Microsoft Releases PowerToys 0.16, Details Future Roadmap

PowerToys is an application that Microsoft is building that adds new functionality to Windows. The tool is free to download and reached the 0.16 milestone today.

In the release, Microsoft is enabling several features that you may find useful including Markdown Preview pane extension, SVG Preview pane extension, Image Resizer in the Windows Shell, and Windows Walker, an alt-tab experience (shown above).

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The new image resizing feature is quite helpful as it allows you to resize images in bulk with a few options. The best part is that it appears to be non-destructive, meaning it doesn’t harm the original images.

In addition to the new features, there are improvements for FancyZones with improved multi-monitor support and a new UX. The team is also releasing a roadmap to reaching version 1.0 launch in September of this year.

While you may not need everything that PowerToys enables, I do hope that Microsoft keeps investing in the application. The simple app is bringing new functionality to Windows 10 that would have taken years to include natively in the OS.

While the app is far from complete, I’m optimistic that this will quickly become a ‘must-have’ app for all users of the OS.

Download: PowerToys 0.16

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Conversation 14 comments

  • sabarrett

    Premium Member
    31 March, 2020 - 4:09 pm

    <p>I've used that image resizer. It was a project on github that worked fantastic. The dialog box looks exactly like the one at:</p><p>https://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/</p&gt;

    • thejoefin

      Premium Member
      31 March, 2020 - 5:37 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#535507">In reply to sabarrett:</a></em></blockquote><p>A few of these PowerToys are actually other open source projects rolled up into the Microsoft managed repo. The PowerLauncher is a tool called Window Walker. The same might happen to Screen To Gif as well. </p>

      • IanYates82

        Premium Member
        31 March, 2020 - 6:37 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#535545">In reply to TheJoeFin:</a></em></blockquote><p>I use ScreenToGif. </p><p>Some of the Microsoft polish on its rough edges would be fantastic. </p>

  • Philotech Mueller

    31 March, 2020 - 4:21 pm

    <p>For a short moment, I thought of an April's joke because I immediately felt thrown back to the 90ies. But it's not yet 1 April, and I know MS has rediscovered the PowerToys a while ago…</p>

  • Alex Taylor

    31 March, 2020 - 5:05 pm

    <p>Nice. </p><p>In a sane world these would all come included with Windowsby default, and all the other bollix they presently ship would be optional to be installed by the 0 people that want it.</p><p>I hope at some stage they use FancyZones as a springboard for more window management improvements like alt-drag and border snapping. </p><p><br></p>

  • Username

    31 March, 2020 - 5:06 pm

    <p>Which PowerToy identifies the program that locked a file?</p>

  • zorb56

    Premium Member
    31 March, 2020 - 5:06 pm

    <p>Yessss. Been waiting for Image Resizer. I used to use this all the time in the Windows XP days and still have a need for it.</p>

  • Winner

    31 March, 2020 - 6:08 pm

    <p>So Microsoft can provide a roadmap for PowerToys, but not for Windows.</p>

  • bookgrub

    01 April, 2020 - 2:07 am

    <p>It looks to me like they've integrated Brice Lambson's image resizer, which is great, because I've been installing it on machines for years. And he's a senior software engineer at Microsoft, so a good fit.</p><p><a href="http://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/&quot; target="_blank">http://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/</a></p&gt;

  • red.radar

    Premium Member
    01 April, 2020 - 7:52 am

    <p>Love to have the ability to have different wallpapers depending on my monitor configuration. And different wallpapers per screen. </p><p><br></p><p>that would be a neat power toy. </p>

    • bassoprofundo

      Premium Member
      01 April, 2020 - 5:36 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#535770">In reply to red.radar:</a></em></blockquote><p>Tried DisplayFusion? Complete multi-monitor management including wallpaper customization. I've been using it for years now. Should get you what you want.</p>

  • SvenJ

    02 April, 2020 - 1:53 pm

    <p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The simple app is bringing new functionality to Windows 10 that would have taken years to include natively in the OS."</span></p><p>Why's that?</p>

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