Windows 11 is an excellent operating system for most users, but power users often find it lacks advanced customization. If you have ever wished you could easily resize images with a right-click, keep a specific window always on top, or map a useless keyboard key to do something else, you need to install Microsoft’s best-kept secret: PowerToys.
PowerToys is a suite of advanced utilities developed by Microsoft in collaboration with the open-source community. It acts like a Swiss Army knife for Windows, adding incredibly useful features that should probably be built into the core operating system. In this guide, you will learn how to install the suite and use three of its most powerful tools.
Step 1: Installing PowerToys
Because these are advanced utilities, PowerToys does not come pre-installed on Windows 11.
- Open the Microsoft Store app on your Windows 11 computer.
- Search for PowerToys.
- Click the official app (published by Microsoft Corporation) and click Install.
Alternatively, you can download the installer directly from the official Microsoft PowerToys GitHub repository.
Step 2: Always On Top (Pinning Windows)
Have you ever tried to type notes into a Word document while reading a small calculator app, only for the calculator to disappear behind Word every time you type? Always On Top solves this instantly.
- Open the PowerToys app and ensure “Always On Top” is enabled in the left sidebar.
- Click on any window you want to keep visible (e.g., the Calculator).
- Press the keyboard shortcut: Win + Ctrl + T.
A thick blue border will briefly flash around the Calculator. Now, no matter what you click on, the Calculator will stubbornly remain floating on top of all other windows. To disable it, simply press the shortcut again.
Step 3: PowerToys Run (The Ultimate Search Bar)
The default Windows Start Menu search is notoriously slow and often prioritizes Bing web results over your actual local files. PowerToys Run is a lightning-fast alternative inspired by Mac’s Spotlight feature.
- Ensure PowerToys Run is enabled in the settings.
- Press the keyboard shortcut: Alt + Space.
- A sleek, floating search bar will instantly appear in the exact center of your screen.
You can type the name of an app to launch it instantly, type a mathematical equation (like 45 * 12) to get an instant answer without opening the calculator, or type a file name to find it immediately without searching the web.
Step 4: Image Resizer (Bulk Editing)
If you need to resize ten high-resolution photographs to send via email, opening them one by one in Photoshop is a massive waste of time. Image Resizer integrates directly into the Windows right-click menu.
- Select all ten images in the File Explorer.
- Right-click the selection.
- Click Resize pictures (it might be hidden under “Show more options” in Windows 11).
- A small menu will appear. Select a size (like “Small” or “Medium”) and click Resize.
PowerToys will instantly generate resized copies of all ten images in the same folder, ready to be attached to your email.
By installing Microsoft PowerToys, you elevate Windows 11 from a standard operating system into a highly customized, ultra-efficient workstation.