Merge branch 'main' into shawn/winappsdkPwshUpdate

2026-02-24 04:00:02 +01:00 · 2025-12-09 14:44:35 +08:00
parent 8f1506f5ca 23bc278cc8
commit 64be0d36e9
118 changed files with 2666 additions and 243 deletions
--- a/.github/actions/spell-check/expect.txt
+++ b/.github/actions/spell-check/expect.txt
@@ -1483,6 +1483,7 @@ rgh
 rgn
 rgs
 rguid
+rhk
 RIDEV
 RIGHTSCROLLBAR
 riid
@@ -1588,6 +1589,7 @@ SHGDNF
 SHGFI
 SHIL
 shinfo
+shk
 shlwapi
 shobjidl
 SHORTCUTATLEAST
@@ -1798,6 +1800,7 @@ tlbimp
 tlc
 tmain
 TNP
+toolgood
 Toolhelp
 toolwindow
 TOPDOWNDIB
--- a/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json
+++ b/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@
            "PowerToys.FancyZonesEditorCommon.dll",
            "PowerToys.FancyZonesModuleInterface.dll",
            "PowerToys.FancyZones.exe",
+            "FancyZonesCLI.exe",
+            "FancyZonesCLI.dll",

            "PowerToys.GcodePreviewHandler.dll",
            "PowerToys.GcodePreviewHandler.exe",
@@ -351,6 +353,11 @@
                "Microsoft.SemanticKernel.Connectors.Ollama.dll",
                "OllamaSharp.dll",

+                "boost_regex-vc143-mt-gd-x32-1_87.dll",
+                "boost_regex-vc143-mt-gd-x64-1_87.dll",
+                "boost_regex-vc143-mt-x32-1_87.dll",
+                "boost_regex-vc143-mt-x64-1_87.dll",
+
                "UnitsNet.dll",
                "UtfUnknown.dll",
                "Wpf.Ui.dll"
--- a/.pipelines/versionAndSignCheck.ps1
+++ b/.pipelines/versionAndSignCheck.ps1
@@ -52,7 +52,12 @@ $nullVersionExceptions = @(
    "System.Diagnostics.EventLog.Messages.dll",
    "Microsoft.Windows.Widgets.dll",
    "AdaptiveCards.ObjectModel.WinUI3.dll",
-    "AdaptiveCards.Rendering.WinUI3.dll") -join '|';
+    "AdaptiveCards.Rendering.WinUI3.dll",
+    "boost_regex_vc143_mt_gd_x32_1_87.dll",
+    "boost_regex_vc143_mt_gd_x64_1_87.dll",
+    "boost_regex_vc143_mt_x32_1_87.dll",
+    "boost_regex_vc143_mt_x64_1_87.dll"
+    ) -join '|';
 $totalFailure = 0;

 Write-Host $DirPath;
--- a/Directory.Packages.props
+++ b/Directory.Packages.props
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@
    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.CsWinRT" Version="2.2.0" />
    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.ImplementationLibrary" Version="1.0.231216.1"/>
    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" Version="10.0.26100.6901" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="1.8.250907003" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Foundation" Version="1.8.250906002" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.AI" Version="1.8.37" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Runtime" Version="1.8.250907003" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="1.8.251106002" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Foundation" Version="1.8.251104000" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.AI" Version="1.8.39" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Runtime" Version="1.8.251106002" />
    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.WinUI.Managed" Version="2.0.9" />
    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.Wpf" Version="1.1.39" />
    <PackageVersion Include="ModernWpfUI" Version="0.9.4" />
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@
    <PackageVersion Include="System.IO.Abstractions.TestingHelpers" Version="22.0.13" />
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Management" Version="9.0.10" />
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Net.Http" Version="4.3.4" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="System.Numerics.Tensors" Version="9.0.11" />
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Private.Uri" Version="4.3.2" />
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Reactive" Version="6.0.1" />
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Runtime.Caching" Version="9.0.10" />
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Text.Encoding.CodePages" Version="9.0.10" />
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Text.Json" Version="9.0.10" />
    <PackageVersion Include="System.Text.RegularExpressions" Version="4.3.1" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="ToolGood.Words.Pinyin" Version="3.1.0.3" />
    <PackageVersion Include="UnicodeInformation" Version="2.6.0" />
    <PackageVersion Include="UnitsNet" Version="5.56.0" />
    <PackageVersion Include="UTF.Unknown" Version="2.6.0" />
--- a/NOTICE.md
+++ b/NOTICE.md
@@ -75,6 +75,37 @@ OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 For more information, please refer to <http://unlicense.org/>
 ```

+### ToolGood.Words.Pinyin
+
+We use the ToolGood.Words.Pinyin NuGet package for converting Chinese characters to pinyin.
