PowerToys
| PowerToys | |
|---|---|
| Basic data
|
|
| developer | Microsoft |
| Publishing year | 1995 |
| Current version |
0.20.0 ( July 31, 2020 ) |
| operating system | older versions: Windows 95 , Windows 98 , Windows Me , Windows XP current version: Windows 10 |
| programming language | C ++ |
| category | System software |
| License | MIT license |
| German speaking | No |
| github.com | |
PowerToys are a collection of utilities for Windows operating systems. They were first published by Microsoft together with Windows 95 , Windows XP contained an updated version with new utilities.
PowerToys for Windows 95
Probably the best-known PowerToys program was TweakUI , with which various settings of the Windows registry could be changed via a simple graphical user interface. This enabled even inexperienced users to change settings that were actually intended for network environments. TweakUI was also included on the Windows 98 First Edition installation CD , but was removed from the later CDs (Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Me ) for support reasons . The program was also always downloadable from the Microsoft website.
The other programs functioned as minor utility programs. Command Prompt Here , for example, enabled a command line to be opened from Windows Explorer in the currently open folder, the shortcut Target Menu enabled the properties of the target file or folder to be opened when right-clicking on a shortcut instead of just the shortcut file, and CabView made it possible to open it of CAB files as ordinary folders (Windows 98 by default with the operating system).
The Kernel Toys , which mainly dealt with Windows 95 system settings , appeared later .
PowerToys for Windows XP
The PowerToys for Windows XP contained an updated version of TweakUI that was adapted to the operating system . The other auxiliary programs were mainly gimmicks, but some of them were well known: The ClearType Tuner made it possible to adjust the ClearType settings for LCD screens, the PowerToy Calculator was a greatly improved version of the calculator supplied with Windows, which saved functions and function graphs was able to draw either in the Cartesian or in the polar coordinate system; in addition, it was possible to convert between several units of measurement, and SyncToy was an improved version of the briefcase .
PowerToys for Windows 10
The first preview of version 0.11.0 for Windows 10 was published on September 5, 2019 .
Functions
- FancyZones: Allows you to adjust the areas into which the screen is divided when several programs are open.
- Shortcut Guide: Shows a list of possible key combinations when you hold down the Windows key .
- File Explorer Add-ons: Shows previews of Markdown and SVG files in Windows Explorer.
- Image Resizer: context menu extension for enlarging and reducing images.
- Keyboard Manager: Redefine key combinations.
- PowerRename: context menu extension for renaming many files in one step.
- PowerToys Run: Quickly start frequently used programs.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Release v0.20.0 . (accessed on August 1, 2020).
- ↑ How to Install and Uninstall the TweakUI Tool in Windows 98 , accessed June 13, 2020
- ↑ Microsoft: Release on Github. Microsoft, September 14, 2019, accessed September 14, 2019 .
- ↑ Microsoft: Screenshot of Fancy Zones. Retrieved September 14, 2019 .
- ↑ Microsoft: Screenshot of "Windows key shortcut guide". Retrieved September 14, 2019 .
Web links
- Windows PowerToys FAQ Version 9.0, Updated August 5, 2005