What you need to know
- A new ChatGPT plugin for PowerToys will allow you to access the chatbot without opening your browser.
- The plugin is currently in its early stages and has only been under development for a few weeks.
- Once finished, the plugin will let you ask ChatGPT questions through PowerToys Run, which can be summoned with a keyboard shortcut.
ChatGPT is one of the hottest topics in tech right now. One thing that developers and companies are racing to do is find ways to improve access to ChatGPT. A new plugin for PowerToys will allow people to use the chatbot without having to open their browser. It's in its early stages right now, but it looks like a quick way to jump into ChatGPT from your desktop.
The plugin integrates with PowerToys Run, which is a launcher that can be used to search for files, folders, and apps. Our Managing Editor Richard Devine likes to use PowerToys Run instead of the Windows 11 Start menu.
Simone Franco is the developer behind the ChatGPT plugin. That name may sound familiar, as Franco also makes WSATools, an app that makes it easier to sideload Android apps onto Windows 11.
Franco shared some background of how the plugin came to be on the GitHub page for PowerToys:
"Hi there again! This is Simone, a few weeks ago I tweeted about a small prototype plugin I wrote in just 2 hours to have ChatGPT integrated into PowerToys Run.
Clint sent me a PM later that day and we had an amazing talk about making this real and public as a Community Plugin, so here I am!"
To use the ChatGPT plugin, you'll need to have your own OpenAI API key.
The project is very much in its early days. Franco mentioned to me that the UI isn't finalized. He also invited people to contribute to the project or share thoughts on its development through GitHub.