+
+**Source**: [https://github.com/toolgood/ToolGood.Words.Pinyin](https://github.com/toolgood/ToolGood.Words.Pinyin)
+
+```
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2020 ToolGood
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
+```
+
+
 ## Utility: Command Palette Built-in Extensions

 ### Calculator
@@ -1532,6 +1563,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
 - SkiaSharp.Views.WinUI
 - StreamJsonRpc
 - StyleCop.Analyzers
+- ToolGood.Words.Pinyin
 - UnicodeInformation
 - UnitsNet
 - UTF.Unknown
--- a/PowerToys.slnx
+++ b/PowerToys.slnx
@@ -370,6 +370,10 @@
      <Platform Solution="*|x64" Project="x64" />
    </Project>
    <Project Path="src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZones/FancyZones.vcxproj" Id="ff1d7936-842a-4bbb-8bea-e9fe796de700" />
+    <Project Path="src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/FancyZonesCLI.csproj">
+      <Platform Solution="*|ARM64" Project="ARM64" />
+      <Platform Solution="*|x64" Project="x64" />
+    </Project>
    <Project Path="src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesEditorCommon/FancyZonesEditorCommon.csproj">
      <Platform Solution="*|ARM64" Project="ARM64" />
      <Platform Solution="*|x64" Project="x64" />
--- a/doc/devdocs/core/settings/settings-implementation.md
+++ b/doc/devdocs/core/settings/settings-implementation.md
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ For C# modules, the settings are accessed through the `SettingsUtils` class in t
 using Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library;

 // Read settings
-var settings = SettingsUtils.GetSettings<ModuleSettings>("ModuleName");
+var settings = SettingsUtils.Default.GetSettings<ModuleSettings>("ModuleName");
 bool enabled = settings.Enabled;
 ```

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ using Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library;

 // Write settings
 settings.Enabled = true;
-SettingsUtils.SaveSettings(settings.ToJsonString(), "ModuleName");
+SettingsUtils.Default.SaveSettings(settings.ToJsonString(), "ModuleName");
 ```

 ## Settings Handling in Modules
--- a/src/common/UITestAutomation/SettingsConfigHelper.cs
+++ b/src/common/UITestAutomation/SettingsConfigHelper.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.UITest
    public class SettingsConfigHelper
    {
        private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions IndentedJsonOptions = new() { WriteIndented = true };
-        private static readonly SettingsUtils SettingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+        private static readonly SettingsUtils SettingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

        /// <summary>
        /// Configures global PowerToys settings to enable only specified modules and disable all others.
--- a/src/common/utils/registry.h
+++ b/src/common/utils/registry.h
@@ -16,9 +16,54 @@

 namespace registry
 {
+    namespace detail
+    {
+        struct on_exit
+        {
+            std::function<void()> f;
+
+            on_exit(std::function<void()> f) :
+                f{ std::move(f) } {}
+            ~on_exit() { f(); }
+        };
+
+        template<class... Ts>
+        struct overloaded : Ts...
+        {
+            using Ts::operator()...;
+        };
+
+        template<class... Ts>
+        overloaded(Ts...) -> overloaded<Ts...>;
+
+        inline const wchar_t* getScopeName(HKEY scope)
+        {
+            if (scope == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
+            {
+                return L"HKLM";
+            }
+            else if (scope == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
+            {
+                return L"HKCU";
+            }
+            else if (scope == HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
+            {
+                return L"HKCR";
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return L"HK??";
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
    namespace install_scope
    {
        const wchar_t INSTALL_SCOPE_REG_KEY[] = L"Software\\Classes\\powertoys\\";
+        const wchar_t UNINSTALL_REG_KEY[] = L"Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall";
+        
+        // Bundle UpgradeCode from PowerToys.wxs (with braces as stored in registry)
+        const wchar_t BUNDLE_UPGRADE_CODE[] = L"{6341382D-C0A9-4238-9188-BE9607E3FAB2}";

        enum class InstallScope
        {
@@ -26,8 +71,67 @@ namespace registry
            PerUser,
        };

+        // Helper function to find PowerToys bundle in Windows Uninstall registry by BundleUpgradeCode
+        inline bool find_powertoys_bundle_in_uninstall_registry(HKEY rootKey)
+        {
+            HKEY uninstallKey{};
+            if (RegOpenKeyExW(rootKey, UNINSTALL_REG_KEY, 0, KEY_READ, &uninstallKey) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+            {
+                return false;
+            }
+            detail::on_exit closeUninstallKey{ [uninstallKey] { RegCloseKey(uninstallKey); } };
+
+            DWORD index = 0;
+            wchar_t subKeyName[256];
+
+            // Enumerate all subkeys under Uninstall
+            while (RegEnumKeyW(uninstallKey, index++, subKeyName, 256) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
+            {
+                HKEY productKey{};
+                if (RegOpenKeyExW(uninstallKey, subKeyName, 0, KEY_READ, &productKey) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                detail::on_exit closeProductKey{ [productKey] { RegCloseKey(productKey); } };
+
+                // Check BundleUpgradeCode value (specific to WiX Bundle installations)
+                wchar_t bundleUpgradeCode[256]{};
+                DWORD bundleUpgradeCodeSize = sizeof(bundleUpgradeCode);
+
+                if (RegQueryValueExW(productKey, L"BundleUpgradeCode", nullptr, nullptr,
+                                    reinterpret_cast<LPBYTE>(bundleUpgradeCode), &bundleUpgradeCodeSize) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
+                {
+                    if (_wcsicmp(bundleUpgradeCode, BUNDLE_UPGRADE_CODE) == 0)
+                    {
+                        return true;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            return false;
+        }
+
        inline const InstallScope get_current_install_scope()
        {
+            // 1. Check HKCU Uninstall registry first (user-level bundle)
+            // Note: MSI components are always in HKLM regardless of install scope,
+            // but the Bundle entry will be in HKCU for per-user installations
+            if (find_powertoys_bundle_in_uninstall_registry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER))
+            {
+                Logger::info(L"Found user-level PowerToys bundle via BundleUpgradeCode in HKCU");
+                return InstallScope::PerUser;
+            }
+
+            // 2. Check HKLM Uninstall registry (machine-level bundle)
+            if (find_powertoys_bundle_in_uninstall_registry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE))
+            {
+                Logger::info(L"Found machine-level PowerToys bundle via BundleUpgradeCode in HKLM");
+                return InstallScope::PerMachine;
+            }
+
+            // 3. Fallback to legacy custom registry key detection
+            Logger::info(L"PowerToys bundle not found in Uninstall registry, falling back to legacy detection");
+
            // Open HKLM key
            HKEY perMachineKey{};
            if (RegOpenKeyExW(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
@@ -45,6 +149,7 @@ namespace registry
                                  &perUserKey) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
                {
                    // both keys are missing
+                    Logger::warn(L"No PowerToys installation detected, defaulting to PerMachine");
                    return InstallScope::PerMachine;
                }
                else
@@ -96,47 +201,6 @@ namespace registry
    template<class>
    inline constexpr bool always_false_v = false;

-    namespace detail
-    {
-        struct on_exit
-        {
-            std::function<void()> f;
-
-            on_exit(std::function<void()> f) :
-                f{ std::move(f) } {}
-            ~on_exit() { f(); }
-        };
-
-        template<class... Ts>
-        struct overloaded : Ts...
