PowerToys 0.87.0 Brings PWAs and Apps Together in Workspaces


One of the most frustrating limitations of managing digital workflows is the inability to seamlessly restore an entire workspace with all apps and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in place. For anyone juggling multiple tasks, this feature could save time and effort, yet it often felt just out of reach. Until now. Microsoft’s PowerToys version 0.87.0 has finally addressed this gap, making its Workspaces feature significantly more practical.

Workspaces in PowerToys allow users to save layouts of apps on their desktop and launch them instantly with the push of a button. However, PWAs—the lightweight, browser-based apps that many of us rely on—couldn’t be saved as part of these layouts in earlier versions. Instead, Workspaces would merely open an instance of the browser hosting the PWA, a limitation that dulled the feature’s potential. With the latest update, you can now include specific PWAs directly in your workspace. This tweak might seem small, but for anyone managing productivity tools or web-based services, it’s a game-changer.

For more details, check out the update breakdown shared on Windows Central.

The enhancements don’t stop there. Version 0.87.0 adds new features to other PowerToys tools. For instance, the Screen Ruler now includes measurements in inches, centimeters, and millimeters, making it more versatile for designers and developers. Advanced Paste introduces a feature powered by Semantic Kernel AI for orchestrating clipboard transformations, offering advanced functionality for repetitive workflows.

Mouse Jump, New+, and Quick Accent have all received thoughtful updates to improve customization and usability. Mouse Jump now lets users tweak the pop-up UI, while Quick Accent allows character set selection for easier typing in different languages. New+ finally supports Windows 10 users, extending its utility across more systems.

Developers also benefit from under-the-hood upgrades, including improved logging, dependency updates, and enhanced compatibility with .NET 9 and Visual Studio 17.12. These changes ensure PowerToys remains a reliable and cutting-edge utility suite.

The Workspaces update is the highlight, addressing a long-standing limitation for many users. By bridging the gap between desktop apps and PWAs, PowerToys has made its productivity toolkit far more appealing. Whether you’re juggling workspaces across multiple tasks or fine-tuning other utilities, this update delivers meaningful improvements.