PowerToys 0.102: Lock a Mouse Button and Hide the Cursor While You Type

PowerToys 0.102 adds two small mouse tools that fix two everyday annoyances on Windows.

Mouse Button Lock lets you drag without holding the button down, and CursorHide gets the pointer out of the way while you type.

It's a free update, and you can grab PowerToys now. Microsoft announced it in its PowerToys 0.102 release post on 21 October.

Mouse Button Lock: Drag Without Holding On

Click and release a mouse button, and Windows acts as if you're still holding it. Click again to let go.

It's ideal for moving a pile of files, selecting a long block of text or resizing a window across two screens. If long drags make your hand ache, this one is for you.

CursorHide: No More Pointer in Your Way

The pointer disappears while you type, after a pause you choose, or both. Move the mouse, and it's back.

No more pointer sitting on top of the word you're fixing.

The Smaller Changes Worth Knowing

• Command Palette. A new quick-access shelf opens your favourite items with Alt+1 to Alt+9, and you can now search settings.
• ZoomIt. Snip dictation turns what you say into text during a snip, right on your PC.
• FancyZones. Switch window layouts with the mouse wheel.
• Text Extractor and Color Picker. Both now use a newer, more modern look. Text Extractor is still the fastest way to copy text from any picture on screen.
• Keyboard Manager. Remaps can now fire when you tap a key on its own, and long remap lists are searchable.

New to the suite? Our guide to what PowerToys can do covers the tools most people end up using daily.

How to Update

If PowerToys is already installed, open its Settings, go to General and check for updates. If not, download the installer from our PowerToys page - it's free, with no account needed.

For full screen recording and quick screenshot editing, ShareX is a free tool that works well alongside it.

Quick questions