Looking to customize your Windows experience? Windhawk vs PowerToys: Which Windows Customization Tool is Best for You? Compare Windhawk and PowerToys to find the perfect tool for your needs!
The best laptops run Windows as their default operating system due to its reliability, compatibility, and overall performance. However, there’s always room to improve it. Customization tools like PowerToys and Windhawk are popular because they let users enhance features and personalize their experience.
Both tools offer various modifications.These tools are free.They are used for different purposes. Windhawk is excellent for customizing the Windows desktop, while PowerToys focuses on productivity-enhancing features. In this post, I’ll compare both tools, looking at their interface, security, and other features to determine which stands out.
Interface
Windhawk features a simple, all-black interface with a clean grid layout, offering a refreshing change from apps with busy home screens and bright icons.
Using Windhawk is easy—scroll through the list of mods, check the details of the ones you’re interested in, and click install to add them to your system. When installed, mod settings are easily accessible, allowing you to adjust them to suit your preferences. All installed mods appear on the home screen, where you can use a convenient slider to enable or disable them as needed.
The PowerToys interface is designed to match Windows and features similar icons and fonts. The welcome screen briefly introduces the app and displays the modules list on the left side. Clicking on a module shows its description along with quick-access keyboard shortcuts and usage instructions.
Enabled modules appear at the top of the Dashboard, while disabled ones are grouped at the bottom, making navigation easier. Each module has a slider that lets you enable or disable it with a single click.
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Modules
Windhawk covers popular and niche options and offers various user-created mods. Mods like Per-app Language Preferences and Disable Taskbar Thumbnails will appeal to a broad audience, while others, such as Flight Simulator window, focus helper, and Enable VMPlayer’s VNC, cater to a smaller group of enthusiasts.
A standout feature of Windhawk is that each mod shows the number of users and a rating, helping you assess its performance before deciding if it’s right for you.
PowerToys, on the other hand, has 26 modules grouped into five categories: System Tools, Windowing and Layouts, Input and Output, File Management, and Advanced. While there are no user ratings or numbers, you can trust that all modules work well and enhance productivity.
Although PowerToys has fewer modules than Windhawk, they are more focused and practical, offering valuable upgrades that most users will appreciate. Modules like Color Picker and Image Resizer become essential tools, and you’ll likely wonder why they weren’t part of Windows.
Security
Security is crucial when modifying your operating system because you can’t afford to risk data corruption or malicious threats.
Windhawk is free and open-source; anyone with C++ skills can create a mod. The app provides transparency by displaying the source code for each mod and a changelog that lists updates and changes made to the mod. It also warns users only to install mods from trusted sources, as malicious mods can harm your computer or compromise your privacy.
Microsoft’s PowerToys is also a free, open-source toolset for customizing Windows. Its development process is stricter than Windhawk’s; creating mods requires submitting a tech spec, design concept, and other steps to meet Microsoft’s standards. Collaboration with the PowerToys development team is necessary for approval. Because PowerToys is a thoroughly tested Microsoft product, it is considered more trustworthy than Windhawk. Therefore, it’s essential to exercise caution when adding mods from Windhawk.
User experience
I installed the Windhawk Taskbar Clock Customization tool, and the settings for changing the date and time format, line spacing, clock height, and more were easy to use and worked flawlessly. However, the Windows 11 Taskbar styler quickly applied the blue Windows XP theme, but its other settings were trickier to adjust. The mod allows for advanced styling through the Control Styles and Resource Variables dialogue boxes, but some coding knowledge is required.
I browsed the Windhawk mods list and found many simple and practical tools, like the Taskbar Volume Control and Chrome/Edge scroll tab with the mouse wheel, that enhanced my Windows experience. However, some mods, like the Taskbar Volume Control and Cycle taskbar buttons with the mouse wheel, are incompatible, so you can only use one at a time. I didn’t need all of Windhawk’s mods, but I appreciate having so many options available.
I’ve been using PowerToys features like Image Resizer, Text Extractor, and Find My Mouse for a while, and they are very user-friendly and make my tasks more manageable. As part of my job, I often upload pictures, and the Image Resizer tool saves me time by allowing me to resize images without needing a photo editing app.
Text Extractor has a disclaimer suggesting the Snipping Tool instead. However, it still works well for capturing text from images and videos, allowing me to paste it into Google Docs or other apps. I don’t use all of the PowerToys modules, but the ones I do work flawlessly. I’d recommend them to anyone looking for valuable tools to improve productivity.
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Why you should use Windhawk
Windhawk is free and has an intuitive, user-friendly interface. It provides a vast range of selection mods to ensure you’ll find something that suits your needs from the many options available. While most mods are simple, some may require coding knowledge to customize fully. User ratings help gauge the quality of each mod, and the source code and changelog give you peace of mind regarding their safety and updates.
Moreover, Windhawk’s is easy to troubleshoot due to it’s active community. It also find new mods to enhance your Windows experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, Windhawk offers enough flexibility and features to meet your needs.
Why you should use PowerToys
PowerToys is certified by Microsoft, guaranteeing reliable security and solid performance. Its modules offer practical upgrades that improve Windows functionality. It is highly useful for everyday tasks. The tools are easy to access by using keyboard shortcuts. It also enhances the overall efficiency of your system.
Whether you’re organizing windows, resizing images, or finding your mouse. PowerToys offers a variety of features that can make a noticeable difference in your workflow. The simplicity of the modules, combined with their productivity-boosting abilities, makes PowerToys a must-try for anyone looking to enhance their Windows experience.
Windhawk vs PowerToys: They’re both worth considering.
It’s a tie because both Windows customization tools work well and have various modules for different functions. Windhawk provides a broader range of mods. It covers many customization aspects, mainly focusing on aesthetics and visual improvements. On the other hand, PowerToys offers a more limited selection but emphasizes practical tools designed to boost productivity and streamline workflows. The good news is that you don’t have to pick one over the other—both can be used together without any problems. It also allows you to enjoy the benefits of both customization and functionality. This way, you can customize the look of your system with Windhawk and enhance your productivity with PowerToys.