Tool · last scan Nov 2026
Microsoft PowerToys Problems & Issues
Free, open-source utility suite for Windows power users
VERDICT TRY
73/100
Try
- signals
- 13
- sources
- 43
- known errors
- 10
// answer first
Should you use Microsoft PowerToys?
TryMicrosoft PowerToys is worth trying for most users (score 73/100). Most reported issues: PowerToys Run not opening with Alt+Space; PowerToys doesn't work with apps running as administrator; Keyboard Manager remaps not working in some apps and games. Not a good fit for: Locked-down work PCs; Mac users. Users most often switch to Raycast, Alfred, Flow Launcher.
Top problems
- PowerToys Run not opening with Alt+Space
- PowerToys doesn't work with apps running as administrator
- Keyboard Manager remaps not working in some apps and games
Good for
- Developers on Windows
- Multi-monitor and ultrawide users
- People who need key remapping
Avoid if you are
- Locked-down work PCs
- Mac users
Common alternatives: 
Raycast, 
Alfred, Flow Launcher
score breakdown
- Pricing
- 100Pricing score 100 of 100
- Usability
- 74Usability score 74 of 100
- Performance
- 66Performance score 66 of 100
- Support
- 55Support score 55 of 100
- Reliability
- 62Reliability score 62 of 100
- Onboarding
- 68Onboarding score 68 of 100
- Integrations
- 70Integrations score 70 of 100
// score breakdown, 0-100
- Pricing
- 100Pricing score 100 of 100
- Usability
- 74Usability score 74 of 100
- Performance
- 66Performance score 66 of 100
- Support
- 55Support score 55 of 100
- Reliability
- 62Reliability score 62 of 100
- Onboarding
- 68Onboarding score 68 of 100
- Integrations
- 70Integrations score 70 of 100
how these scores were set
Free, open-source and genuinely useful, but many modules break when apps run as admin, big releases ship regressions that need hotfixes, background helpers use RAM, and support is GitHub issues only.
Overview
Microsoft PowerToys is a free, open-source bundle of 25+ Windows 10/11 utilities: PowerToys Run and Command Palette launchers, FancyZones window layouts, Keyboard Manager remapping, Text Extractor OCR, Mouse Without Borders, Peek, Awake, Color Picker and more. It is built for power users and developers who want to tune Windows beyond what Settings allows, and is installed from GitHub, the Microsoft Store or winget.
- company
- Microsoft
- founded
- 2019
- hq
- Redmond, Washington, USA
- website
- learn.microsoft.com
Microsoft PowerToys Not Working? Common Errors & Fixes
10 entries// step-by-step fixes for the errors users hit most
- E-01PowerToys Run Not Working (Alt+Space)When Alt+Space does nothing, PowerToys usually isn't running, the Run module is off, or an elevated window or another tool is grabbing the shortcut. Re-enable Run, try the centralized keyboard hook, or restart PowerToys as admin.
- E-02PowerToys FancyZones Not WorkingIf windows don't snap into zones, check that FancyZones is enabled and 'Hold Shift to activate zones' is set the way you expect, restart PowerToys as admin for elevated windows, and toggle FancyZones off and on after reboot or update.
- E-03PowerToys Keyboard Manager Not WorkingKeyboard Manager only works while PowerToys runs and the module is enabled, and it can't touch admin windows unless PowerToys is elevated. App-specific remaps must use the process name (msedge.exe, not 'Microsoft Edge').
- E-04PowerToys High Memory and CPU UsagePowerToys keeps helper processes for several utilities running so they open instantly, which adds up on 8 GB machines. Turn off unused modules, run only one launcher, and update to pick up memory-leak fixes.
- E-05PowerToys Not Working With Admin AppsWindows blocks a normal app from intercepting keys or moving windows of an elevated app, so PowerToys must also run as administrator. Use 'Restart as administrator' from the General tab when PowerToys shows the elevated-app notification.
- E-06PowerToys Text Extractor Not WorkingText Extractor (Win+Shift+T) only reads languages with a Windows OCR pack installed. Install the pack via PowerShell, set it as the Preferred language, and copy the OCR folder to C: if Windows is on another drive.
- E-07Mouse Without Borders Not ConnectingIf PCs won't pair or get stuck between Negotiation and Connecting, update both machines to PowerToys 0.102.3101 or newer (it fixed pairing and untrusted-signature errors), keep them on the same network, and add IP mappings.
- E-08PowerToys Settings Not OpeningIf the Settings window won't open or is blank, quit PowerToys from the tray, start it again, then update to the latest release. A clean reinstall fixes most broken installs left by failed updates.
- E-09PowerToys Not Working After UpdateMajor releases sometimes break modules (0.97.0 crashes, 0.102 File Locksmith/Quick Accent/Mouse Without Borders bugs). Install the follow-up hotfix, re-check that modules are still enabled, and restart.
