PowerToys is getting a new macOS-inspired tool for Windows 11 and 10

PowerToys will soon let you click on the desktop background or free space on the taskbar to minimize all apps, just like in macOS Sonoma and newer.

Last month, Microsoft released PowerToys 0.99, the latest major update for this set of utilities for Windows 10 and 11. The April 2026 update introduced two brand-new modules: one for monitor management and one for easier window dragging across the screen. Soon, another utility should make its way to PowerToys, inspired by a native macOS feature and a third-party Windows app.

"Show Desktop," as the name suggests, makes it easier to minimize all apps on your screen. While you can use Win + D or the bottom-right corner of the screen, the new utility adds a couple of extra methods to dismiss all open windows. With it, you will be able to click on the desktop background (empty space) or empty taskbar space to minimize or restore all apps.

Microsoft also wants to implement a few additional features, such as double-click instead of a single click or automatic gaming detection, where the utility remains inactive when you play games to avoid potential disruptions.

Show Desktop is inspired by PeekDesktop, a small utility made by a Microsoft engineer. PeekDesktop copies a feature that Apple introduced in macOS Sonoma, where clicking space on the desktop minimizes all open windows. While it is hardly an earth-shattering utility, it is a nice, small convenience, especially for users with large displays.

Speaking of conveniences, PowerToys 0.99 introduced (another bug-fixing update was shipped later) a new tool that lets you drag an app across the screen by clicking anywhere on its window while holding the Alt key (you can remap it to the Win key). Inspired by Linux, this app makes it much easier to arrange windows with cluttered title bars, such as browsers. This utility also lets you resize the current window while holding the modifier key and the right mouse button.

While there is no information on when Microsoft plans to ship Show Desktop to all users, you can track the feature on PowerToys' GitHub repository.

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Posted Saturday 2 May 2026 at 7:49 am AEST (my time).

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