Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of utilities that supercharge productivity and customization on Windows
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+3.5K
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
116
PER DAY
#1
MOST-STARRED C
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +812 | +3.5K | +10.4K |
| Per day | 116 | 116 | 116 |
| Forks gained | +43 | +173 | +432 |
PowerToys gained 3.5K stars in the last 30 days, about 116 a day, and now has 139.2K. It is about 7 years old and has averaged roughly 19.9K stars a year. It ranks #1 among C repositories and #48 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
1
DAYS ON TRENDING
#3682
BEST RANK
Oct 13, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
PowerToys has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #3682. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
PowerToys is an open-source project written in C: Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of utilities that supercharge productivity and customization on Windows.
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in advanced-paste, color-picker, command-palette. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in C for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ git clone https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys.git
cd PowerToys⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
C99 or C11 compiler with CMake / make
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
PowerToys coordinates its core functionality through a modular C pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Production System Integration
Embed PowerToys into C backend services to handle core application logic.
CI/CD Automated Pipelines
Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.
Developer Tooling & Workflows
Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.
Open Source Extension
Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open MIT license.
🚀 Getting Started
Install PowerToys using your package manager: `git clone https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys.git`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for PowerToys.
Import PowerToys into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `PowerToys --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with C, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
microsoft/PowerToys is currently ranked #48 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #43 | ytdl-org/youtube-dl | Python | ★ 141.4K | Compare ↗ |
| #44 | Shubhamsaboo/awesome-llm-apps | Python | ★ 140.6K | Compare ↗ |
| #45 | iptv-org/iptv | TypeScript | ★ 140.4K | Compare ↗ |
| #46 | farion1231/cc-switch | Rust | ★ 140.2K | Compare ↗ |
| #47 | github/spec-kit | Python | ★ 140.2K | Compare ↗ |
| #48 | microsoft/PowerToys This Project | C | ★ 139.2K | |
| #49 | golang/go | Go | ★ 139.1K | Compare ↗ |
| #50 | Comfy-Org/ComfyUI | Python | ★ 136.5K | Compare ↗ |
| #51 | garrytan/gstack | TypeScript | ★ 135.3K | Compare ↗ |
| #52 | excalidraw/excalidraw | TypeScript | ★ 133.6K | Compare ↗ |
| #53 | nextlevelbuilder/ui-ux-pro-max-skill | Python | ★ 132.3K | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PowerToys do? +
Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of utilities that supercharge productivity and customization on Windows
What language is PowerToys written in? +
The primary language is C. Topics include: advanced-paste, color-picker, command-palette, desktop, fancyzones.
Is PowerToys actively maintained? +
Yes, the last recorded push was on Oct 13, 2026 with 7,737 open issues being tracked.
How many stars does PowerToys have? +
PowerToys has 139,247 stars and 8,638 forks on GitHub.
How does PowerToys rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 139,247 stars, microsoft/PowerToys is ranked #48 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #1 among C projects.
What license is PowerToys distributed under? +
The repository reports a MIT license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
