PowerToys 0.91 Update: New Command Palette Features & Performance Boosts for Windows Power Users

Among the many third-party utilities that have become must-haves for Windows power users, few have achieved the reach and reputation of Microsoft’s PowerToys. What started as a modest suite of developer-friendly tweaks in the Windows 95 days has evolved—especially since its open-source rebirth in 2019—into a sophisticated bundle of productivity tools that streamline Windows workflows without bloating the system. With the release of PowerToys 0.91, users aren’t getting flashy new utilities, but the May 2025 update brings crucial improvements across the board, focusing sharply on the Command Palette and other user favorites.

A Focused, Feature-Rich PowerToys Update​

PowerToys, for the uninitiated, is Microsoft’s free, open-source extension for advanced Windows functionality—think rapid window snapping, bulk file renaming, on-the-fly color picking, and a powerful launcher reminiscent of Spotlight on macOS or Alfred. While Windows 11 continues to integrate many features power users once needed external tools for, PowerToys remains at the forefront by offering advanced capabilities that aren’t native to Windows yet.
The 0.91 release, available via GitHub or the Microsoft Store and instantly accessible as an in-app update, is a case study in thoughtful iteration: rather than overloading users with new tools, PowerToys’ developers have focused on deepening and refining the existing suite. If you’re expecting eye-catching new features, you’ll be disappointed. But if your workflow depends on speed, stability, customizability, and seamless integration, PowerToys 0.91 brings changes you’ll notice immediately.

Command Palette: A Launcher Comes of Age​

At the center of this update is the Command Palette, a relatively recent addition that has quickly become a linchpin for power users. Modeled after quick launchers in IDEs and other productivity environments, the Command Palette lets users execute commands, search files, trigger plugins, and launch URLs—all using the keyboard.

Major Improvements in 0.91​

With version 0.91, Microsoft has delivered several substantial enhancements to the Command Palette:

• WebSearch Fallback: Now, users can open URLs directly from the WebSearch extension, thanks to a new fallback command. This means entering a web address or query and launching it instantly, closing the gap between local and web-based workflows.
• Low-Level Keyboard Hook Option: Power users can opt for a low-level keyboard hook to trigger the global hotkey for the Command Palette, improving reliability and compatibility with edge-case keyboard setups, especially where software conflicts have previously interfered.
• Auto-Select Text Box: The search field is now auto-selected on opening, making navigation more fluid and eliminating extra clicks or key presses.
• Calculator Logic Ported: Calculator functionality within the Palette, now borrowed from PowerToys Run v1, offers improved fallback behavior and respects custom settings, making on-the-fly calculations more robust and intuitive.
• List Item Shortcuts Return: Keyboard-based list navigation and execution have been restored, streamlining rapid-fire multitasking for those who live in their keyboards.
• Context Menus with Nested, Filterable Options: Users can now sift through layered context menus with built-in search fields, a boon for complex workflows.
• Universal File Search: Searching for any file across the system using fallback commands is now supported, rivaling dedicated file search utilities in speed and flexibility.

Collectively, these upgrades move the Command Palette closer to being a true native launcher for Windows—a feature many in the community have long requested for integration straight into the operating system.

Plugin Enhancements: Small Changes, Tangible Impact​

The 0.91 update goes well beyond the Command Palette. Several of PowerToys’ most-loved plugins have received notable quality-of-life upgrades.

Time and Date Plugin: Cleaner, Smarter, More Flexible​

• Custom Format Support: Users can now specify their preferred time and date formats directly within the plugin, ideal for those juggling multiple time zones or requiring precision timestamping for workflows like coding or logging.
• Organized Settings: A streamlined, more intuitive settings interface improves discoverability and reduces setup headaches.
• Clearer Error Messages: Friendly, actionable error prompts smooth the path for less technical users.
• Smarter Fallback Logic: The fallback system lets users query time or date directly, without having to drill down into specific submenu commands—accelerating quick lookups.

These changes enhance the plugin’s utility not just for developers but anyone working globally or who relies on accurate, easily parsed time and date data.

Registry Preview: Paste Keys/Values and Instant Reset​

Navigating and tweaking the Windows Registry remains one of the riskiest—but often essential—tasks for advanced users. PowerToys’ Registry Preview, a tool for previewing and applying .reg files safely, saw two particularly useful enhancements:

• Paste Keys/Values Without Headers: Users can now paste registry keys and values into the editor directly, even if the traditional “header” line is missing—making it easier to copy chunks from documentation or troubleshooting forums.
• One-Click Reset: A new reset button allows users to restore the editor to its starting state with a single click. This is a small change with big ramifications for error recovery and peace of mind, especially during complex troubleshooting.

Color Picker: Oklab and Oklch Color Spaces​

Designers, UI developers, and anyone working with color will appreciate expanded support for Oklab and Oklch color spaces in the Color Picker utility. These perceptually-uniform color models more closely match human vision, making it easier to ensure accurate, visually harmonious color selection—whether you’re perfecting a UI palette or tuning accessibility.

