to your Windows theme (light/dark mode). ## Essential Utility #1: PowerToys Run PowerToys Run is a quick launcher that helps you search and launch applications, files, and perform quick calculations instantly. ### Activating PowerToys Run The default keyboard shortcut is: **`Alt + Space`** Press and hold the `Alt` key, then press the `Space` key. The PowerToys Run window appears in the center of your screen. Start typing the name of an application, file, or command. Results appear instantly as you type. **Try it now**: Press `Alt + Space`, type "notepad", and press Enter to launch Notepad. Use the arrow keys (↑/↓) to navigate through results, or use your mouse to click on any result. Press Enter to launch the selected application or open the selected file. ### PowerToys Run Features PowerToys Run includes powerful plugins that extend its functionality: #### Quick Calculator Perform calculations directly in PowerToys Run: ```text Basic Math theme={null} Alt + Space, then type: = 45 * 12 = sqrt(144) = 2^10 ``` ```text Unit Conversion theme={null} Alt + Space, then type: 100 USD to EUR 5 miles to km 32 fahrenheit to celsius ``` #### Application Launcher Quickly find and launch any installed application: ```text theme={null} Alt + Space, then type: chrome visual studio outlook ``` PowerToys Run searches through: * Start menu shortcuts * Desktop shortcuts * Recently used applications * Windows Store apps #### File Search Find files and folders on your system: ```text theme={null} Alt + Space, then type: report.pdf pictures documents ``` For best file search results, ensure Windows Search indexing is enabled for the folders you want to search. #### System Commands Execute Windows commands directly: ```text System Commands theme={null} Alt + Space, then type: shutdown restart sleep lock empty recycle bin ``` #### Web Search Search the web directly from PowerToys Run: ```text theme={null} Alt + Space, then type: ?? weather forecast ?? latest news ?? python tutorial ``` The `??` prefix triggers web search in your default browser. ### Customizing PowerToys Run Click the PowerToys tray icon, then click "Settings". Navigate to "PowerToys Run" in the left sidebar. Click the hotkey field next to "Activation shortcut" and press your desired key combination. Popular alternatives: * `Win + Space` (conflicts with language switcher on some systems) * `Ctrl + Space` * `Win + Q` Avoid shortcuts that conflict with system functions or other applications you frequently use. Scroll down to the "Plugins" section. Each plugin can be: * Enabled/disabled with the toggle switch * Configured with the gear icon * Assigned a direct activation keyword Configure search options: * **Search query delay**: Time before search results appear (default: 150ms) * **Maximum results**: How many results to show (default: 4) * **Clear previous query on launch**: Start fresh each time ## Essential Utility #2: FancyZones FancyZones is a window manager that helps you organize windows into custom layouts for maximum productivity. ### Quick Setup Open PowerToys Settings > FancyZones. Ensure the toggle at the top is **On**. Click "Launch layout editor" or press `Win + Shift + \` (backslash) to open the FancyZones editor. Select from pre-built templates: * **Focus**: Single large zone with smaller zones on the side * **Columns**: Vertical columns (2, 3, or 4 columns) * **Rows**: Horizontal rows * **Grid**: Uniform grid layout * **Priority Grid**: Grid with one larger priority zone Click "Apply" to activate your chosen layout. Drag any window while holding `Shift`. You'll see the zone layout overlay. Drop the window into a zone to snap it. ### Using FancyZones #### Snap Windows to Zones **Method 1: Drag with Shift** 1. Hold down the `Shift` key 2. Click and drag a window's title bar 3. The zone layout appears as an overlay 4. Drop the window into any zone to snap it **Method 2: Keyboard Shortcuts** * `Win + Left/Right Arrow`: Snap to adjacent zone * `Win + Up/Down Arrow`: Snap to zone above/below #### Span Across Multiple Zones Hold `Ctrl` while dropping a window to span multiple zones: 1. Hold `Shift` and start dragging a window 2. Move over the first zone you want to span 3. Hold `Ctrl` (keep holding `Shift` too) 4. Move over additional zones to include them 5. Release to snap across all selected zones ### FancyZones Configuration ```text Zone Appearance theme={null} Settings > FancyZones > Appearance: - Show zones while dragging windows: On - Show zones on all monitors: On - Zone highlight color: Choose your color - Zone opacity: 50% (default) ``` ```text Zone Behavior theme={null} Settings > FancyZones > Behavior: - Hold Shift to activate zones: On (recommended) - Move newly created windows to last known zone: On - Keep windows in zones when resolution changes: On - During zone layout changes, windows assigned to a zone match new size/position: On ``` **Pro tip**: Create different zone layouts for different tasks. Press `Win + Shift + \` to quickly switch between layouts you've created. ## Essential Utility #3: Color Picker Quickly pick colors from anywhere on your screen and copy them in various formats. ### Activation Default keyboard shortcut: **`Win + Shift + C`** Press `Win + Shift + C`. Your screen will be overlaid with a magnified view of the cursor area. Move your mouse to hover over any pixel. The color information appears in the magnified view. Click to select the color, or press `Esc` to cancel. The color value is automatically copied to your clipboard in your preferred format (HEX, RGB, HSL, etc.). A