PowerToys Command Palette review
A free, open-source Windows launcher with built-in search, commands, bookmarks, and extensions.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
PowerToys Command Palette is a free, open-source launcher included with Microsoft PowerToys. It is aimed at Windows users who want a keyboard-first way to open applications, run shell and system commands, search local files and folders, and reach Windows settings or PowerToys tools. It also supports web search through the default browser, making it useful for people who want app, file, command, and web entry points in one interface rather than a launcher focused only on installed apps. It requires Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11.
Its breadth comes from combining search with bookmarks and extensions. Bookmarks can point to files, folders, URLs, or shell commands, while a persistent Dock can keep commands and extensions close at hand. Extensions can be installed, updated, disabled, and configured, and can add commands, tools, integrations, or interactive pages in list, detail, form, Markdown, and grid layouts. Users can also customize activation shortcuts, themes, backdrops, and search behavior. This makes the product more adaptable than a simple app search box, though the range of added functions depends on the extensions a user chooses.
There is no paid tier to compare: the published product description identifies Command Palette as free and open-source. Its clearest boundary is platform scope; it is for Windows, not a cross-platform launcher. The feature set described here supports local searching and configurable shortcuts, but does not establish cloud synchronization or a specific workflow feature for every use case. Choose it if you want a no-cost Windows launcher that can span apps, files, commands, bookmarks, and extensions. Look elsewhere if you need a launcher outside Windows or depend on a particular workflow capability that is not covered by its documented feature set.
PowerToys Command Palette pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Launch apps, run commands, and search local files from the keyboard.
- Bookmark files, folders, URLs, and shell commands in one place.
- Extend the launcher with configurable plugins and a persistent Dock.
- Where it doesn't
- Works only on Windows.
- Requires Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11.
- Its usefulness beyond built-in features depends on available extensions.
PowerToys Command Palette fact sheet, pricing and score →
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