Unlock Hidden PowerToys Features for Windows 11 in 2025: Tips & Tools

PowerToys has cemented itself as an indispensable toolkit for power users and everyday Windows enthusiasts alike. While some of its flagship utilities—like FancyZones, Color Picker, and PowerToys Run—take center stage in most reviews and tutorials, a handful of its most transformative and time-saving features remain buried just beneath the surface. As Microsoft fine-tunes Windows 11 for productivity and personalization, PowerToys continues to grow not only in prominence but also in depth, introducing nuanced capabilities that cater to the real-life needs of tinkerers, IT professionals, and anyone striving to tailor their desktop experience.

Why PowerToys Deserves a Closer Look in 2025​

At its core, PowerToys is more than just a grab-bag of utilities. Its modular design means you’re never forced to use what you don’t need, but also that it’s easy to miss capabilities that could dramatically improve your workflow or simplify troubleshooting. Given the sustained pace of development—driven by a vibrant open-source community and official Microsoft stewardship—PowerToys continues to receive not just regular polish but also entirely new categories of functionality.
Yet despite this, many users remain blissfully unaware of features that could save them hours, rescue their custom setups after a crash, or help solve nagging problems. Three such features—configuration backup and restore, plugin extensibility, and built-in logging for diagnostics—are often overlooked, not because they’re unimportant, but because they’re hidden behind menus or require a bit of technical curiosity to uncover.
Let's dig deep into these three underrated PowerToys features for Windows 11, critically analyzing what makes them special, where they may fall short, and why it’s worth adding them to your toolkit.

1. Backup and Restore: The Safeguard for Your Custom PowerToys Experience​

Perhaps one of the most quietly powerful additions to PowerToys is its comprehensive configuration backup and restore tool. If you’ve ever spent hours tweaking your FancyZones layouts, customizing keyboard shortcuts, or altering tool-specific settings only to lose them in a reinstall or device upgrade, you’ll understand the value of a one-click safeguard.

How It Works​

The backup and restore functionality is tucked away within the PowerToys “General” settings. It allows you to create full archives of your current configurations, which can then be restored at any time or even imported on a different machine. Not only does this feature simplify onboarding to a new computer, but it also makes experimenting with new toolsets or reverting to a previous setup painless.
Backup steps:

• Open PowerToys and navigate to the ‘General’ tab.
• Locate and click on “Back up and restore your settings.”
• Select the storage location for your backup file—placing it within a OneDrive or similar cloud-synced folder is recommended for easy access across devices.
• Click “Back up.”

Restoring is as straightforward: choose your saved backup file, click “Restore,” and PowerToys will apply the saved state—assuming your existing configuration differs from the backup, preventing unnecessary overwrites.

What Gets Backed Up?​

While PowerToys makes an effort to encompass nearly all utility settings, there are nuances to be aware of. For instance, some deep customizations—most notably FancyZones’ layouts—are stored as separate JSON files in the user’s %LOCALAPPDATA% directory (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\FancyZones\zones-settings.json). Official documentation and community reports suggest the integrated backup system generally includes these files, but some advanced or experimental settings may require manual copying for absolute certainty.
Cautionary note: Those reliant on very specific, hand-crafted settings or those using plugins should double-check the scope of their backups, especially after major PowerToys updates.

Strengths and Limitations​

Strengths:

• Reduces downtime when switching PCs or reinstalling Windows.
• Supports quick recovery from accidental changes or corrupted settings.
• Enables easy sharing of custom configurations between colleagues or across a team.

Limitations:

• Some niche or external plugin settings may fall outside the automated backup scope.
• Backups must be managed regularly—if your last backup is months old, you risk losing recent tweaks.

Real-World Value​

The backup/restore feature is a lifeline for IT departments, power users who frequently reimage systems, and anyone who invests time into perfecting their desktop environment. While Windows roaming profiles offer similar functionality at a broader level, PowerToys’ bespoke solution is both simpler and more targeted, avoiding the “reset” effect that comes with OS or profile changes.

