Windows 11 experimental feature lets you preview all kinds of files without opening them

Microsoft and Apple might be bitter rivals in most respects, but that doesn't mean they aren't each willing to accept that the other might have some g

Microsoft and Apple might be bitter rivals in most respects, but that doesn't mean they aren't each willing to accept that the other might have some good ideas now and again. Take Microsoft's upcoming Power Toys feature called Peek, for example. Reports claim that it's essentially a Windows version of macOS "Quick Look" that lets you preview files in a snap by hitting the spacebar.

If you don't use an Apple machine, Quick Look allows macOS fans to swiftly preview files by pressing the spacebar when one is highlighted and selected. This is tremendously useful for sorting through large groups of similarly-named text documents, but it can be used for media files as well.

Quick Look also allows users to zoom in and out on a file, resize its preview window, rotate it, mark it up (with basic drawing and editing tools), view multiple selected items in a grid, and even share the file directly from your machine.

Quick Look has been part of macOS for years now, with the first iteration arriving way back in 2007 as part of the macOS X 10.5 Leopard release. With that in mind, it's a bit of a surprise that it has taken Microsoft so long to design something similar. After all, Quick Look is optional and can be ignored if users prefer not to take advantage of it.

Regardless, Peek will work almost exactly the same as older versions of Quick Look: you press shift + spacebar with a file selected to preview it. However, more powerful functionality like editing, grid viewing, and file-sharing will reportedly not be available with Peek's first Power Toys release.

Microsoft's experimental 'Peek' feature in action

 

Microsoft Power Toys is a suite of useful but experimental Windows features that don't ship with the OS' normal public builds. Peek, in particular, will apparently be exclusive to Windows 11 versions of Power Toys, but we don't know exactly when it will release.

Notably, this isn't the first time Power Toys has borrowed ideas from macOS. The experimental "Power Toys Run" tool was inspired by macOS unique Spotlight feature, though the exact functionality differs (with the latter being more powerful overall).

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