Microsoft has added three new features to PowerToys, namely the screen ruler, quick selection, and text extraction. PowerToys v0.62.0 is available for download on GitHub. In this article, we will see how to use Screen Ruler, Quick Accent and Text Extractor in PowerToys.
How to use the on-screen ruler in PowerToys
The Screen Ruler utility in PowerToys allows you to measure pixels on the screen depending on the direction of the edge of the image. This feature is useful for graphic designers, 3D designers, etc. as they can measure the pixels in their images directly using the on-screen ruler.
To use Screen Ruler, you must enable it. The following instructions will help you enable the screen ruler in PowerToys:
- Press Windows Search and enter PowerToys.
- Choose power toys from search results. This will open PowerToys Settings.
- Now select Screen Ruler from the left panel.
- Enable the button next to “Enable screen ruler”.
Once Screen Ruler is enabled, you can launch it with a keyboard shortcut. Default shortcut to launch Screen Ruler Win + Shift + M. But you can change this keyboard shortcut by clicking on pencil next to the activation label.
Behavior allows you to do more with the Screen Ruler utility.
- Continuous screen capture during measurement: You can enable this function if you want to measure the pixels on the screen in real time. Disabling this feature will only take a screenshot. Let’s say you want to measure the pixels in a GIF image. If you disable this feature, Screen Ruler will pause the GIF during measurement.
- Color Channel Edge Detection: If enabled, the on-screen ruler will check to see if the color channels are within acceptable distance from each other.
- Pixel tolerance for edge detection. You can change the level of pixel tolerance on the screen for measurement by moving the Pixel Tolerance for Edge Detection slider.
- Draw feet on the cross: If you enable this feature, the on-screen ruler will add feet to the end of the cross lines.
- Line Color: You can change the line color of the screen ruler.
When you activate the screen ruler by pressing the desired keyboard shortcuts, the screen ruler toolbar will appear at the top of the screen. It contains four different functions for measuring the pixels on the screen.
- Borders: By selecting Borders, you can measure the pixels on the screen by drawing a rectangle. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag in any direction to draw a rectangle. When you start drawing the rectangle, the on-screen ruler will start measuring the pixels on the screen.
- Spacing: This is a cross sign. Select it if you want to measure pixels both horizontally and vertically.
- Horizontal Spacing: Allows you to measure pixels on the screen in the horizontal direction.
- Vertical Distance: Allows you to measure the pixels on the screen in the vertical direction.
How to use Quick Accent in PowerToys
By adding the Quick Accent feature to PowerToys, Microsoft has made it easier for users to enter characters with diacritics. To use this feature, enable Quick Accent in PowerToys. The following steps will help you enable Quick Accent in PowerToys:
- Open PowerToys Settings.
- Choose Quick Accent From the left side.
- Turn on the toggle next to “Turn on quick accent.”
You can select an activation key by clicking on respective . By default, the Quick Accent toolbar is activated by pressing the left or right arrow keys or the space bar along with the English alphabet key on the keyboard. In the toolbar you can choose Quick Accent the position of the toolbar on the screen.
The behavior allows you to enter an input delay for a quick accent. You must press and hold the key for the duration specified in this section to display the Quick Accent toolbar. The time is entered here in milliseconds.
]To use Quick Accent, press and hold a letter key on your keyboard and immediately press the activation key. For example, you set the spacebar as the activation key for the Quick Accent toolbar in the PowerToys preferences. Now, if you want to view all the characters with diacritics for the letter A, press and hold A on your keyboard and immediately hit the space bar. This will display the Quick Accent toolbar on your screen.
How to use Text Extractor in PowerToys
Text Extractor is a great feature of PowerToys. You can compare this feature to OCR software or tools. Text Extractor allows you to extract text in a selected area of the screen. To enable this feature, follow the steps below:
- Open PowerToys Settings.
- Choose Text Extractor From the left side.
- Turn on the toggle next to “Enable text extraction.”
The default keyboard shortcuts for activating Text Extractor are: Win + Shift + T. But you can change these keys by clicking on pencil next to the activation label.
Activate the Text Extractor by pressing the keyboard shortcuts defined for it. After that, a cross will appear on your screen, similar to a cropping tool. Now draw a rectangle on the screen to capture the desired area. Text Extractor will automatically copy the text written under the captured area to the clipboard. Now you can paste the copied text anywhere.
How to use Microsoft PowerToys?
Microsoft PowerToys is a set of utilities that help users improve their productivity. After installing PowerToys, you will be able to do more with your system. For example, you can make any application always appear at the top by clicking the desired shortcut. PowerToys also has a color picker that allows you to select any color on the screen. Keyboard Manager lets you map your keyboard, while Mouse Utilities lets you manage and control mouse actions. To use PowerToys, you just need to press the desired key combination for a specific action.
How to choose a color anywhere on the screen?
You can use free color picker software to pick colors anywhere on the screen. If you don’t want to install third party software, you can install Microsoft PowerToys. This is a set of utilities that will increase your productivity. Once PowerToys is installed, click on the desired shortcut to launch the Color Picker. You can view or change keyboard shortcuts by opening the PowerToys settings.
I hope you enjoyed this article and you can learn more about how to use Text Extractor, Screen Ruler, Quick Accent in PowerToys. If I missed something, please share your opinion in the comments section below. subscribe to useguide.net newsletter for some cool tricks and tips.
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