PowerToys 0.96 arrives with major updates to Advanced Paste, PowerRename & Command Palette

Microsoft PowerToys version 0.96 has been released, focusing on refining existing tools. Advanced Paste receives a major update with a redesigned settings interface, a cleaner in app window, and support for online AI endpoints from Azure, OpenAI, Gemini, and Mistral. It also adds local model support through Foundry Local and Ollama for on device processing and optional NPU acceleration.

Users can configure multiple endpoints and switch between models based on clipboard content. The updated Advanced Paste window shows the current clipboard contents and includes a model selector for quick adjustments.

Other modules also gain improvements. PowerRename now supports EXIF and XMP metadata for accessing image tags. Command Palette adds extension search, improved labeling, and new window behavior options. Light Switch increases reliability and allows manual location entry for sunrise and sunset automation. The Settings dashboard receives fixes and new sorting options, and ZoomIt introduces smoother zooming and screen recording with GIF export.