- E-10PowerToys Keyboard Manager Breaks AltGrAltGr is sent as Left Ctrl + Right Alt, so remapping Ctrl or Alt in Keyboard Manager breaks AltGr characters on non-US layouts. Remove remaps on Ctrl/Alt or target only one side.
Try it: a launcher with snippets and clipboard history
A hands-on sandbox of how Microsoft PowerToys-style tools work, including where users run into trouble. Simplified illustration, not the real Microsoft PowerToys app. Nothing is saved.
SANDBOX · powertoys LIVE, NOTHING SAVED
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Signals & Issues
13 signals · sorted by impact// patterns extracted from real user feedback, not raw reviews
PowerToys Run not opening with Alt+Space✓ verified
The most common complaint: the Run shortcut stops responding after an update, a reboot or when an elevated window has focus. Causes are PowerToys not running, the module toggled off, or Keyboard Manager/other tools capturing Alt or Space.
reported 8xnegativevia Other (4)workflow failure
impact7/10PowerToys doesn't work with apps running as administrator✓ verified
Microsoft's docs confirm FancyZones, Keyboard Manager, Always On Top, Run and Shortcut Guide can fail when an elevated app is focused unless PowerToys itself runs as admin, which Microsoft does not recommend by default.
reported 7xnegativevia Other (3)workflow failure
impact7/10Keyboard Manager remaps not working in some apps and games✓ verified
Remaps stop applying in elevated windows, on password screens and in games that read keys through lower-level APIs; Microsoft says it can hurt FPS in games. Remapping Win/Ctrl/Alt/Shift can break gestures and AltGr on non-US layouts.
reported 7xnegativevia GitHub (4)workflow failure
impact6/10PowerToys updates break things (and need hotfixes)✓ verified
Big releases regularly ship regressions: 0.97.0 caused crashes and glitches across utilities that 0.97.1 and 0.97.2 patched, and 0.102 needed two hotfixes for File Locksmith, Quick Accent and Mouse Without Borders pairing.
reported 6xnegativevia Other (4)workflow failure
impact6/10FancyZones not snapping windows✓ verified
FancyZones has had bugs with not starting at boot and layouts not remembered after locking, plus conflicts with Windows Snap, Copilot and Start11's hidden taskbar. Elevated windows won't snap unless PowerToys runs as admin.
reported 6xnegativevia Other (4)workflow failure
impact6/10Mouse Without Borders not connecting✓ verified
After 0.102 some users could not pair PCs, stuck between Negotiation and Connecting, or saw an untrusted-signature error; fixed in hotfix 0.102.3101. Older fixes: same network, IP mappings, firewall.
reported 5xnegativevia GitHub (3)workflow failure
impact6/10
Why does PowerToys use so much RAM?✓ verified
Several utilities keep helper processes warm so they open instantly; one developer screenshot showed the Color Picker UI using over 200 MB idle. A 'close apps when inactive' low memory mode was proposed in 2026 as an opt-in.
reported 6xnegativevia Other (3)expectation mismatch
impact5/10PowerToys high CPU usage (Awake and others)✓ verified
Awake shipped with a high-CPU bug fixed in 0.41.x and 0.43, and later releases fixed memory leaks (0.100.2). Spikes usually trace back to one module, not the whole suite.
reported 4xnegativevia Other (3)workflow failure
impact5/10
Text Extractor says 'No OCR languages are installed'✓ verified
Text Extractor only reads languages whose Windows OCR pack is installed; users with a non-English system or Windows on a non-C drive hit errors until they add the pack via PowerShell.
reported 5xnegativevia Other (3)workflow failure
impact4/10Two launchers: PowerToys Run vs Command Palette✓ verified
Command Palette (Win+Alt+Space) arrived in 0.90 as the successor to PowerToys Run (Alt+Space), and both still ship. Users report confusion over which to use, duplicated resource use and plugins split between them.
reported 5xnegativevia Other (3)expectation mismatch
impact4/10Is PowerToys bloated?✓ verified
With 25+ modules the install once passed 1 GB; 0.72 cut it to about 785 MB by sharing files. Users who only want one tool still get the whole suite, though each module can be switched off.
reported 4xmixedvia Other (3)expectation mismatch
impact3/10
No real support, only GitHub issues✓ verified
PowerToys is a free community project: bugs go to GitHub issues, where some reports (Text Extractor not working, elevation-mode bugs) sit open for months waiting on diagnostics.
reported 5xnegativevia GitHub (3)support breakdown
impact4/10
Settings window won't open or is blank✓ verified
Older releases had bugs where clicking Settings did nothing or showed a blank page (fixed in 0.55.1 and later patches); users still report it after failed updates, usually solved by updating or reinstalling.
reported 3xnegativevia GitHub (3)
impact5/10
What Users Love
Completely free and open source
No paid tier, no account, no ads; source on GitHub under MIT licence.
