Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft PowerToys is a free, open-source set of utilities for Windows power users and developers. It includes over 25 tools such as FancyZones for window management, PowerToys Run for quick launching, Keyboard Manager for key remapping, File Locksmith for process inspection, Color Picker, PowerRename, and many more. It is developed and maintained by Microsoft with community contributions.

Yes. PowerToys is completely free under the MIT open-source license. There are no subscriptions, advertisements, in-app purchases, or premium tiers. All utilities are included in a single download at no cost.

PowerToys supports Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) and later, as well as all versions of Windows 11. Both x64 and ARM64 processor architectures are supported in recent releases. Windows Server editions are not officially supported.

Yes. Windows 11 is fully supported and is the primary target platform for new PowerToys features. Many utilities such as FancyZones complement and extend Windows 11 Snap Layouts with more advanced customization options.

Yes. PowerToys is developed by Microsoft, digitally signed, and open source. Independent security scans consistently report it as clean with no viruses, spyware, or malware. Always verify the SHA256 checksum and digital signature before installing. See our Trust & Security page for full details.

No. PowerToys is not malware, spyware, or adware. It is an official Microsoft open-source project with publicly auditable source code. Some antivirus programs may flag it as a false positive due to its system-level utilities, but the software itself is legitimate and safe when obtained from verified sources.

Yes. PowerToys is legally distributed under the MIT license, which permits free use, modification, and distribution. Users are responsible for using PowerToys utilities in compliance with applicable laws and organizational policies, particularly when using tools like Hosts File Editor, Registry Preview, or File Locksmith.

This is a known false positive. PowerToys includes low-level system utilities (keyboard hooks, registry editing, process termination) that trigger heuristic antivirus detection. Verify the file hash and digital signature, then add an exclusion if needed. See our Antivirus Guide for step-by-step instructions.

PowerToys may collect optional diagnostic and usage telemetry as part of standard Microsoft practices, which can be configured in Windows privacy settings. The application does not include advertising trackers. As open-source software, its data handling behavior can be verified by reviewing the source code directly.

Download the installer from our Download page, verify the SHA256 hash, and run the installer as administrator. Follow the setup wizard and complete the Welcome tutorial on first launch. See our Installation Guide for detailed steps.

Administrator privileges are required for the initial installation because PowerToys registers system-level components such as keyboard hooks and File Explorer context menu extensions. Some utilities may have reduced functionality in non-admin contexts after installation.

PowerToys runs as a background process and each enabled utility consumes a small amount of resources. Most users notice no performance impact. If you experience slowdowns, disable utilities you do not use and ensure you are on the latest version. Occasional conflicts with other system utilities have been reported during updates.

Yes. Every utility in PowerToys can be individually enabled or disabled from the Settings dashboard. You only need to activate the tools you want to use. Disabled utilities do not consume resources or register system hooks.

Uninstall PowerToys through Windows Settings under Apps > Installed apps, or via Control Panel Programs and Features. Search for PowerToys and select Uninstall. This removes all utilities and system integrations cleanly.