Source: onmsft.com
PowerToys Returns to Windows After Two Decades
Microsoft announced on September 5, 2019 that Windows Insiders could access the first preview code release of its rebooted PowerToys project. PowerToys is a set of utilities aimed at power users who want to streamline their Windows workflow and boost productivity. The concept is not new: Microsoft originally shipped PowerToys during the Windows 95 era, bundling roughly 15 tools including CabView, CDAutoPlay, Desktop Menu, Explorer From Here, FindX, QuickRes, Telephony Location Selector, and Xmouse 1.2, among others.
The 2019 revival starts lean, shipping with just two utilities. The full project source code is publicly available on GitHub, and Microsoft is actively soliciting developer feedback and contributions.
The Two Launch Utilities
Windows Key Shortcut Guide
The Windows Key Shortcut Guide is a full-screen overlay that surfaces all available Windows key shortcuts relevant to the current desktop state and active window. Hold the Windows key for one second (the delay is configurable in settings) and the overlay appears. It updates dynamically: if you press a shortcut while continuing to hold the Windows key, the overlay reflects the resulting new window state rather than dismissing.
This is particularly useful for users who are still building muscle memory around Windows keyboard shortcuts, or for those who switch between machines and need a quick reference without leaving the keyboard.
FancyZones
FancyZones is a window manager that lets you define precise layout zones on your desktop and snap application windows into them. It goes well beyond the basic snap-to-half or snap-to-quarter layouts built into Windows 10, enabling complex, custom arrangements that can be saved and restored on demand.
The FancyZones editor offers two approaches to creating custom layouts:
- Window layout (additive model): Start with a blank canvas and drag new zones onto it, resizing them freely — similar to arranging windows by hand.
- Table layout (subtractive model): Start with a full grid and subdivide or merge cells to carve out your desired zones.
Both layout types can be saved under custom names in the editor’s Custom tab, making it straightforward to switch between a writing layout, a coding layout, or a monitoring layout depending on what you are working on.
Open Source and Community Driven
Microsoft is directing developers to the PowerToys GitHub repository for both the source code and the project backlog. The backlog lists additional utilities that have been considered for future inclusion, and Microsoft is treating it as a starting point for community inspiration. Feedback on the two preview utilities — bug reports, feature requests, and pull requests — is explicitly welcomed.
For DevOps engineers and developers who spend long hours at a Windows workstation, both tools offer meaningful quality-of-life improvements: the Shortcut Guide reduces context-switching friction, and FancyZones can eliminate the repetitive manual work of arranging terminal windows, browser tabs, and IDE panels across a wide or multi-monitor setup.
Getting the Preview
The September 5, 2019 release was targeted at Windows Insiders. Binaries and source code are available through the official Microsoft PowerToys GitHub repository. Check the repository’s Releases page for the latest build if you are reading this after the initial preview period.