2. Plugin Support: Unleashing Endless Possibilities with PowerToys Run​

The second hidden gem is PowerToys’ rich plugin ecosystem, originally created to supercharge the “PowerToys Run” search utility. PowerToys Run acts as a quick-launch bar (pinned to the ALT+Space shortcut by default). Out of the box, it’s already a powerful replacement for the basic Windows search feature, indexing applications, files, folders, and offering system commands at lightning pace.

Plugins—What and Why?​

Plugins are integrations that expand the capabilities of PowerToys Run far beyond basic search. Imagine running a speed test without opening your browser, querying developer APIs, generating QR codes, or performing instant conversions—all from a single search box. Each plugin interprets unique commands, making the environment as extensible as your imagination or community contributions allow.
The development of the plugin ecosystem is one of the contributors to PowerToys’ status as the Swiss Army knife of Windows: it allows both official and community-built modules, and its open architecture encourages rapid iteration.

Highlight: Installing a Plugin Example​

• Find the desired plugin (for instance, a SpeedTest plugin on GitHub).
• Download the correct package for your architecture (x64 or ARM64).
• Extract and copy the plugin’s folder to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\PowerToys Run\Plugins.
• Restart PowerToys to load the new plugin.

Once installed, plugins are invoked through PowerToys Run. Each plugin typically reserves a few keystroke triggers, letting you perform its specialized function directly from the launcher.
Critical insight: At the time of review, plugins are compatible with PowerToys Run, but not yet with the upcoming Command Palette feature that is set to replace it in the near future. Users leveraging third-party plugins should pay close attention to PowerToys release notes and community discussions about plugin support transitions.

The Plugin Community​

The plugin ecosystem is actively maintained not only by Microsoft but a robust open-source community. While this democratizes development and encourages rapid feature growth, users should exercise caution when installing lesser-known third-party plugins. Always source plugins from reputable developers, check for recent updates, and review community feedback to minimize the risk of incompatibility or security holes.
Strengths:

• Unlocks automation and workflow optimizations otherwise impossible through built-in Windows 11 features.
• Extends PowerToys’ lifespan and adaptability far beyond its original scope.

Risks:

• Quality and security may vary with community-sourced plugins. Malicious code or poorly written plugins could compromise system stability.
• Plugin compatibility with future PowerToys versions may lag, especially as the transition toward Command Palette accelerates.

Recommendations​

If you’re keen to get started, review the official PowerToys documentation and browse curated plugin lists on community sites and GitHub repositories (with recent updates being a sign of active maintenance). If you rely on PowerToys Run for your daily workflow, keep an eye out for announcements on Command Palette migration to avoid disruption.

3. Log Files: The Unsung Heroes of Troubleshooting​

Every modern software suite rises or falls by the clarity and accessibility of its diagnostic logs. PowerToys, built for power users and troubleshooters, is no exception. Yet despite its robust system of logs, many users never realize just how much information PowerToys records—or how much easier resolving issues can be when you know where to look.

Where Are the Logs?​

There are two main directories where PowerToys keeps log files:

• Primary logs: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys
  This folder contains subdirectories named after each PowerToys module (FancyZones, PowerToys Run, Image Resizer, etc.), each with its own “Logs” subfolder. Here you’ll find dated, usually plaintext log files cataloguing recent activity or errors for that specific utility.
• Secondary logs (for low-privilege processes like File Explorer preview handlers):
  %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Microsoft\PowerToys
  This path is less frequently accessed but can be essential for diagnosing permission-related errors or issues specific to Explorer integrations.

How to Access and Use Logs​

• Open the Run dialog (Win + R).
• Type the relevant path and press Enter.
• Navigate to the relevant feature’s folder, open the “Logs” subfolder, and review the latest files (which are typically .txt or .log files).
• Open with Notepad or your preferred viewer.

Log files can reveal:

• Crashing modules or plugin failures.
• Detailed traces when features don’t work as expected.
• Permissions, conflicts, or outdated settings that may be causing problems.

