Developers are continually adding and improving tools in Microsoft PowerToys. Let’s take a look at the last two apps with PowerToys 0.68.0.
For several years, developers around the world, both inside and outside of Microsoft, have been developing applications, tools, and utilities under the umbrella of Microsoft PowerToys. The features found in these free system utilities usually do Windows 11 better and more user-friendly. With the latest version 0.68.0 of Microsoft PowerToys, two new applications have been added to optimize the PowerToys mix.
SEE: Third Party Provider Policy (TechRepublic Premium)
Available for free on GitHub, Microsoft PowerToys version 0.68.0 adds two new tools to PowerToys: Mouse Jump and Paste as Plain Text. Mouse Jump lets you instantly move your mouse pointer large distances on the same screen and even jump between screens. Paste as Plain Text is a keyboard shortcut that allows users to paste formatted clipboard content as unformatted plain text.
Below we have broken down and illustrated more information about these two new PowerToys features.
A breakdown of two new Microsoft PowerToys apps
App #1: Mouse Jump
The functionality of Mouse Jump is as simple as the name suggests. The keyboard shortcut combination, Windows key + Shift + D by default, allows users to move the mouse cursor to any location on their screen or even to a second or third screen. Default keyboard combination is adjustable (Fig.A).
Figure A
This little app, when combined with the other mouse utilities found in Microsoft PowerToys, gives users full control over their mouse’s functionality in Windows 11 without the need to add third-party software. Mouse Jump is especially useful for presentations to a larger audience viewing content on projected screens. It will no longer be necessary to follow long cursor movements over 20 feet of display.
Application #2: Paste as plain text
When activated (Fig.B), Paste as Plain Text pastes the current contents of the Windows 11 clipboard into your current document with all formatting removed. The formatted content that is currently on your clipboard will also be replaced with the unformatted plain text version. So from now on, pasting with the normal command of Ctrl+V will paste the plain text content.
Figure B
The default keyboard combination for Paste as Plain Text is Windows key + Ctrl + V, but it can be adjusted to suit your needs. If you often need to paste plain text formatted content, this simple utility can save you many of the steps you would traditionally take in the standard Windows 11 user interface.
The benefits of Microsoft PowerToys
One of the best things about Microsoft PowerToys programs, besides the fact that they are free, is that the features can be turned on or off at the user’s discretion. Not all apps, tools and utilities will be useful to all users or all the time, but when one of the PowerToys proves useful, it can quickly be integrated into your workflow and become an essential part of your daily life. . daytime activity.
Read next: Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365: A Side-by-Side Analysis with Checklist (TechRepublic Premium)