notification confirms which format was copied. ### Color Picker Configuration Settings > Color Picker > "Activation behavior" Select your preferred color format: * **HEX** (e.g., `#FF5733`) - Most common for web/design * **RGB** (e.g., `rgb(255, 87, 51)`) - Web CSS format * **HSL** (e.g., `hsl(12, 100%, 60%)`) - Hue, saturation, lightness * **HSV** (e.g., `hsv(12, 80%, 100%)`) - Hue, saturation, value * **CMYK** (e.g., `cmyk(0%, 66%, 80%, 0%)`) - Print format * **HSB** (e.g., `hsb(12, 80%, 100%)`) - Photoshop format Turn on "Show color history" to keep a list of your recently picked colors. Access history: After picking a color, the Color Picker editor window appears showing your history. Click the activation shortcut field and press your preferred key combination. Popular alternatives: * `Ctrl + Shift + C` * `Alt + C` ### Using Color History After picking colors, access your color history: 1. The Color Picker editor window opens automatically (if enabled) 2. View all recently picked colors 3. Click any color to copy it again 4. Click the format dropdown to copy in a different format 5. Remove colors from history with the trash icon Color history persists across PowerToys sessions and stores up to 20 colors by default. ## Essential Utility #4: PowerRename Batch rename multiple files using search and replace with regular expressions. ### Accessing PowerRename PowerRename integrates directly into File Explorer: In File Explorer, select one or more files you want to rename. Right-click on the selected files and choose "PowerRename" from the context menu. (On Windows 11, you may need to click "Show more options" first) The PowerRename window appears, showing all selected files and a preview of changes. ### Basic Renaming ```text Simple Replace theme={null} Search for: vacation Replace with: holiday Original: vacation_2024_photo1.jpg Renamed: holiday_2024_photo1.jpg ``` ```text Add Prefix theme={null} Search for: (leave empty) Replace with: Project_ Original: document.pdf Renamed: Project_document.pdf ``` ```text Remove Text theme={null} Search for: _old Replace with: (leave empty) Original: report_old.docx Renamed: report.docx ``` ### Advanced Renaming with Regex Enable "Use regular expressions" for powerful pattern matching: ```text Add Numbers theme={null} Search for: (.*) Replace with: $1_001 Enable: Use regular expressions Original: photo.jpg Renamed: photo_001.jpg ``` ```text Reorder Parts theme={null} Search for: (\d{4})-(\d{2})-(\d{2}) Replace with: $2-$3-$1 Enable: Use regular expressions Original: 2024-03-15_notes.txt Renamed: 03-15-2024_notes.txt ``` ```text Remove Numbers theme={null} Search for: \d+ Replace with: (leave empty) Enable: Use regular expressions Original: document123.txt Renamed: document.txt ``` ### PowerRename Options Configure rename behavior with checkboxes: * **Match all occurrences**: Replace every instance in the filename * **Case sensitive**: Distinguish between upper/lowercase * **Use regular expressions**: Enable regex pattern matching * **Apply to**: Choose files only, folders only, or both * **Exclude items**: Specify files to skip * **Enumerate items**: Add sequential numbers to renamed files Always review the preview before clicking "Rename". PowerRename shows exactly how each file will be renamed, with changes highlighted. ### PowerRename Configuration PowerToys Settings > PowerRename Set default options that apply each time you use PowerRename: * Auto-complete search/replace fields from history * Maximum number of items in MRU (Most Recently Used) list * Show PowerRename icon in context menu For Windows 11 users: Toggle "Show PowerRename in extended context menu" to make it appear in the main right-click menu (without "Show more options"). ## Additional Utilities to Explore Now that you're familiar with the core utilities, explore these powerful tools: ### Quick Access Tools | Utility | Shortcut | Description | | ------------------ | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | **Text Extractor** | `Win + Shift + T` | Extract text from images using OCR | | **Shortcut Guide** | Hold `Win` key (1 second) | Display Windows keyboard shortcuts overlay | | **Always on Top** | `Win + Ctrl + T` | Pin any window to stay on top | | **Screen Ruler** | `Win + Shift + M` | Measure pixels on your screen | ### File Explorer Enhancements * **Peek**: Press `Ctrl + Space` in File Explorer to preview files * **File Locksmith**: Right-click a file > "What's using this file?" to see what's locking it * **Image Resizer**: Right-click images > "Resize pictures" for batch resizing * **File Explorer Add-ons**: Preview SVG, PDF, and more in File Explorer ### Keyboard & Mouse Tools * **Keyboard Manager**: Remap keys and create custom shortcuts * **Mouse Utilities**: Find your mouse, highlight clicks, and more * **Quick Accent**: Press and hold a letter key (e.g., `e`) to add accents (é, è, ê, ë) Enable only the utilities you need. Keeping unused utilities disabled reduces resource usage and keeps your system running smoothly. ## Customizing Global Settings ### General Settings Access global PowerToys settings: PowerToys Settings > General Configure: * **Run at startup**: Launch PowerToys when Windows starts (recommended) * **Run as administrator**: Some utilities require this for full functionality Choose your interface theme: * **Light**: Light mode interface * **Dark**: Dark mode interface * **System**: Match Windows theme automatically Configure automatic updates: * **Automatically download updates**: Get new versions automatically * **Show notification when updates are available**: Alert you to new releases ### Backup and Restore Settings Your PowerToys configuration is stored in JSON files: **Settings location**: * Per-user install: `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\settings` * Machine-wide install: `C:\Program Files\PowerToys\settings` To backup your configuration: 1. Close PowerToys completely 2. Copy the entire `settings` folder to a backup location 3. To restore, replace the settings folder and restart PowerToys Settings are not automatically synced across devices. Use manual backup/restore or enterprise GPO for multi-device configurations. ## Keyboard Shortcut Reference Quick reference of default keyboard shortcuts: | Utility | Default Shortcut | Action | | ----------------- | ---------------------------- | ----------------------- | | PowerToys Run | `Alt + Space` | Open quick launcher | | FancyZones Editor | `Win + Shift + \` | Open layout editor | | FancyZones Snap | Hold `Shift` while dragging | Activate zone snapping | | Color Picker | `Win + Shift + C` | Pick color from screen | | Text Extractor | `Win + Shift + T` | Extract text with OCR | | Shortcut Guide | Hold `Win` (1 sec) | Show Windows shortcuts | | Always on Top | `Win + Ctrl + T` | Pin window on top | | Screen Ruler | `Win + Shift + M` | Measure screen elements | | Peek | `Ctrl + Space` (in Explorer) | Preview file | All keyboard shortcuts can be customized in PowerToys Settings. If a shortcut doesn't work, check for conflicts with other applications. ## Tips for Power Users ### Productivity Workflows **Workflow 1: Developer Setup** 1. Use FancyZones with a 3-column layout: Code editor (center), terminal (right), browser (left) 2. Configure PowerToys Run plugins: Calculator, System commands, Windows Terminal 3. Use Color Picker for design token extraction 4. Enable File Locksmith for debugging file locks **Workflow 2: Content Creation** 1. Use FancyZones with Focus layout: Main app (large zone), reference materials (small zones) 2. Use Color Picker to extract brand colors from references 3. Use Image Resizer for batch processing assets 4. Use PowerRename for organizing exported files **Workflow 3: Data Analysis** 1. FancyZones grid layout: Spreadsheet, database tool, documentation 2. PowerToys Run calculator plugin for quick calculations 3. Text Extractor for grabbing data from PDFs/images 4. Always on Top for keeping reference windows visible ### Performance Optimization Only keep enabled the utilities you actually use. Each utility consumes some system resources. In PowerToys Run settings, increase "Search input delay" if you notice lag on slower systems. Reduce zone opacity and disable animations if you experience performance issues with window snapping. If PowerToys slows down startup, consider disabling "Run at startup" and launching it manually when needed. ## Troubleshooting Common Issues ### PowerToys Run Not Appearing 1. Check if the hotkey conflicts with another app 2. Try changing the activation shortcut in Settings 3. Ensure PowerToys is running (check system tray) 4. Restart PowerToys ### FancyZones Not Showing Zones 1. Ensure "Show zones while dragging windows" is enabled 2. Check if you're holding the Shift key while dragging (if that option is enabled) 3. Verify a layout is applied to your current monitor 4. Try pressing `Win + Shift + \` to launch the editor and re-apply your layout ### Context Menu Items Missing 1. Restart Windows Explorer (Task Manager > Windows Explorer > Restart) 2. Check if the utility is enabled in PowerToys Settings 3. On Windows 11, check if items are in the "Show more options" submenu 4. Re-enable the utility (disable, apply, enable, apply) ### Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working 1. Check for conflicts with other applications 2. Ensure PowerToys is running 3. Try running PowerToys as administrator (some apps require this) 4. Verify the shortcut is correctly configured in Settings For detailed troubleshooting and additional help, visit the [PowerToys GitHub Issues](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues) or [Microsoft Learn documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/powertoys/). ## Next Steps You're now ready to use PowerToys! Continue learning: * **[Explore All Utilities](/utilities/overview)**: Discover all 25+ PowerToys utilities in detail * **[Configuration Guide](/configuration/overview)**: Advanced configuration and customization * **[Keyboard Manager](/utilities/keyboard-manager)**: Create custom keyboard remappings * **[Group Policy](/configuration/gpo)**: Enterprise deployment and management ## Getting Help and Contributing ### Community Resources * **GitHub Issues**: [Report bugs and request features](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues) * **GitHub Discussions**: [Ask questions and share tips](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/discussions) * **Documentation**: [Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/powertoys/) * **Blog**: [Release notes and announcements](https://aka.ms/powertoys-releaseblog) ### Contributing PowerToys is open source! Contribute by: * Reporting bugs and requesting features * Improving documentation * Writing code for new features or bug fixes * Creating third-party plugins for PowerToys Run Visit the [Contributing Guide](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) to get started. PowerToys is actively developed with monthly releases. Check for updates regularly to get the latest features and improvements!