-        {
-            using Ts::operator()...;
-        };
-
-        template<class... Ts>
-        overloaded(Ts...) -> overloaded<Ts...>;
-
-        inline const wchar_t* getScopeName(HKEY scope)
-        {
-            if (scope == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
-            {
-                return L"HKLM";
-            }
-            else if (scope == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
-            {
-                return L"HKCU";
-            }
-            else if (scope == HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
-            {
-                return L"HKCR";
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                return L"HK??";
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
    struct ValueChange
    {
        using value_t = std::variant<DWORD, std::wstring>;
--- a/src/dsc/v3/PowerToys.DSC.UnitTests/SettingsResourceTests/SettingsResourceModuleTest`1.cs
+++ b/src/dsc/v3/PowerToys.DSC.UnitTests/SettingsResourceTests/SettingsResourceModuleTest`1.cs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ namespace PowerToys.DSC.UnitTests.SettingsResourceTests;
 public abstract class SettingsResourceModuleTest<TSettingsConfig> : BaseDscTest
    where TSettingsConfig : ISettingsConfig, new()
 {
-    private readonly SettingsUtils _settingsUtils = new();
+    private readonly SettingsUtils _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
    private TSettingsConfig _originalSettings;

    protected TSettingsConfig DefaultSettings => new();
--- a/src/dsc/v3/PowerToys.DSC/Models/FunctionData/SettingsFunctionData`1.cs
+++ b/src/dsc/v3/PowerToys.DSC/Models/FunctionData/SettingsFunctionData`1.cs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ namespace PowerToys.DSC.Models.FunctionData;
 public sealed class SettingsFunctionData<TSettingsConfig> : BaseFunctionData, ISettingsFunctionData
    where TSettingsConfig : ISettingsConfig, new()
 {
-    private static readonly SettingsUtils _settingsUtils = new();
+    private static readonly SettingsUtils _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
    private static readonly TSettingsConfig _settingsConfig = new();

    private readonly SettingsResourceObject<TSettingsConfig> _input;
--- a/src/modules/Hosts/Hosts/Settings/UserSettings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/Hosts/Hosts/Settings/UserSettings.cs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ namespace Hosts.Settings

        public UserSettings()
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            var defaultSettings = new HostsProperties();
            ShowStartupWarning = defaultSettings.ShowStartupWarning;
            LoopbackDuplicates = defaultSettings.LoopbackDuplicates;
--- a/src/modules/MeasureTool/MeasureToolUI/Settings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/MeasureTool/MeasureToolUI/Settings.cs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace MeasureToolUI
 {
    public sealed class Settings
    {
-        private static readonly SettingsUtils ModuleSettings = new();
+        private static readonly SettingsUtils ModuleSettings = SettingsUtils.Default;

        public MeasureToolMeasureStyle DefaultMeasureStyle
        {
--- a/src/modules/MouseUtils/MouseJumpUI/Helpers/SettingsHelper.cs
+++ b/src/modules/MouseUtils/MouseJumpUI/Helpers/SettingsHelper.cs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ internal sealed class SettingsHelper
        lock (this.LockObject)
        {
            {
-                var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+                var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

                // set this to 1 to disable retries
                var remainingRetries = 5;
--- a/src/modules/MouseWithoutBorders/App/Class/Setting.cs
+++ b/src/modules/MouseWithoutBorders/App/Class/Setting.cs
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ namespace MouseWithoutBorders.Class

        internal Settings()
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

            _watcher = SettingsHelper.GetFileWatcher("MouseWithoutBorders", "settings.json", () =>
            {
--- a/src/modules/PowerOCR/PowerOCR/Settings/UserSettings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/PowerOCR/PowerOCR/Settings/UserSettings.cs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ namespace PowerOCR.Settings
        [ImportingConstructor]
        public UserSettings(Helpers.IThrottledActionInvoker throttledActionInvoker)
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ActivationShortcut = new SettingItem<string>(DefaultActivationShortcut);
            PreferredLanguage = new SettingItem<string>(string.Empty);

--- a/src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesEditor/Utils/Settings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesEditor/Utils/Settings.cs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace WorkspacesEditor.Utils
    public class Settings
    {
        private const string WorkspacesModuleName = "Workspaces";
-        private static readonly SettingsUtils _settingsUtils = new();
+        private static readonly SettingsUtils _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

        public static WorkspacesSettings ReadSettings()
        {
--- a/src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesEditor/ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesEditor/ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ namespace WorkspacesEditor.ViewModels
                _orderByIndex = value;
                OnPropertyChanged(new PropertyChangedEventArgs(nameof(WorkspacesView)));
                settings.Properties.SortBy = (WorkspacesProperties.SortByProperty)value;
-                settings.Save(new SettingsUtils());
+                settings.Save(SettingsUtils.Default);
            }
        }

--- a/src/modules/awake/Awake/Core/Manager.cs
+++ b/src/modules/awake/Awake/Core/Manager.cs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace Awake.Core
        {
            _tokenSource = new CancellationTokenSource();
            _stateQueue = [];
-            ModuleSettings = new SettingsUtils();
+            ModuleSettings = SettingsUtils.Default;
        }

        internal static void StartMonitor()
--- a/src/modules/awake/Awake/Program.cs
+++ b/src/modules/awake/Awake/Program.cs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace Awake

        private static async Task<int> Main(string[] args)
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

            LockMutex = new Mutex(true, Core.Constants.AppName, out bool instantiated);

--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/Messages/NavigateLeftCommand.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/Messages/NavigateLeftCommand.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels.Messages;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Used to navigate left in a grid view when pressing the Left arrow key in the SearchBox.
