Microsoft has introduced a new utility called "Window Hopper" to its PowerToys suite, designed to streamline switching between multiple windows of a single application. This feature, included in PowerToys version 0.101.2362.0, was released on August 25, 2026.
Window Hopper functions similarly to the standard Windows Alt+Tab shortcut, but it specifically cycles through the open windows of the currently focused application. Users can activate this utility with the default Alt+backtick keyboard shortcut, which is configurable within PowerToys settings. Microsoft highlights its usefulness for managing numerous browser tabs, terminal windows, File Explorer instances, or editor windows.
Beyond Window Hopper, the latest PowerToys update brings several other enhancements. It introduces a compact mode for the Command Palette quick launcher, allowing it to open as a search box at a customizable vertical position. PowerDisplay now supports linked controls for simultaneous brightness adjustment across multiple displays. The Shortcut Guide, a PowerToys tool launched in June that displays keyboard shortcuts for Windows and the active app, can now be activated with the Windows key.
Further improvements include DemoMirror, a new ZoomIt feature that enables mirroring a region of the screen, a specific window, or the entire screen to a second monitor. Additionally, a new Mouse Highlighter ripple mode has been added, providing composition-based effects on mouse clicks.
This release follows PowerToys version 0.97, which was introduced in January and featured CursorWrap. CursorWrap is a mouse utility for multi-monitor setups that "teleports" the mouse pointer to the opposite edge of active monitors, facilitating easier cursor movement across large display areas.
PowerToys, originally a collection of freeware tools from the Windows 95 era, was revived by Microsoft in 2019 as an open-source utility pack. It aims to enhance Windows functionality and simplify tasks that previously required third-party tools. The suite is available through its official GitHub repository, which also provides detailed changelogs for each version.
