Dev pitches “settings scheduler” for Windows 11 PowerToys and it’s really useful

PowerToys for Windows 11 could soon make it easier to automate the settings scheduling, such as turning Bluetooth on or off based on a timer. With Settings scheduler, you can set settings to automatically turn on dark or light mode based on time.

This idea has been pitched by developer Joseph Finner, who previously created “Text Grab” tool and contributed to other PowerToys features. Settings scheduler doesn’t appear to be a powerful tool. Instead, it will make it easier to use Task Scheduler. With this PowerToys utility, you can change Windows settings based on a timer or a specific schedule.

As shown in the above screenshot, you can automatically turn on the dark mode within a specific timeframe.

You can configure PowerToys to turn on dark mode when it’s 7PM and switch back to light mode when it’s 6 or 7 in the morning. The timing could be anything and it’s entirely up to you.

Some other settings example include:

• Bluetooth off for two hours.
• Wi-Fi off for two hours.
• Setting on for 8 hours.
• Dark mode at 8PM.
• Set volume to 0% in the morning.
• Set screen to stay-on.

You can turn on or off Wi-Fi for the rest of the day or switch it on automatically late at night.

This could be particularly useful if you rely on ethernet for your office work, and you’d like Windows to automatically turn on WiFi and connect to available network when you’re at home.

Another use case could be automatically muting your laptop’s speaker when it’s morning and increase the volume when it’s evening or you’re back home.

This is similar to Task Scheduler but a lot easier. In the case of Task Scheduler, if you want Windows to turn Wi-Fi on or off at specific times, you’ll need to create a PowerShell script and then use Task Scheduler to automatically run the script.

One script would turn off Wi-Fi, and another would turn it on. Then, you can open Task Scheduler and allow Windows to run these PowerShell scripts at the specified time.

PowerToys’ Settings scheduler could automate the entire process. It could also evolve to handle more advanced settings, but initially, it will be limited to changing your wireless settings or theme personalization.

“Triggers could make more complex scenarios like when connecting to specific Wi-Fi networks, or locations like have a “work mode” trigger which sets a few settings when arriving to work, or home. This could be an Awake v2,” independent developer Joseph Finney noted in a GitHub post first spotted by Windows Latest.

You’ll be able to directly access the feature from the taskbar or PowerToys menu.

In addition to settings automation, PowerToys is getting Sysinternals zoomit tool in an upcoming update.

What would you like to see in PowerToys? Let us know in the comments below.