A Look Back: PowerToys for Windows XP (Premium)

With this week’s news that Microsoft is rebooting PowerToys, I thought it would be fun to take a trip back in time. So, here’s a look at some public and private information about the last PowerToys release, which occurred alongside Windows XP in 2001.

Microsoft revealed to Windows XP beta testers in August 2001 that it was rebooting the PowerToys.

“As most of you probably know, PowerToys are additional programs that developers work on after the product is code-complete,” a message to beta testers notes. “These toys add fun and functionality to the Windows experience. We've taken great care to ensure that PowerToys operate as they should. But please note that these programs are not part of Windows and are not supported by Microsoft. For this reason, Microsoft Technical Support is unable to answer questions about PowerToys.”

In the initial release, Microsoft offered the following PowerToys for Windows XP:

Faster User Switcher. With Fast User Switching enabled on Windows XP, this PowerToy allows you to switch users without having to use the login screen.

Shell Player. This PowerToy plays MP3 files and WMA files from the taskbar.

Task Switcher. Replaces the existing Alt + Tab application switching mechanism of Windows XP. It provides a thumbnail preview of windows in the task list and is compliant with the new Windows XP visual style.

IE Find Toolbar. This PowerToy makes Internet Explorer's find dialog accessible as a toolbar. This allows searches on the current page without a floating dialog.

Open Command Window Here. This PowerToy adds an "Open Command Window Here" context menu option on file system folders. This gives users a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe) pointing at a selected folder in the Explorer UI.

Tweak UI. Provides UI for system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default UI.

PowerToy Calc. Graphing calculator.

Bulk Resize for Photos. Allows you to make a new, resized copy of your selected pictures in the same folder they are currently located in. You can opt to resize one or many pictures (as a batch).

Over time, more were added, including a ClearType Tuner and updated HTML Slide Show Wizard that debuted in 2004. But the key takeaway is that much of this functionality was added to Windows over time. Humorously, the graphing calculator functionality is just now coming to Windows 10.

I reviewed the PowerToys for Windows XP on the SuperSite for Windows in August 2001. But here’s a more recent review that I wrote for Connected Home Magazine that appeared in May 2002. I don't believe this is available anywhere else anymore.

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Windows XP PowerToys
After a four-month absence, Microsoft's free PowerToys for Windows XP have returned, albeit in slightly changed form from their original release in October 2001. The PowerToys are a collection of 10 power-user oriented tools for Windows XP, many of which offer intriguing digital media functiona...