Benefits for Users and IT Pros​

For everyday users, logs simplify the process of submitting support tickets or appealing to community forums for help—attaching a log is often the fastest way to get a solution. For IT professionals, logs dramatically cut down the time required to diagnose systemic issues, especially across multiple endpoints.

Limitations​

• Log files can be overwhelming; they are written for diagnostic clarity, not for everyday readability.
• Some logs may omit critical events if debugging mode is not enabled or if a fatal error occurs before logging starts.
• Privacy-conscious users should periodically audit logs, as they may retain sensitive usage patterns.

What Makes These Features Critical—and Easy to Miss?​

PowerToys’ strength has always been its modularity. This enables rapid development and targeted fixes, but it also means the settings menus can become crowded, and true hidden gems get easily overlooked. The backup function, for instance, is not tied to any individual PowerToy but is found only in the general tab; plugin installation instructions are distributed between official docs and out-of-band community guides; logs are not directly exposed through the PowerToys UI except for bug reporting.

Why Did Microsoft and the Community Hide These Features?​

“Hidden” is perhaps a misnomer—they’re not actively concealed, but their placement reflects a deliberate balance between accessibility for advanced users and avoiding unnecessary cognitive load for the majority. Most users engage PowerToys for a few killer features, and making powerful-but-rarely-needed functionality easily discoverable (but not intrusive) preserves this balance.

The Next Frontier: PowerToys’ Evolving Landscape and Risks​

The rapid evolution of PowerToys reflects changes in the wider Windows ecosystem. As Microsoft continues to refine Windows 11—making UI changes, adding features like Copilot, and deepening system integration—PowerToys operates both as a testbed and a proving ground.

Notable Strengths​

• Community-Driven Innovation: New utilities and plugins are often user-driven, ensuring PowerToys stays relevant to real-world needs.
• Transparency: As open-source software, PowerToys offers both code-level scrutiny and extensibility unmatched by most proprietary tools.
• Rapid Issue Resolution: Frequent releases and transparent bug reporting make for a nimble cycle of updates and fixes.

Potential Risks​

• Fragmentation: With so many possible plugins and regular changes (like the transition from PowerToys Run to Command Palette), there is risk of incompatibilities or “orphaned” functionality when contributors move on.
• Security: Open plugin ecosystems, if poorly policed, could become a vector for malware or data leaks—users must remain vigilant and apply updates promptly.
• Discovery: Too many features and hidden settings risk overwhelming new users, potentially leading to missed opportunities or frustration.

PowerToys: Tips for Power Users and Newcomers Alike​

To truly benefit from PowerToys’ hidden depth, consider these strategies:

• Stay Updated: Always use the latest version; new features and security patches arrive frequently.
• Explore Settings Carefully: Set aside an hour to browse through every menu—hidden gems abound, especially in the General and Experimental tabs.
• Audit Your Plugins: Only install plugins from trusted sources; review the community feedback and remain vigilant about stale or unsupported modules.
• Leverage the Community: The PowerToys GitHub, Windows forums, and major tech sites are great resources for troubleshooting, user-contributed tools, and tips.

Final Thoughts​

PowerToys isn’t just a grab-bag of marginal utilities—it’s a living toolkit, constantly expanding to meet the diverse challenges of Windows users. While its most obvious tools serve as the main attraction, the features lurking under the hood—configuration backup and restore, plugin extensibility, and accessible logs—offer outsized value for anyone willing to invest a few extra minutes exploring their potential.
For power users, these features can spell the difference between countless hours of repetitive setup and seamless migration, between frustration and insight in troubleshooting, between a static OS and one tailored precisely to their needs.
Ultimately, as PowerToys continues evolving and as Windows 11 becomes the default experience for more users, familiarity with these underused gems will not just provide convenience—they’ll unlock entirely new workflows and smarter ways to work. Whether you’re an IT admin, a developer, or just a customization enthusiast, the best time to start exploring PowerToys’ hidden features is now.

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Source: Windows Central Check out these three PowerToys secrets you probably didn't know about, in addition to its standard slew of excellent tools for Windows 11!