I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — PowerToys is always one of the first apps you install with every new installation of Windows. Anyway, I still keep finding new utilities to overlook every time I spend time in the PowerToys window. This handy set of utilities has now become a toolkit capable of replacing several stand-alone applications I’ve accumulated over the years.
Each replacement means one less installer and one less background process running on my computer. This realization sent me to uninstall. Some of these utilities have been a part of my workflow for years, but PowerToys now does the job just as well, if not better.
Desktop Color Picker Pro has been removed from my computer
The PowerToys Color Picker made it completely redundant
Pixie has sat on every Windows installation I’ve owned over the years. It was all part of a one-two punch with Photopea on any Windows device that helps me edit and prepare all my images on a daily basis. Over the years, Pixie Color Picker has helped me match UI elements, get accent colors, or even pick the right brand colors for screenshots, all of which have earned a permanent place in my toolbox.
PowerToys can do everything Pixie can do, I just had to turn on the Color Picker and use it. Win + Shift + C. Now, when I need a color value, I click on the shortcut, hover over the pixel, and click. The color picker will copy HEX, RGB, or whatever format I’ve configured to the clipboard at once. Actually, there are only three formats sixteen formats This is what PowerToys’ Color Picker offers you when you move your cursor over a color on the screen.
It’s very easy, even if it hurts simply Seeing Pixie go away after years of being together, I’m still very happy to use PowerToys’ Color Picker, especially since I don’t have a separate app to launch every time I need to edit my pictures.
Bulk Rename Utility no longer has space on my computer
PowerRename handles almost any package renaming I need
Bulk Rename Utility is definitely a powerful tool, but every time I opened it after taking a few screenshots and arranging them, I didn’t feel like I was stepping into Windows XP-era software. I only needed a few of its features, so once I realized that PowerRename could perform the same tasks in File Explorer, I couldn’t find many reasons to keep another application.
Getting started couldn’t be easier either. In PowerToys I enabled PowerRename and this added PowerRename to the context menu whenever I right-clicked on any file or folder in File Explorer. It allows you to conveniently search and replace text, change case, add numbering, rename file extensions, or even use regular expressions while viewing a live preview update before making changes.
Of course, since this is a PowerToys utility, the biggest win here for me is that I stay in File Explorer the entire time. No need to interrupt the workflow by opening a separate utility to rename dozens of files every day. PowerRename seems like something Windows should have shipped years ago, and frankly, almost all of the PowerToys utilities do.
I stopped running Wox the day I took PowerToys Run
The command palette sealed the deal
Wox is a great utility to have on your computer because it lets you launch apps and search for files. a lot Faster and more accurate than the start menu. However, PowerToys Run eventually evolved it’s now to the point where I can do everything I use Wox for. Add to that the new command palette, and my decision to ditch Wox and rely on PowerToys just got stronger.
The PowerToys command palette lets you open applications, search for files, run system commands, perform math calculations, manage Windows services, and control other PowerToys features from a single text interface.
After connecting PowerToys Run In the PowerToys dashboard, I left the default setting Alt + Space the shortcut is exactly the same. Hotkeys now allow you to launch applications, open folders, solve calculations, convert units, and search through system settings. always I have to take my hands off the keyboard. I always have one for anything advanced Command palette, it extends the experience with rich activities and an interface designed for power users.
The result? No more dealing with multiple launchers because I can count on one that is actively developing alongside Windows. It’s faster, better integrated, and one less third-party app I have to keep updating.
The built-in Image Resizer was a godsend
PowerToys made it easy to resize the image
Image Resizer in PowerToys hasn’t really replaced the “app” on my computer, but it has removed a bookmark I’ve been using in my web browser for years – the PhotoStack web application. I’ve used it for years to resize my images, but it always came with some effort—organizing each image into a single folder, uploading it to PhotoStack, setting resizing limits, and then downloading the compressed file to extract and replace the old images.
With the Image Resizer baked into PowerToys, all I have to do is right-click the images inside the folder, set my 1440p preset, and I have resized copies in seconds. It’s instant compared to PhotoStack’s web browser method. It’s a small convenience that saves a surprising amount of time. Whether I’m preparing images for an article, compressing photos for email, or creating web-friendly versions, it all happens where my files are.
Tinkle Tray didn’t last long on my new OLED monitor
Power Display gave Windows the brightness slider it should have
After buying an OLED monitor for the first time on the Alienware AW2726DM, I encountered one of the most surprising flaws in Windows 11. Windows 11 coming out in 2026 is pretty crazy yet Every smartphone, tablet, laptop, and TV on the planet doesn’t offer a simple on-screen brightness and contrast slider for external monitors. I originally used the Tinkle Tray to fill this gap, only to discover that the PowerToys Power Display module solved the exact same problem.
After enabling the Power Display feature in PowerToys, I added a brightness control to its slider and have been using it to adjust the brightness of my monitor without going through the monitor’s awkward OSD buttons. It’s also the fastest way to dim the OLED for nighttime operation or turn it back on during the day.
PowerToys is the gift that keeps on giving
PowerToys’ philosophy is something I really appreciate. Microsoft has clearly created a space where truly useful ideas can develop quickly without waiting for the next major release of Windows.
It’s easy to install PowerToys and make it a permanent part of my workflow, which is what I did. This great set of built-in tools won’t discourage beginners at all and won’t reinvent Windows. However, what it does do is fill in gaps that have existed for years, often performing better than dedicated third-party apps.
