Opening large images, PDF manuals, audio tracks, or source code files in Windows 11 often requires launching resource-heavy software like Photoshop, Acrobat, or full-fledged IDEs. For years, macOS users enjoyed “Quick Look”—a system-wide shortcut allowing instant file inspection with a single tap of the spacebar. With Microsoft PowerToys, Windows 11 users have access to an equivalent native utility called Peek, allowing instantaneous file previews directly inside File Explorer or on the desktop.
What is PowerToys Peek?
Peek is an open-source productivity module developed by Microsoft under the PowerToys utility suite. By pressing a customisable keyboard shortcut (default: Ctrl + Space), Peek launches a lightweight, floating preview window capable of rendering complex file formats without locking system resources or altering file modification dates.
Supported File Formats in Peek
Peek supports a broad spectrum of everyday digital assets:
- Images: PNG, JPG, JPEG, WEBP, SVG, TIFF, BMP, and common RAW camera formats.
- Documents & Web: PDF documents, HTML files, and rich text formats.
- Developer Code: Syntax-highlighted previews for Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, C++, JSON, YAML, and CSS.
- Markdown: Live formatted rendering of
.mdand documentation files. - Media Files: Preview audio and video tracks directly with inline playback controls.
- Archive Files: Inspect folder structures within ZIP archives before extracting.
How to Enable and Configure PowerToys Peek
If you already have Microsoft PowerToys installed, enabling Peek takes just a few clicks:
- Launch the PowerToys application from your Start Menu or system tray.
- In the left-hand navigation pane, select Peek.
- Ensure the master toggle Enable Peek is switched to On.
- Review the Activation shortcut (by default,
Ctrl + Space). Click the pencil edit icon if you wish to remap it to a custom key combination. - Optionally toggle Automatically close the Peek window after it loses focus to keep your desktop uncluttered as you click back into other windows.
Note: If you do not have PowerToys installed, you can install it instantly via Windows Terminal by running:
winget install Microsoft.PowerToys --source winget.
How to Use Peek in File Explorer
Inspecting files with Peek is fast and completely frictionless:
- Open File Explorer and navigate to any directory containing images, code, or documents.
- Click on any file to select it (or use your keyboard arrow keys to highlight an item).
- Press Ctrl + Space.
- A crisp, floating Peek window pops open instantly, displaying the file’s contents, full dimensions, file size, and extension details.
- While the Peek window is open, press the Left or Right arrow keys on your keyboard to instantly browse through adjacent files in the folder without closing the preview.
- Press Escape or Ctrl + Space again to dismiss the window.
Managing Default Open Applications from Peek
In addition to quick inspections, Peek includes direct launch buttons in its top navigation bar:
| Toolbar Button | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Open with Default App | Launches the previewed asset in its designated default program (e.g., VS Code or Photos). |
| Pin Window | Locks the Peek window on top of other applications for ongoing reference while drafting documents. |
| Zoom & Fit | Adjusts image magnification from 100% pixel scale to window fitting. |
Optimising Performance for Heavy File Directories
Because Peek utilises the same modern rendering infrastructure as Windows Terminal and Monaco Editor, it consumes minimal RAM compared to opening native desktop suites. For media professionals and developers sifting through hundreds of files daily, Peek delivers significant time savings and a noticeably smoother workflow.