Lost your mouse cursor? Microsoft's PowerToys 0.55 has you covered – with a massive crosshair
- Reference: 1643735505
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/02/01/powertoys_055/
- Source link:
[1]Now at version 0.55 , the suite of utilities has swelled since its early days. After kicking off with the FancyZones windows manager and Shortcut Guide, PowerToys now comprises a dozen components, including the near-essential "Awake" utility to keep a PC running without faffing about with power and sleep settings, and Video Conference Mute to kill microphone and/or camera during a conference call regardless of where the focus is.
Tech pros can do all these things themselves, either by finding the appropriate bit of freeware or by simply maintaining situational awareness during the fifth Zoom call of the day, but the suite undeniably makes life a bit easier. And, of course, there is the simple retro-delight of the PowerToys brand. Just without the same potential for disaster as a careless play with TweakUI under Windows 95.
[2]
A considerable amount has changed over the years since PowerToys first graced GitHub, although an ARM64 version is missing for now. The suite is downloadable from the Microsoft Store and features a considerably more useful settings panel nowadays.
[3]Microsoft brings Jenny, Aria, and more interface tweaks to new Windows 11 Insider build
[4]Windows boss Panos Panay talks up 'new era of the PC' – translation: An era of new PCs
[5]Running Windows 10? Microsoft is preparing to fire up the update engines
[6]First they came for Notepad. Now they're coming for Task Manager
[7]Version 7 of WINE is better than ever at running Windows apps where they shouldn't
More toys turned up in version 0.55: some additional File Explorer add-ons for the STL file format and developer files (via the Monaco Editor) and a handy tool for finding the mouse pointer via some crosshairs. The mouse utility had landed in the latter part of last year, with tools to speed to cursor hunting. The new crosshairs function builds on these.
PowerToys is not without its rivals. [8]Parallels Toolbox for Mac or Windows springs to mind, although it does require parting with some cash. PowerToys, on the other hand, remains free from the Microsoft Store or downloadable from GitHub.
[9]
ARM64 users, however, need not apply for the time being. ®
Get our [10]Tech Resources
[1] https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.55.0
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Yfm7lyg1u5@gAKMtThDNHAAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/28/windows_11_insider/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/26/panay_windows11_update/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/24/windows_10_updtae_incoming/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/20/windows_11_build/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/19/wine_7/
[8] https://www.parallels.com/uk/products/toolbox/
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yfm7lyg1u5@gAKMtThDNHAAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Can't find it
PowerToys was very handy back in the day and I’d like to try it again. But, where is it in the App store? A search for PowerToys brings up 15 apps for a dollar or two each but nothing is named PowerToys.
Re: Can't find it
Try here:
[1]https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/
Remember, Google is your friend out to own you.
[1] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/
Re: Can't find it
PS C:\Users\katrina> winget search powertoys
Name Id Version Source
--------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft PowerToys XP89DCGQ3K6VLD Unknown msstore
PowerToys (Preview) Microsoft.PowerToys 0.55.0 winget
I put it down just a second ago, where'd it get off to?!
At various times I've used the Windows mouse trails and/or the 'ping' on ctrl key. ('ping' is it displays an expanding set of circles centered on the cursor location each time ctrl key is hit.) I've got frog's eyes and if it doesn't move I don't see it. I guess the cross-hairs is for the gaming set?
Re: I put it down just a second ago, where'd it get off to?!
There's always right-click, which seems to work on any desktop.
Re: I put it down just a second ago, where'd it get off to?!
I do wish there was a working generic "ping" cursor animation for Linux. (and by generic, I mean not tied to a specific window manager like KDE)
IntelliPoint
I have the Ctrl option enabled in the mouse settings to help me find a missing cursor - I think that dates back over 20 years to the IntelliPoint software that came with the Microsoft branded mice. Still useful for multiple monitor set-ups.
Re: IntelliPoint
So that animation is still an option? Good, I was wondering about that, seems like a better option than a large static cross-hair.
I guess you have to ask if these are so useful, then why are they not in Windows?
Oh well that's easy; Microsoft has made Windows so the user must make Windows useful. Sounds crazy, but that's the trend. But to be fair, I thought the cross-hair thing was already an option, along with pressing CTRL to make it stand out. Of course those were features, so...
Outlook ate my cursor
It seems that Outlook 2013 running into Exchange StoneAge Edition is quite good at eating my cursor for some time while it sorts it’s life out, multiple times per day.
Less with Windows
I can usually find the Windows cursor with a quick flick of the mouse.
But Photoshop Elements really does my head in. Because some settings make the cursor so tiny it simply vanishes. Which would be very precise to control if there was some way to actually see where the f**k it is.
Wow... I guess you really do take things for granted when you don't run Windows (KDE here). You could say I'm derailing this topic, but this is posted for all to read, and for many none of this is a topic.