Microsoft has released a new PowerToys version 0.85. It is notable for including a new 'powertoy', New+. It is a custom implementation of the good old 'New' menu in File Explorer that allows you to create new files based on flexible custom templates.
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When you right-click in File Explorer and select New+, you will be offered a variety of options. E.g. "Windows batch project that processes files" will save your time when you need to create a batch file that does a file loop in a folder. The developers says the following on this module.
Windows power-users, developers and overtime also regular users who find themselves often creating files or folders that contain similar content, such as VS Code development projects, job applications and cover letters, scripts, etc.
Unlike the original menu that is hardly customizable for a newcomer, the 'powertoy' variant is more flexible and offers some settings.
ℹ️ Note that the module doesn't support Windows 10. It integrates into the modern Windows 11 right-click menu.
The module supports both dark and light Windows 11 themes, offers group policies, and comes with several example templates for the user to start quickly.
Download PowerToys
🔽 You can download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or GitHub. It is available for both Windows 11 and 10. The winget -s msstore powertoys command will also install the app suite on your computer. Finally, existing users will receive the new version automatically via the integrated updater app.
Finally, here are the other changes in PowerToys 0.85.
What's new in PowerToys 0.85
- New utility: New+ - allows setting a personalized set of templates to quickly create files and folders from a File Explorer context menu. Thanks @cgaarden!
- Language selection - it's now possible to select which UI language should be used by PowerToys utilities.
- Lots of quality fixes for Workspaces, improving the number of supported applications.
- Reduced Peek memory usage by fixing image leaks. Thanks @daverayment!
General
- Added a general setting to select which UI language should be used in PowerToys utilities.
- Fixed internal code of some policies for Group Policy Objects, that were reading registry entries using the wrong internal functions, and structured code better to avoid future mistakes of the same kind. Thanks @htcfreek!
Advanced Paste
- Fixed some telemetry calls to signal Advanced Paste activation on the cases where a direct shortcut is being used without showing the UI.
- User-defined custom actions can only be used with AI turned on, so custom actions were disabled on Settings when AI is disabled and were hidden from the Advanced Paste UI.
Awake
- Fixed tray icon behaviors, not appearing and showing incorrect time. Thanks @dend!
Environment Variables Editor
- Added the
_NT_SYMBOL_PATH,_NT_ALT_SYMBOL_PATHand_NT_SYMCACHE_PATHas variables that are shown as lists. Thanks @chwarr!FancyZones
- Allow snapping applications that were launched by Workspaces.
File Locksmith
- Fixed an issue causing File Locksmith to be triggered by unrelated verbs in the context menu.
Mouse Pointer Crosshairs
- Allow crosshairs radius to be 0 pixels. Thanks @octastylos-pseudodipteros!
New+
- New utility - Allows setting a personalized set of templates to quickly create files and folders from a File Explorer context menu. Thanks @cgaarden!
- Added missing entry for New+ policy state reporting in the Bug Report tool. Thanks @htcfreek!
- Added a policy for enabling/disabling whether filename extensions should be shown. Thanks @htcfreek!
Peek
- Properly show file's modified date instead of creation date in the file previewer. Thanks @daverayment!
- Fixed memory leak caused by unmanaged bitmap images not being freed. Thanks @daverayment!
- Fixed an issue causing Peek to not be displayed the first time when using a preview handler to display files. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
- Prevent tooltip in file previewer from overlapping with title bar controls. Thanks @daverayment!
- Fixed memory leaks in thumbnails and refactored image previewer. Thanks @daverayment!
PowerToys Run
- Improved the message boxes to be more specific when PowerToys Run failed to initialize itself or any plugin. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
- Use capital letters when showing degree results in the Unit Converter plugin. Thanks @PesBandi!
Quick Accent
- Add the Middle Eastern Romanization character set. Thanks @PesBandi!
- Add the degree sign, integral and vertical ellipsis when "All Languages" is selected. Thanks @rddunphy!
Settings
- Fixed the link to the Workspaces documentation. (This was a hotfix for 0.84)
- Fixed flyout issues after the Windows App SDK upgrade. Thanks @davidegiacometti!
- Fixed initialization for the New+ settings page. Thanks @htcfreek!
- Fixed enabled state of a control on the New+ settings page if the module is enabled by policy. Thanks @htcfreek!
- Fixed a crash when cancelling the template folder selection in the New+ settings page.
Workspaces
- Fixed detecting and snapping applications like Discord. (This was a hotfix for 0.84)
- Fixed detecting and snapping applications like Steam. (This was a hotfix for 0.84)
- Fixed button visibility in the UI. (This was a hotfix for 0.84)
- Fixed an issue launching the wrong project when the editor was closed without saving or cancelling a new project.
- Properly handle repositioning windows running as administrator.
- Properly handle cases where the monitor where a workspace was saved is no longer present.
- Fixed the workspace launcher restarting itself in a loop without success.
- Properly handle standalone applications.
- Fixed issues causing icons to not show.
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I really like New+. When I make backups, I usually create several folders that I name Pictures, Music, Videos and so on. Then you just have to put in your stuff you want. Quick and easy!
Something I often do in Linux is mkdir in the terminal, folder1, folder2 and so on. Creates all folders at once with the correct name. Anyone have tips for something similar for Windows?