When I first started using PowerToys a few years ago, I was immediately drawn to PowerToys Run because it solved a few glaring problems I had with Windows Search. I didn’t have to deal with a messy Start menu or accidentally clicking on web results. Being used to Spotlight on my MacBook, PowerToys Run was strangely familiar, even though it was basically just a launcher. I know some Windows users have been asking for an Alfred alternative for years, and PowerToys Run has always been too simple for that comparison.
Fast forward to 2026, and Microsoft is positioning Command Palette as the successor to PowerToys Run. It’s been around for over a year now, but when I first tried it out, it still felt like a work in progress. Now, I’d say it’s not better than PowerToys Run, but it’s the closest thing Microsoft currently offers to an Alfred alternative. All I wanted was a focused search experience at first, but the Command Palette came in handy for more than just launching apps.
This is not just another app launcher
Clipboard history, window resizing, and built-in tools make all the difference
At its most basic level, the Command Palette still does what you’d expect from a launcher. You click Windows + Alt + Spacestart typing a keyword and you get relevant results without blocking recommendations or web results. It feels closer to Spotlight on macOS, that’s for sure why I almost stopped opening the Start menu after the transition. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Now I use it to access my clipboard history, switch between open windows, and even execute basic commands.
For example, I can just type a prefix and see a list of all open windows, then narrow it down by typing a few letters instead of going through everything. Alt + Tab. As someone with multiple windows on three monitors, this makes multitasking less chaotic. Also, in contrast, it shows access to more clipboards at once Windows + Vit makes me slide. And sometimes, when I want to clear DNS or quickly launch something like Device Manager, I can do so without opening the Run dialog or CMD first. I don’t even remember the last time I opened a calculator. To write = It feels easier to trace an equation in the search box. Now, I know that PowerToys Run can do almost everything I mentioned, but the Command Palette just makes things more obvious.
The Expansion Gallery is a huge improvement
How about native Bookmarks and WinGet integration for starters?
PowerToys Run also supports plugins, so that’s nothing new, but what the Command Palette does better is make it easier to find and install those extensions with the Extension Gallery. For example, to add more plugins to PowerToys Run, you’ll need to browse the GitHub repos and manually install them yourself. With Extension Gallery, I can install everything I need from the command palette Settings > Gallery. The first one I installed was the Currency Converter, which was missing from the Command Palette when I tried it last year. In fact, The Extension Gallery was recently added Along with PowerToys 0.100.
That said, Command Palette already has a bunch of extensions built in out of the box. The clipboard history I mentioned above is one, but then there’s Bookmarks and WinGet. I use it to store file paths I often access, but you can also use it to store web URLs. With the WinGet integration, I can install programs directly from the Command Palette without touching the Terminal. Even if it’s not technically part of the Extension Gallery, the Dock also deserves a mention. You can enable it and use it to lock files, URLs and commands for quick access. This makes the Command Palette feel more like a command center than an app launcher.
It’s still not Alfred, but it’s okay
Most Windows users don’t need that level of automation anyway
I’m not going to act like the Command Palette is so good that we can finally stop looking for an Alfred alternative in Windows. After all, Alfred has been around for so many years, and its workflows have had plenty of time to evolve into something more capable than what Team Palette offers today. i think Raycast is probably the closest thing Windows power users have To Alfred. However, it must be remembered that Alfred was not free. You’ll need to pay $43 for the Powerpack upgrade, which gives you access to workflows.
What Microsoft has done with the Command Palette seems more practical for most Windows users. And since it doesn’t target a strong group of users involved in workflow automation, I don’t need Alfred-level capabilities to succeed. Also, let’s not forget that the Command Palette is just getting started. He’s come a long way in the last year alone, which makes me optimistic about where he’s headed. Even as it stands, ditching the Start menu entirely is good enough for me, and for most people it’s worth more than having an endless workflow that they’ll rarely use.
This is the launcher that Windows should ship
At this point, I don’t see myself going back to PowerToys Run, let alone relying on the Start menu again. Even Microsoft seems confident enough to encourage users to switch to the Command Palette in PowerToys. While it’s not perfect, you get a fast and slick search tool that’s capable of much more than Search, so it feels like something Windows 11 should have had from day one.
