Windows users always had a wish to get a fancy search bar on their system, similar to the Spotlight of Mac. Thanks to PowerToys by Microsoft, their desire finally comes true.
PowerToys, the tool from Microsoft, provides users with quicker, better, and different ways of performing tasks on Windows 10. The tools provided by PowerToys make working on Windows more efficient and productive.
One of its features is
PowerToys Run. Like the Spotlight of Mac, the PowerToys Run lets you search and launch system-wide files, folders, and applications. It is like the windows search bar, but more precise, quick, and funky.
This post will guide you on how to enable and use the PowerToys Run tool.
How to enable PowerToys Run?To enable the PowerToys Run, first, you need to install the PowerToys on your Windows 10 OS. You can download and install the PowerToys in the following ways:
• The first way is by downloading it from Microsoft’s official Github account and then installing it.
• The second method is through
Winget. Run the following command on the Command
Prompt or Windows PowerShell –
Winget install powertoys. This will instantly install the
PowerToys without any need for an installer.
After installing the Windows PowerToys, follow these steps to enable the PowerToys Run:
1. Run the PowerToys application with the administrative rights
2. Look for the
PowerToys Run on the left pane and select it.
3. Toggle the button to enable it, and then choose your preferred settings.
4. Close the application
This would enable the PowerToys Run, and now you can launch and use it on the desktop or any app window.
How to use PowerToys Run to Search?After enabling it from the main application, now you can use PowerToys Run to search and launch your application.
1. Press
Space + Alt to open the search bar on the screen
2. Type the app, file, folder that you want to search and launch.
3. When you search for anything on the PowerToys Run, it will provide you the following options.
○ Run as Administrator
○ Open containing folder
○ Open a path in the console like Command Prompt or WindowsShell, whichever is your
default.
4. Choose your preferred option by clicking on it.
What more can PowerToys Run do?Besides searching and launching for an application, you can perform a few more tasks on PowerToys Run.
You can launch your favorite website from it. Just type its name on the search console. It would open the website on your default browser.
The PowerToys Run can also perform the task of the traditional Run Command Window. All the run commands work well on PowerToys Run.
Finally
Windows PowerToys is one of the best applications for Windows 10. PowerToys Run is just one of the many tools of it. If you like it, you must try other tools of PowerToys like Color Picker, FancyZones, File Explorer, Image Resizer, and others. These tools can help you immensely in enhancing your work productivity and make your Windows 10 experience better.
How to get PowerToys for Windows 10?Getting the Windows PowerToys is not a big task. You can download the latest installer file from
GitHub. It is an open-source program so available to download for free. Or you can also use the
WinGet install powertoys command on the Command Prompt to directly install it.
How to update Windows PowerToys?There is a check for updates option in the PowerToys settings. Click on it to check for the updates and install if there is any available. You can also enable the auto-update from the settings.
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