PowerToys to get settings backup and hosts editor tool

Microsoft PowerToys, a set of advanced utilities for Windows 10 and 11, will soon get a fresh load of features. We already know that Microsoft is working on a tool that lets you see what process prevents deleting or renaming a file, and future updates will finally add settings backup and a hosts file editor.

Settings backup in PowerToys will let users export all customizations to a dedicated file and restore settings from another. Microsoft also wants to add extra features, such as automatic backups and restorations. The new backup options will sit on the general tab alongside the option to specify where PowerToys should store its backups.

Besides the ability to backup PowerToys settings, the app will soon receive a new "toy" for editing the hosts file. Current Windows versions have no built-in tools for working with hosts, so a dedicated utility will make it much more convenient.

PowerToys's hosts editor will allow users to work with the file using a convenient UI instead of the good-old Notepad. The tool can add new entries and reposition, filter, disable, and ping existing addresses. Also, you will be able to add comments to each entry for extra convenience.

There is no information on when Microsoft plans to release a new PowerToys version with settings backup and the hosts editor, but these improvements should not take too long to arrive. Meanwhile, you can check out what is new in the latest PowerToys update.