Microsoft released PowerToys 0.101 today, and it’s a big update with a new Window Hopper utility and numerous updates to existing utilities.
“PowerToys 0.101 introduces Window Hopper for quickly moving between windows from the same app, a redesigned update experience with Stable and Insider channels, and compact mode for Command Palette,” the PowerToys release notes explain. “This release also continues our WinUI 3 modernization, brings on-device Phi Silica transformations to Advanced Paste, and adds a big set of improvements across PowerDisplay and Shortcut Guide.”
Key updates and changes include:
Windows Hopper. This utility is like Alt + Tab but for the windows within a single application: Once you enable Windows Hopper, you can type Windows key + ` (backtick) to cycle through each of the windows in the current app. Microsoft says this is particularly useful for those using multiple web browser windows, terminals, File Explorer windows, or code/text editor instances.
Insider channel switch. Now, you can more easily switch between the Stable and Insider versions of PowerToys using a new “Update channel” drop-down in the General page of the main PowerToys app window.
Command Palette. This utility now supports an optional Compact mode that opens the app as a focused search box at a configurable vertical position on-screen. It expands as you type to display applicable results, and you can expand it further by tapping the Tab or Down arrow keys.
Quick Accent and Mouse Jump. These two utilities have transitioned to more modern WinUI 3-based user interfaces with theming, accessibility, and DPI awareness.
PowerDisplay. This useful multi-monitor utility can now independently configure the brightness of each display and link two or more displays to control their brightness together.
Advanced Paste. This utility can now perform on-device transformations using Microsoft’s Phi Silica model on supported PCs without requiring an Internet connection or a cloud AI API key.
ZoomIt. This presentation utility now has a DemoMirror feature that lets you configure two displays independently, with one displaying a live view and the other a presenter view.
Mouse Highlighter. This utility now supports a “Ripple” highlight mode that uses smooth, composition-based effects for mouse clicks with customizable size, intensity, duration, drag trail, and release pulse settings. Left clicks are green by default, while right clicks are blue.
But wait, there’s more. There are other updates across several more PowerToys utilities. It seems like almost none of them went untouched.
PowerToys is a free, must-have set of utilities for every Windows 11 user. You can download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or from GitHub in x64 and Arm64 versions (in either per-user or all users versions).