Microsoft PowerToys: A Hidden Windows Upgrade Every CA Should Know About
Before you explore layouts, bulk renaming, or text extraction — try this:
Press Alt + Space.
A clean search bar appears in the centre of your screen.
Type “excel” → Press Enter.
Excel opens instantly.
No mouse.
No Start menu.
No hunting through taskbar icons.
This feature is called PowerRun, and for many professionals, it alone makes Microsoft PowerToys worth installing.
PowerToys is a free utility from Microsoft that adds advanced productivity tools to Windows. It’s not pre-installed — you need to download it once — but once enabled, it quietly upgrades how you work every day.
If your workflow involves Excel sheets, PDFs, GST portals, and dozens of client folders, PowerToys can reduce friction you didn’t even realise was slowing you down.
Step 1: How to Download and Install PowerToys
Recommended Method (Simplest)
1. Open Microsoft Store
2. Search for "Microsoft PowerToys"
3. Click "Install"
Alternatively, advanced users can download it from Microsoft’s official GitHub page — but for most users, the Microsoft Store version is sufficient and easier.
Once installed:
* Open PowerToys
* Enable only the features you need
That’s it.
Is It Safe?
Yes — PowerToys is:
• Developed and maintained by Microsoft
• Open-source (publicly reviewed code)
• Widely used by professionals
• Fully uninstallable
• Modular (features can be turned on/off anytime)
It runs locally on your system. It does not automatically upload your files or client data.
For CA offices concerned about confidentiality and data security, installing from the Microsoft Store is the safest route.
4 PowerToys Features That Can Save CAs Real Time
You do not need to use everything. Even one feature can improve daily workflow.
1. PowerRun – Instant App & File Launcher
Shortcut: Alt + Space
PowerRun is an upgraded, faster search.
You can:
• Open Excel, Word, browser, calculator instantly
• Launch specific client folders
• Run system commands
• Perform quick calculations directly in the bar
Example:
Type: excel
Press Enter → Excel opens immediately.
After a few days, you’ll stop using the mouse to open applications.
You can customise the activation shortcut inside PowerToys settings.
2. FancyZones – Advanced Window Layouts
FancyZones allows you to create reusable screen layouts.
Example setup:
• Excel on left
• GST portal on right
• Notes or calculator below
How to use:
• Hold Shift
• Drag window into a zone
• Open layout editor:
Win + Shift + ` (backtick key)
No more resizing windows every time you reconcile data.
For multi-monitor users, this becomes even more powerful.
Once set, layouts can be reused daily.
3. PowerRename – Bulk File Renaming in Seconds
Select multiple files → Right-click → PowerRename
You can:
• Replace text across 100+ files
• Add client prefixes
• Standardise month/year formats
• Remove unwanted duplicates like “(1)”
Example:
From:
`invoice (1).pdf`
To:
`ABC_Ltd_Invoice_Jan2026_01.pdf`
This takes seconds instead of manual renaming.
During audit or GST documentation, this can save hours of repetitive work.
4. Text Extractor – Copy Text from Images or Scanned PDFs
Sometimes portals or scanned documents don’t allow copy-paste.
Shortcut: Win + Shift + T
Select an area of your screen → Text is copied instantly.
Useful for:
• GST portal error messages
• Scanned client documents
• PAN/GST numbers from image files
No manual retyping.
Should Every CA Install PowerToys?
Not mandatory.
But it is highly useful if you:
• Work on a single monitor
• Frequently reconcile data
• Handle bulk client documents
• Feel window management slows you down
You can enable only the features you need and ignore the rest.
Quick Shortcut Summary
PowerRun
Alt + Space → Open launcher
FancyZones
Shift + Drag → Snap into layout
Win + Shift + ` → Edit layout
PowerRename
Select files → Right-click → PowerRename
Press Enter to apply renaming
Text Extractor
Win + Shift + T → Select area → Paste using Ctrl + V
(Shortcuts can be customised inside PowerToys settings.)
Can You Assign Your Own Shortcut Keys?
Yes.
Inside PowerToys settings, most modules allow you to change the default keyboard shortcut to a combination of your choice.
Implementation Advice
After installation:
1. Open PowerToys settings
2. Enable only:
• PowerRun
• FancyZones
• PowerRename
• Text Extractor
3. Spend 10 minutes configuring once
Then use it consistently for a week.
You can disable or uninstall it anytime.
Productivity gains in CA practice rarely come from complex tools.
They come from reducing small, repeated inefficiencies.
PowerToys helps remove those inefficiencies — without coding, without automation setup, and without changing your existing workflow.