+/// </summary>
+public record NavigateLeftCommand;
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/Messages/NavigateRightCommand.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/Messages/NavigateRightCommand.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels.Messages;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Used to navigate right in a grid view when pressing the Right arrow key in the SearchBox.
+/// </summary>
+public record NavigateRightCommand;
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Commands/MainListPage.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Commands/MainListPage.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ using Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels.Messages;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps.Programs;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps.State;
+using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Commands;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Messages;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Properties;
 using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ public partial class MainListPage : DynamicListPage,
    private List<Scored<IListItem>>? _filteredItems;
    private List<Scored<IListItem>>? _filteredApps;
    private List<Scored<IListItem>>? _fallbackItems;
+
+    // Keep as IEnumerable for deferred execution. Fallback item titles are updated
+    // asynchronously, so scoring must happen lazily when GetItems is called.
    private IEnumerable<Scored<IListItem>>? _scoredFallbackItems;
    private bool _includeApps;
    private bool _filteredItemsIncludesApps;
@@ -155,42 +159,18 @@ public partial class MainListPage : DynamicListPage,

    public override IListItem[] GetItems()
    {
-        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(SearchText))
+        lock (_tlcManager.TopLevelCommands)
        {
-            lock (_tlcManager.TopLevelCommands)
-            {
-                return _tlcManager
-                    .TopLevelCommands
-                    .Where(tlc => !tlc.IsFallback && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(tlc.Title))
-                    .ToArray();
-            }
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            lock (_tlcManager.TopLevelCommands)
-            {
-                var limitedApps = new List<Scored<IListItem>>();
-
-                // Fuzzy matching can produce a lot of results, so we want to limit the
-                // number of apps we show at once if it's a large set.
-                if (_filteredApps?.Count > 0)
-                {
-                    limitedApps = _filteredApps.OrderByDescending(s => s.Score).Take(_appResultLimit).ToList();
-                }
-
-                var items = Enumerable.Empty<Scored<IListItem>>()
-                                .Concat(_filteredItems is not null ? _filteredItems : [])
-                                .Concat(_scoredFallbackItems is not null ? _scoredFallbackItems : [])
-                                .Concat(limitedApps)
-                                .OrderByDescending(o => o.Score)
-
-                                // Add fallback items post-sort so they are always at the end of the list
-                                // and eventually ordered based on user preference
-                                .Concat(_fallbackItems is not null ? _fallbackItems.Where(w => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(w.Item.Title)) : [])
-                                .Select(s => s.Item)
-                                .ToArray();
-                return items;
-            }
+            // Either return the top-level commands (no search text), or the merged and
+            // filtered results.
+            return string.IsNullOrEmpty(SearchText)
+                ? _tlcManager.TopLevelCommands.Where(tlc => !tlc.IsFallback && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(tlc.Title)).ToArray()
+                : MainListPageResultFactory.Create(
+                    _filteredItems,
+                    _scoredFallbackItems?.ToList(),
+                    _filteredApps,
+                    _fallbackItems,
+                    _appResultLimit);
        }
    }

--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Commands/MainListPageResultFactory.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Commands/MainListPageResultFactory.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+#pragma warning disable IDE0007 // Use implicit type
+
+using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
+using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit;
+
+namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Commands;
+
+internal static class MainListPageResultFactory
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Creates a merged and ordered array of results from multiple scored input lists,
+    /// applying an application result limit and filtering fallback items as needed.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static IListItem[] Create(
+        IList<Scored<IListItem>>? filteredItems,
+        IList<Scored<IListItem>>? scoredFallbackItems,
+        IList<Scored<IListItem>>? filteredApps,
+        IList<Scored<IListItem>>? fallbackItems,
+        int appResultLimit)
+    {
+        if (appResultLimit < 0)
+        {
+            throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(
+                nameof(appResultLimit), "App result limit must be non-negative.");
+        }
+
+        int len1 = filteredItems?.Count ?? 0;
+        int len2 = scoredFallbackItems?.Count ?? 0;
+
+        // Apps are pre-sorted, so we just need to take the top N, limited by appResultLimit.
+        int len3 = Math.Min(filteredApps?.Count ?? 0, appResultLimit);
+
+        // Allocate the exact size of the result array.
+        int totalCount = len1 + len2 + len3 + GetNonEmptyFallbackItemsCount(fallbackItems);
+        var result = new IListItem[totalCount];
+
+        // Three-way stable merge of already-sorted lists.
+        int idx1 = 0, idx2 = 0, idx3 = 0;
+        int writePos = 0;
+
+        // Merge while all three lists have items. To maintain a stable sort, the
+        // priority is: list1 > list2 > list3 when scores are equal.
+        while (idx1 < len1 && idx2 < len2 && idx3 < len3)
+        {
+            // Using null-forgiving operator as we have already checked against lengths.
+            int score1 = filteredItems![idx1].Score;
+            int score2 = scoredFallbackItems![idx2].Score;
+            int score3 = filteredApps![idx3].Score;
+
+            if (score1 >= score2 && score1 >= score3)
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = filteredItems[idx1++].Item;
+            }
+            else if (score2 >= score3)
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = scoredFallbackItems[idx2++].Item;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = filteredApps[idx3++].Item;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Two-way merges for remaining pairs.