Fills gaps Windows should cover
Key remapping, custom window zones, OCR, file unlocker, hosts editor and color picker in one install.
Fast keyboard launcher built in
PowerToys Run and Command Palette search apps, files, settings, calculations and running windows from one shortcut.
Every module can be turned off
Each utility is a separate toggle in Settings, so you only run what you use.
Frequent updates from Microsoft
Monthly-ish releases plus quick hotfixes when regressions appear.
Extensible launchers
PowerToys Run plugins and Command Palette extensions add integrations like VS Code workspaces, Terminal profiles and web search.
Pricing Plans
Users: Unlimited
- ✓All 25+ utilities
- ✓PowerToys Run and Command Palette
- ✓FancyZones
- ✓Keyboard Manager
- ✓Text Extractor (OCR)
- ✓Mouse Without Borders
- ✓Peek, Awake, Color Picker, File Locksmith
Limitations: Windows 10/11 only, no Mac or Linux version, no official support beyond GitHub issues, some modules need admin mode to work with elevated apps
Features
Launcher
- PowerToys Run launcher
Alt+Space by default
- Command Palette
Win+Alt+Space, successor to Run
Window management
- FancyZones window layouts
Input
- Keyboard Manager remapping
Doesn't work on password screens
- Mouse Without Borders
Control up to 4 PCs
Productivity
- Text Extractor OCR
Win+Shift+T, needs OCR language pack
- Clipboard history manager
Advanced Paste only; Windows has Win+V
Platform
- Mac/Linux version
Who Should Use This?
Good Fit
Developers on Windows
Hosts editor, environment variables, File Locksmith, Run plugins and FancyZones cover daily dev annoyances for free.
Multi-monitor and ultrawide users
FancyZones layouts go far beyond built-in Snap Layouts.
People who need key remapping
Keyboard Manager handles simple remaps without scripting; switch to AutoHotkey for complex macros.
Neutral
Gamers
Microsoft warns Keyboard Manager can hurt FPS and may not work in games; disable it while playing.
Users who often run apps as admin
Many modules fail on elevated windows unless PowerToys also runs as administrator.
Low-RAM laptops (8 GB)
Background helpers use memory; enable only the modules you need.
Avoid
Locked-down work PCs
Installing and running as admin is often blocked by IT policy.
Mac users
Windows only; look at Raycast or Alfred instead.
Regret Patterns
Common buyer's remorse scenarios reported by users.
Users build muscle memory around Alt+Space or FancyZones, then a release toggles a module off or introduces a regression until the hotfix.
Key remaps or window snapping don't apply in Task Manager, admin terminals or games, so users discover the admin-mode limits the hard way.
Enabling every module on an 8 GB laptop leaves several helper processes running in the background.
Run and Command Palette both enabled, with users unsure which plugins live where.
With only GitHub issues, some module bugs stay open for months and users fall back to third-party tools.
Remapping Ctrl, Alt or Win breaks AltGr characters and touchpad gestures, a documented known issue.
When It Breaks Down
Scenarios where this product tends to fail users.
Keyboard Manager, FancyZones, Run and Always On Top stop working when an admin window has focus unless PowerToys runs as admin.
Keyboard Manager can lower FPS and some games ignore remaps; Microsoft recommends not using it while gaming.
AltGr behaves as Ctrl+Alt, so remapping either breaks special characters.
Mouse Without Borders needs the PCs on the same network and can stall during pairing.
Text Extractor may report no OCR languages until the OCR folder is copied to C:\Windows\OCR.
Major releases (e.g. 0.97.0, 0.102) shipped crashes fixed only in follow-up hotfixes.
Keyboard Manager doesn't apply on any password screen.
Alternatives Users Switch To
Flow Launcher
7x mentionedFree open-source Windows launcher with a big plugin library, the most-cited replacement for PowerToys Run; launcher only.
AutoHotkey
7x mentionedScriptable remapping and macros far beyond Keyboard Manager; you write scripts instead of clicking a UI.
Raycast
6x mentionedPolished launcher with an extension store and AI, now also on Windows; trade-off is paid Pro/AI tiers and fewer system utilities than PowerToys.
DisplayFusion
5x mentionedPaid multi-monitor manager with taskbars and window snapping that can replace FancyZones; costs money for the Pro features.
Alfred
4x mentionedThe classic Mac launcher with workflows and a one-time Powerpack; only an option if you also use a Mac.
Listary
4x mentionedFile-search focused launcher that also hooks into Open/Save dialogs; free tier with a paid Pro.
Frequently Asked Questions
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