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Microsoft releases its first preview of PowerToys for Windows 10

Remember TweakUI?

If you've been a PC user since the days of Windows 95 and Windows XP, then you may recognize the name PowerToys from a set of Microsoft-developed system utilities. After a few generations on the shelf, the concept has returned and now the first preview release of PowerToys for Windows 10 is available. Going along with Microsoft's open source shift, the set of utilities and their source code is available from GitHub, where people can also make suggestions, create utilities of their own or report issues.

The original set of utilities was useful for classic tasks like making CDs autoplay or bringing registry settings to the Control Panel via TweakUI. In its initial release, the Windows 10 PowerToys set includes a Windows key shortcut guide, as well as "FancyZones," which lets you set up predetermined targets to drag applications into, which will then maximize and fill the predetermined zone.

Tools that are on the way include a screen recorder that outputs animated GIFs and maximize to new desktop widget, among others. To download the current set, anyone running Windows 10 should go here.