+        while (idx1 < len1 && idx2 < len2)
+        {
+            if (filteredItems![idx1].Score >= scoredFallbackItems![idx2].Score)
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = filteredItems[idx1++].Item;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = scoredFallbackItems[idx2++].Item;
+            }
+        }
+
+        while (idx1 < len1 && idx3 < len3)
+        {
+            if (filteredItems![idx1].Score >= filteredApps![idx3].Score)
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = filteredItems[idx1++].Item;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = filteredApps[idx3++].Item;
+            }
+        }
+
+        while (idx2 < len2 && idx3 < len3)
+        {
+            if (scoredFallbackItems![idx2].Score >= filteredApps![idx3].Score)
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = scoredFallbackItems[idx2++].Item;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result[writePos++] = filteredApps[idx3++].Item;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Drain remaining items from a non-empty list.
+        while (idx1 < len1)
+        {
+            result[writePos++] = filteredItems![idx1++].Item;
+        }
+
+        while (idx2 < len2)
+        {
+            result[writePos++] = scoredFallbackItems![idx2++].Item;
+        }
+
+        while (idx3 < len3)
+        {
+            result[writePos++] = filteredApps![idx3++].Item;
+        }
+
+        // Append filtered fallback items. Fallback items are added post-sort so they are
+        // always at the end of the list and eventually ordered based on user preference.
+        if (fallbackItems is not null)
+        {
+            for (int i = 0; i < fallbackItems.Count; i++)
+            {
+                var item = fallbackItems[i].Item;
+                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(item.Title))
+                {
+                    result[writePos++] = item;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    private static int GetNonEmptyFallbackItemsCount(IList<Scored<IListItem>>? fallbackItems)
+    {
+        int fallbackItemsCount = 0;
+
+        if (fallbackItems is not null)
+        {
+            for (int i = 0; i < fallbackItems.Count; i++)
+            {
+                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(fallbackItems[i].Item.Title))
+                {
+                    fallbackItemsCount++;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        return fallbackItemsCount;
+    }
+}
+#pragma warning restore IDE0007 // Use implicit type
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/SearchBar.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/SearchBar.xaml.cs
@@ -208,21 +208,32 @@ public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,

            e.Handled = true;
        }
+        else if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Left)
+        {
+            // Check if we're in a grid view, and if so, send grid navigation command
+            var isGridView = CurrentPageViewModel is ListViewModel { IsGridView: true };
+
+            // Special handling is required if we're in grid view.
+            if (isGridView)
+            {
+                WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<NavigateLeftCommand>();
+                e.Handled = true;
+            }
+        }
        else if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Right)
        {
            // Check if the "replace search text with suggestion" feature from 0.4-0.5 is enabled.
            // If it isn't, then only use the suggestion when the caret is at the end of the input.
            if (!IsTextToSuggestEnabled)
            {
-                if (_textToSuggest != null &&
+                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(_textToSuggest) &&
                    FilterBox.SelectionStart == FilterBox.Text.Length)
                {
                    FilterBox.Text = _textToSuggest;
                    FilterBox.Select(_textToSuggest.Length, 0);
                    e.Handled = true;
+                    return;
                }
-
-                return;
            }

            // Here, we're using the "replace search text with suggestion" feature.
@@ -232,6 +243,20 @@ public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,
                _lastText = null;
                DoFilterBoxUpdate();
            }
+
+            // Wouldn't want to perform text completion *and* move the selected item, so only perform this if text suggestion wasn't performed.
+            if (!e.Handled)
+            {
+                // Check if we're in a grid view, and if so, send grid navigation command
+                var isGridView = CurrentPageViewModel is ListViewModel { IsGridView: true };
+
+                // Special handling is required if we're in grid view.
+                if (isGridView)
+                {
+                    WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<NavigateRightCommand>();
+                    e.Handled = true;
+                }
+            }
        }
        else if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Down)
        {
@@ -274,6 +299,8 @@ public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,

                e.Key == VirtualKey.Up ||
                e.Key == VirtualKey.Down ||
+                e.Key == VirtualKey.Left ||
+                e.Key == VirtualKey.Right ||

                e.Key == VirtualKey.RightMenu ||
                e.Key == VirtualKey.LeftMenu ||
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ListPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ListPage.xaml.cs
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI;
 public sealed partial class ListPage : Page,
    IRecipient<NavigateNextCommand>,
    IRecipient<NavigatePreviousCommand>,
+    IRecipient<NavigateLeftCommand>,
+    IRecipient<NavigateRightCommand>,
    IRecipient<NavigatePageDownCommand>,
    IRecipient<NavigatePageUpCommand>,
    IRecipient<ActivateSelectedListItemMessage>,
@@ -85,6 +87,8 @@ public sealed partial class ListPage : Page,
        // RegisterAll isn't AOT compatible
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<NavigateNextCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<NavigatePreviousCommand>(this);
+        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<NavigateLeftCommand>(this);
+        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<NavigateRightCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<NavigatePageDownCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<NavigatePageUpCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<ActivateSelectedListItemMessage>(this);
@@ -99,6 +103,8 @@ public sealed partial class ListPage : Page,

        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Unregister<NavigateNextCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Unregister<NavigatePreviousCommand>(this);
+        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Unregister<NavigateLeftCommand>(this);
+        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Unregister<NavigateRightCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Unregister<NavigatePageDownCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Unregister<NavigatePageUpCommand>(this);
        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Unregister<ActivateSelectedListItemMessage>(this);
@@ -257,25 +263,71 @@ public sealed partial class ListPage : Page,
        // And then have these commands manipulate that state being bound to the UI instead
        // We may want to see how other non-list UIs need to behave to make this decision
        // At least it's decoupled from the SearchBox now :)
-        if (ItemView.SelectedIndex < ItemView.Items.Count - 1)
+        if (ViewModel?.IsGridView == true)
        {
-            ItemView.SelectedIndex++;
+            // For grid views, use spatial navigation (down)
+            HandleGridArrowNavigation(VirtualKey.Down);
        }
        else
        {
-            ItemView.SelectedIndex = 0;
+            // For list views, use simple linear navigation
+            if (ItemView.SelectedIndex < ItemView.Items.Count - 1)
+            {
+                ItemView.SelectedIndex++;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ItemView.SelectedIndex = 0;
+            }
        }
    }

    public void Receive(NavigatePreviousCommand message)
    {
-        if (ItemView.SelectedIndex > 0)
+        if (ViewModel?.IsGridView == true)
        {
-            ItemView.SelectedIndex--;
+            // For grid views, use spatial navigation (up)
+            HandleGridArrowNavigation(VirtualKey.Up);
        }
        else
        {
-            ItemView.SelectedIndex = ItemView.Items.Count - 1;
+            // For list views, use simple linear navigation
+            if (ItemView.SelectedIndex > 0)
+            {
+                ItemView.SelectedIndex--;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ItemView.SelectedIndex = ItemView.Items.Count - 1;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void Receive(NavigateLeftCommand message)
+    {
+        // For grid views, use spatial navigation. For list views, just move up.