Performance Tweaks and Subtle Touches​

A careful review of PowerToys’ official release notes and early user reports reveals numerous small improvements and bugfixes not headline-worthy individually but significant in aggregate. Specifically, search speeds across the board have improved due to backend optimizations; the auto-select text box adjustment eliminates a longtime gripe among fast typists. Error handling everywhere is more consistent, settings are better organized, and general stability has advanced—a reflection of careful, ongoing user feedback and telemetry analysis.
PowerToys’ open-source development model makes it unusually responsive: bugs identified by the community, especially those affecting international or unusual hardware setups, tend to get fixed quickly relative to closed-source utilities.

Critical Analysis: Incremental Updates Over Feature Creep​

Some power users may grumble at the lack of splashy new tools, especially compared to earlier PowerToys updates. But there’s strategic wisdom in this “slow and steady” approach.

Strengths​

• Reliability and Performance: As a suite that now sees millions of downloads monthly, PowerToys simply cannot afford regressions or instability. Prioritizing refinements—especially in hotkey and search logic—makes the tools more robust in real-world, high-pressure productivity environments.
• Community-Driven Priorities: The features chosen for improvement match up directly with issues and feature requests flagged repeatedly on GitHub and support forums, demonstrating that the developers are listening actively to their user base.
• Accessibility: Improved error messages, easier settings, and more universally compatible hotkeys broaden the audience for these tools, making PowerToys less intimidating for newcomers.
• Polish Over Proliferation: In the crowded productivity tools space, where countless utilities promise the world but frequently break down or create compatibility issues, PowerToys stands out for not trying to do too much at once.

Risks & Issues​

• No New Utilities: While polish is welcome, some vocal users worry that stagnation could set in if development prioritizes bugfixes exclusively at the expense of new functionality. Key requests—like a built-in clipboard manager or even deeper integration with Windows Search—remain unaddressed, and the “evergreen” aspect of PowerToys depends on continual innovation.
• Advanced Settings Complexity: As plugins accumulate features, even well-organized settings interfaces may become overwhelming for casual users. Achieving the right balance between flexibility and ease of use will be a perennial challenge.
• Compatibility Edge Cases: Despite low-level hotkey improvements, users running heavily customized Windows setups or niche hardware may still encounter the occasional glitch. As with all power-user tools, thorough testing before deploying in mission-critical environments is advised.

How PowerToys 0.91 Shapes the Windows Ecosystem​

It’s telling that since being revived under the MIT License, PowerToys has garnered millions of active installations, with the Command Palette alone now rivaling third-party launchers in monthly active users. The transparency and agility of open-source development remain a key advantage, with GitHub’s issue tracker providing real-time insight into what users value most.
The current PowerToys suite offers an unparalleled spectrum of tools in a single cohesive package. Where standalone utilities like Everything, Ditto, or ShareX might outshine PowerToys in niche areas, none offer PowerToys’ blend of breadth, performance, and official support from Microsoft. For users who want their keyboard shortcuts, color pickers, and registry tweaking capabilities all under one roof—without bloat or adware—PowerToys remains unmatched.
Microsoft has hinted, through both incremental Windows 11 updates and official blog posts, that features like the Command Palette may see direct OS integration in future Windows builds. PowerToys serves not only as a proving ground for such integrations, but as a vital bridge for users not yet on the absolute latest Windows version—a critical public beta that helps steer the direction of the entire Windows experience.

Getting PowerToys 0.91: Simple Update, Significant Gain​

Upgrading to PowerToys 0.91 is effortless:

• Existing users: Open PowerToys, navigate to Settings > General, and hit “Check for updates.” The update downloads and applies with zero interruption to your workflow.
• New users: Download the latest installer from GitHub or the Microsoft Store. Installation is under three minutes on most systems.

As with earlier releases, PowerToys remains compatible with both Windows 10 (v1903 and above) and Windows 11, although some features—like advanced taskbar or window management—shine brightest on Windows 11 due to architectural advantages.

Conclusion: PowerToys 0.91 Is Understated, Essential​

While it may lack the buzz of previous feature-packed releases, PowerToys 0.91 is a model update for a maturing open-source product: focused, responsive, and laser-targeted at real workflow pain points. The upgrade cements the Command Palette as perhaps the most important tool for keyboard-centric Windows users and quietly elevates ancillary features like the Time and Date plugin, Registry Preview, and Color Picker to new levels of utility.
For those managing complex workspaces, juggling coding, administration, design, and daily productivity tasks, PowerToys continues to justify its place at the very top of the Windows utilities world. Its steady cadence of carefully curated improvements—responsive to user feedback, transparent by design—offers a compelling alternative to both commercial productivity suites and scattered third-party apps.
Every Windows power user, and increasingly many casual users as well, should take the time to explore what PowerToys offers in this latest update. Even if you’re just curious about the Command Palette’s new tricks, the performance optimizations, or how much easier it is to work with date, time, registry, and color data, PowerToys 0.91 makes the case all over again: sometimes the best upgrades are the ones you notice only because everything suddenly “just works” a little bit better.

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Source: Windows Report PowerToys 0.91 update brings major improvements to Command Palette & more