Microsoft's PowerToys update refines new workspaces feature

Microsoft PowerToys 0.84.1 is now available for download. This update introduces minor fixes following the recent "major" release, including introducing the new Workspaces function to the suite. The PowerToys set is a package of tools that enhances Windows' capabilities.

PowerToys 0.84.1 is an important update for all users who have already downloaded the previous version 0.84 and begun testing the new Workspaces tool. The latest PowerToys update includes three fixes, all of which concern this feature. Microsoft has fixed the issue with detecting certain applications (including Steam and Discord) and the editor interface itself.

Workspaces is a tool that allows you to designate the applications necessary for a given task and their layout on the screen and then launch such sets with a single button press - directly from the editor or a shortcut on the Windows desktop. In a sense, it is a variation on virtual desktops and an extension of the capabilities of FancyZones - another tool available in the PowerToys suite, which allows you to divide the screen into different areas in a more advanced way than Windows itself allows.

To handle Workspaces, it is most convenient to manually start the desired applications and arrange them properly on the screen. Then, after enabling the appropriate section in PowerToys, it is possible to capture the layout and further edit it if necessary. The application remembers the arrangement of programs on the screen and saves this layout so that it can be conveniently recalled later. This is a handy solution, especially for users of ultra-wide screens, often virtually divided into several sections for the convenient execution of a given task.

Besides FancyZones and Workspaces, PowerToys includes other noteworthy tools that can facilitate daily tasks on a Windows computer. After installing the add-on, it is worth checking out, among others, the Mouse Tools, PowerRename, and File Explorer add-ons.