+        if (ViewModel?.IsGridView == true)
+        {
+            HandleGridArrowNavigation(VirtualKey.Left);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // In list view, left arrow doesn't navigate
+            // This maintains consistency with the SearchBar behavior
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void Receive(NavigateRightCommand message)
+    {
+        // For grid views, use spatial navigation. For list views, just move down.
+        if (ViewModel?.IsGridView == true)
+        {
+            HandleGridArrowNavigation(VirtualKey.Right);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // In list view, right arrow doesn't navigate
+            // This maintains consistency with the SearchBar behavior
        }
    }

@@ -514,6 +566,130 @@ public sealed partial class ListPage : Page,
        return null;
    }

+    // Find a logical neighbor in the requested direction using containers' positions.
+    private void HandleGridArrowNavigation(VirtualKey key)
+    {
+        if (ItemView.Items.Count == 0)
+        {
+            // No items, goodbye.
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var currentIndex = ItemView.SelectedIndex;
+        if (currentIndex < 0)
+        {
+            // -1 is a valid value (no item currently selected)
+            currentIndex = 0;
+            ItemView.SelectedIndex = 0;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            // Try to compute using container positions; if not available, fall back to simple +/-1.
+            var currentContainer = ItemView.ContainerFromIndex(currentIndex) as FrameworkElement;
+            if (currentContainer is not null && currentContainer.ActualWidth != 0 && currentContainer.ActualHeight != 0)
+            {
+                // Use center of current container as reference
+                var curPoint = currentContainer.TransformToVisual(ItemView).TransformPoint(new Point(0, 0));
+                var curCenterX = curPoint.X + (currentContainer.ActualWidth / 2.0);
+                var curCenterY = curPoint.Y + (currentContainer.ActualHeight / 2.0);
+
+                var bestScore = double.MaxValue;
+                var bestIndex = currentIndex;
+
+                for (var i = 0; i < ItemView.Items.Count; i++)
+                {
+                    if (i == currentIndex)
+                    {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
+                    if (ItemView.ContainerFromIndex(i) is FrameworkElement c && c.ActualWidth > 0 && c.ActualHeight > 0)
+                    {
+                        var p = c.TransformToVisual(ItemView).TransformPoint(new Point(0, 0));
+                        var centerX = p.X + (c.ActualWidth / 2.0);
+                        var centerY = p.Y + (c.ActualHeight / 2.0);
+
+                        var dx = centerX - curCenterX;
+                        var dy = centerY - curCenterY;
+
+                        var candidate = false;
+                        var score = double.MaxValue;
+
+                        switch (key)
+                        {
+                            case VirtualKey.Left:
+                                if (dx < 0)
+                                {
+                                    candidate = true;
+                                    score = Math.Abs(dy) + (Math.Abs(dx) * 0.7);
+                                }
+
+                                break;
+                            case VirtualKey.Right:
+                                if (dx > 0)
+                                {
+                                    candidate = true;
+                                    score = Math.Abs(dy) + (Math.Abs(dx) * 0.7);
+                                }
+
+                                break;
+                            case VirtualKey.Up:
+                                if (dy < 0)
+                                {
+                                    candidate = true;
+                                    score = Math.Abs(dx) + (Math.Abs(dy) * 0.7);
+                                }
+
+                                break;
+                            case VirtualKey.Down:
+                                if (dy > 0)
+                                {
+                                    candidate = true;
+                                    score = Math.Abs(dx) + (Math.Abs(dy) * 0.7);
+                                }
+
+                                break;
+                        }
+
+                        if (candidate && score < bestScore)
+                        {
+                            bestScore = score;
+                            bestIndex = i;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (bestIndex != currentIndex)
+                {
+                    ItemView.SelectedIndex = bestIndex;
+                    ItemView.ScrollIntoView(ItemView.SelectedItem);
+                }
+
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // ignore transform errors and fall back
+        }
+
+        // fallback linear behavior
+        var fallback = key switch
+        {
+            VirtualKey.Left => Math.Max(0, currentIndex - 1),
+            VirtualKey.Right => Math.Min(ItemView.Items.Count - 1, currentIndex + 1),
+            VirtualKey.Up => Math.Max(0, currentIndex - 1),
+            VirtualKey.Down => Math.Min(ItemView.Items.Count - 1, currentIndex + 1),
+            _ => currentIndex,
+        };
+        if (fallback != currentIndex)
+        {
+            ItemView.SelectedIndex = fallback;
+            ItemView.ScrollIntoView(ItemView.SelectedItem);
+        }
+    }
+
    private void Items_OnContextRequested(UIElement sender, ContextRequestedEventArgs e)
    {
        var (item, element) = e.OriginalSource switch
@@ -564,9 +740,27 @@ public sealed partial class ListPage : Page,

    private void Items_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
    {
+        // Track keyboard as the last input source for activation logic.
        if (e.Key is VirtualKey.Enter or VirtualKey.Space)
        {
            _lastInputSource = InputSource.Keyboard;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Handle arrow navigation when we're showing a grid.
