What you need to know
- Microsoft's PowerToys recently received an update to version 0.31.
- The update improves the FancyZones user interface and includes several other improvements.
Microsoft's PowerToys is a handy utility that adds several features to your Windows PC. The features it adds are generally for power users, such as renaming several images at once within a set of rules or using File Explorer add-ons. PowerToys recently received an update to version 0.31.1 that includes several new features and improvements.
With the latest build comes a streamlined user interface for FancyZones, a tool that lets you arrange and snap windows into different layouts.
Here's a list of highlighted changes, as found on the PowerToys release page on GitHub:
General
- Bug report tool and improved logging now added to our system tray.
- Added in CodeQL and other CI improvements.
- OOBE Spec should be finalized
ARM64 Progress
- .NET Core upgrade for code bases the PowerToys team controls is complete. We still have two external dependencies that are .NET Framework that need to be updated.
Color Picker
- Bug fixes in editor
FancyZones
- Streamlined, simplified user interface (Massive thanks to @niels9001)
- Dark mode for the editor
- Certain settings (e.g. number of zones, spacing settings) can now be set on individual layouts.
- Bug fixes
File explorer
- Fixed OneDrive SVG Bug
- SVG are scaled appropriately when viewbox is provided
- SVG thumbnail quality improved
PowerToys Run
- Service management plugin (restart, stop, ...)
- Registry key plugin
- System action plugin (Reboot, lock, ...)
- Hyperbolic functions added to calculator
- Icon fixes when running in certain themes
- Unneeded dependencies removed
- Bug fixes
Installer
- Default to .NET Core 3.1.11
This version of PowerToys does not include the Video Conference Utility. Microsoft plans to roll out a DirectShow based version this month. The company hopes to merge it with the main PowerToys repository this month or next month.
Tools that make life just a bit easier
PowerToys has a growing set of useful tools. It's most recent update improved the FancyZones user interface, making it easier to manage and snap your windows.