+        if (ViewModel?.IsGridView == true)
+        {
+            switch (e.Key)
+            {
+                case VirtualKey.Left:
+                case VirtualKey.Right:
+                case VirtualKey.Up:
+                case VirtualKey.Down:
+                    _lastInputSource = InputSource.Keyboard;
+                    HandleGridArrowNavigation(e.Key);
+                    e.Handled = true;
+                    break;
+            }
        }
    }

--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/Tests/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.UnitTests/MainListPageResultFactoryTests.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/Tests/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.UnitTests/MainListPageResultFactoryTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Commands;
+using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
+using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit;
+using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
+using Windows.Foundation;
+
+namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.UnitTests;
+
+[TestClass]
+public partial class MainListPageResultFactoryTests
+{
+    private sealed partial class MockListItem : IListItem
+    {
+        public string Title { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+        public string Subtitle { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+        public ICommand Command => new NoOpCommand();
+
+        public IDetails? Details => null;
+
+        public IIconInfo? Icon => null;
+
+        public string Section => throw new NotImplementedException();
+
+        public ITag[] Tags => throw new NotImplementedException();
+
+        public string TextToSuggest => throw new NotImplementedException();
+
+        public IContextItem[] MoreCommands => throw new NotImplementedException();
+
+#pragma warning disable CS0067 // The event is never used
+        public event TypedEventHandler<object, IPropChangedEventArgs>? PropChanged;
+#pragma warning restore CS0067 // The event is never used
+
+        public override string ToString() => Title;
+    }
+
+    private static Scored<IListItem> S(string title, int score)
+    {
+        return new Scored<IListItem>
+        {
+            Score = score,
+            Item = new MockListItem { Title = title },
+        };
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void Merge_PrioritizesListsCorrectly()
+    {
+        var filtered = new List<Scored<IListItem>>
+        {
+            S("F1", 100),
+            S("F2", 50),
+        };
+
+        var scoredFallback = new List<Scored<IListItem>>
+        {
+            S("SF1", 100),
+            S("SF2", 60),
+        };
+
+        var apps = new List<Scored<IListItem>>
+        {
+            S("A1", 100),
+            S("A2", 55),
+        };
+
+        // Fallbacks are not scored.
+        var fallbacks = new List<Scored<IListItem>>
+        {
+            S("FB1", 0),
+            S("FB2", 0),
+        };
+
+        var result = MainListPageResultFactory.Create(
+            filtered,
+            scoredFallback,
+            apps,
+            fallbacks,
+            appResultLimit: 10);
+
+        // Expected order:
+        // 100: F1, SF1, A1
+        // 60: SF2
+        // 55: A2
+        // 50: F2
+        // Then fallbacks in original order: FB1, FB2
+        var titles = result.Select(r => r.Title).ToArray();
+#pragma warning disable CA1861 // Avoid constant arrays as arguments
+        CollectionAssert.AreEqual(
+            new[] { "F1", "SF1", "A1", "SF2", "A2", "F2", "FB1", "FB2" },
+            titles);
+#pragma warning restore CA1861 // Avoid constant arrays as arguments
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void Merge_AppliesAppLimit()
+    {
+        var apps = new List<Scored<IListItem>>
+        {
+            S("A1", 100),
+            S("A2", 90),
+            S("A3", 80),
+        };
+
+        var result = MainListPageResultFactory.Create(
+            null,
+            null,
+            apps,
+            null,
+            2);
+
+        Assert.AreEqual(2, result.Length);
+        Assert.AreEqual("A1", result[0].Title);
+        Assert.AreEqual("A2", result[1].Title);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void Merge_FiltersEmptyFallbacks()
+    {
+        var fallbacks = new List<Scored<IListItem>>
+        {
+            S("FB1", 0),
+            S(string.Empty, 0),
+            S("FB3", 0),
+        };
+
+        var result = MainListPageResultFactory.Create(
+            null,
+            null,
+            null,
+            fallbacks,
+            appResultLimit: 10);
+
+        Assert.AreEqual(2, result.Length);
+        Assert.AreEqual("FB1", result[0].Title);
+        Assert.AreEqual("FB3", result[1].Title);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void Merge_HandlesNullLists()
+    {
+        var result = MainListPageResultFactory.Create(
+            null,
+            null,
+            null,
+            null,
+            appResultLimit: 10);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(result);
+        Assert.AreEqual(0, result.Length);
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit/FuzzyStringMatcher.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit/FuzzyStringMatcher.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 // The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.

+using System.Globalization;
+
+using ToolGood.Words.Pinyin;
+
 namespace Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit;

 // Inspired by the fuzzy.rs from edit.exe
@@ -9,6 +13,21 @@ public static class FuzzyStringMatcher
 {
    private const int NOMATCH = 0;

+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets a value indicating whether to support Chinese PinYin.
+    /// Automatically enabled when the system UI culture is Simplified Chinese.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static bool ChinesePinYinSupport { get; } = IsSimplifiedChinese();
+
+    private static bool IsSimplifiedChinese()
+    {
+        var culture = CultureInfo.CurrentUICulture;
+
+        // Detect Simplified Chinese: zh-CN, zh-Hans, zh-Hans-*
+        return culture.Name.StartsWith("zh-CN", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
+            || culture.Name.StartsWith("zh-Hans", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+    }
+
    public static int ScoreFuzzy(string needle, string haystack, bool allowNonContiguousMatches = true)
    {
        var (s, _) = ScoreFuzzyWithPositions(needle, haystack, allowNonContiguousMatches);
@@ -16,6 +35,28 @@ public static class FuzzyStringMatcher
    }

    public static (int Score, List<int> Positions) ScoreFuzzyWithPositions(string needle, string haystack, bool allowNonContiguousMatches)
+        => ScoreAllFuzzyWithPositions(needle, haystack, allowNonContiguousMatches).MaxBy(i => i.Score);
+
+    public static IEnumerable<(int Score, List<int> Positions)> ScoreAllFuzzyWithPositions(string needle, string haystack, bool allowNonContiguousMatches)
+    {
+        List<string> needles = [needle];
+        List<string> haystacks = [haystack];
+
+        if (ChinesePinYinSupport)
+        {
+            // Remove IME composition split characters.
+            var input = needle.Replace("'", string.Empty);
+            needles.Add(WordsHelper.GetPinyin(input));
+            if (WordsHelper.HasChinese(haystack))
+            {
+                haystacks.Add(WordsHelper.GetPinyin(haystack));
+            }
+        }
+
+        return needles.SelectMany(i => haystacks.Select(j => ScoreFuzzyWithPositionsInternal(i, j, allowNonContiguousMatches)));
+    }
+
+    private static (int Score, List<int> Positions) ScoreFuzzyWithPositionsInternal(string needle, string haystack, bool allowNonContiguousMatches)
    {
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(haystack) || string.IsNullOrEmpty(needle))
        {
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit.csproj
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit.csproj
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
      <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers</IncludeAssets>
    </PackageReference>
    <PackageReference Include="System.Drawing.Common" />
+    <PackageReference Include="ToolGood.Words.Pinyin" />
    <!-- This line forces the WebView2 version used by Windows App SDK to be the one we expect from Directory.Packages.props . -->
  </ItemGroup>

--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.vcxproj
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.vcxproj
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
    <PathToRoot>..\..\..\..\..\</PathToRoot>
    <WasdkNuget>$(PathToRoot)packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.8.250907003</WasdkNuget>
    <CppWinRTNuget>$(PathToRoot)packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5</CppWinRTNuget>
-    <WindowsSdkBuildToolsNuget>$(PathToRoot)packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.26100.4188</WindowsSdkBuildToolsNuget>
+    <WindowsSdkBuildToolsNuget>$(PathToRoot)packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.26100.6901</WindowsSdkBuildToolsNuget>
    <WebView2Nuget>$(PathToRoot)packages\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.1.0.2903.40</WebView2Nuget>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <Import Project="$(WasdkNuget)\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props" Condition="Exists('$(WasdkNuget)\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props')" />
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions/packages.config
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions/packages.config
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@
  <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.InteractiveExperiences" version="1.8.250906004" targetFramework="native" />
  <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Widgets" version="1.8.250904007" targetFramework="native" />
  <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.AI" version="1.8.37" targetFramework="native" />
-  <package id="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" version="10.0.26100.4188" targetFramework="native" />
+  <package id="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" version="10.0.26100.6901" targetFramework="native" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.MSIX" version="1.7.20250829.1" targetFramework="native" />
-</packages>
+</packages>
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/nuget/BuildSDKHelper.ps1
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/extensionsdk/nuget/BuildSDKHelper.ps1
@@ -54,9 +54,15 @@ if ($IsAzurePipelineBuild) {
 } else {
  $nugetPath = (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "NugetWrapper.cmd")
 }
+$solutionPath = (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "..\..\..\..\..\PowerToys.slnx")

 if (($BuildStep -ieq "all") -Or ($BuildStep -ieq "build")) {
-  & $nugetPath restore (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "..\..\..\..\..\PowerToys.slnx")
+  $restoreArgs = @(
+    $solutionPath
+    "/t:Restore"
+    "/p:RestorePackagesConfig=true"
+  )
+  & $msbuildPath $restoreArgs

  Try {
    foreach ($config in $Configuration.Split(",")) {
--- a/src/modules/colorPicker/ColorPickerUI/Settings/UserSettings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/colorPicker/ColorPickerUI/Settings/UserSettings.cs
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace ColorPicker.Settings
        [ImportingConstructor]
        public UserSettings(Helpers.IThrottledActionInvoker throttledActionInvoker)
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ChangeCursor = new SettingItem<bool>(true);
            ActivationShortcut = new SettingItem<string>(DefaultActivationShortcut);
            CopiedColorRepresentation = new SettingItem<string>(ColorRepresentationType.HEX.ToString());
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/EditorCommands.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/EditorCommands.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI.Commands;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Editor and Settings commands.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class EditorCommands
+{
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) OpenEditor()
+    {
+        var editorExe = "PowerToys.FancyZonesEditor.exe";
+
+        // Check if editor-parameters.json exists
+        if (!FancyZonesData.EditorParametersExist())
+        {
+            return (1, "Error: editor-parameters.json not found.\nPlease launch FancyZones Editor using Win+` (Win+Backtick) hotkey first.");
+        }
+
+        // Check if editor is already running
+        var existingProcess = Process.GetProcessesByName("PowerToys.FancyZonesEditor").FirstOrDefault();
+        if (existingProcess != null)
+        {
+            NativeMethods.SetForegroundWindow(existingProcess.MainWindowHandle);
+            return (0, "FancyZones Editor is already running. Brought window to foreground.");
+        }
+
+        // Only check same directory as CLI
+        var editorPath = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, editorExe);
+
+        if (File.Exists(editorPath))
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo
+                {
+                    FileName = editorPath,
+                    UseShellExecute = true,
+                });
+                return (0, "FancyZones Editor launched successfully.");
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                return (1, $"Failed to launch: {ex.Message}");
+            }
+        }
+
+        return (1, $"Error: Could not find {editorExe} in {AppContext.BaseDirectory}");
+    }
+
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) OpenSettings()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            // Find PowerToys.exe in common locations
+            string powertoysExe = null;
+
+            // Check in the same directory as the CLI (typical for dev builds)
+            var sameDirPath = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "PowerToys.exe");
+            if (File.Exists(sameDirPath))
+            {
+                powertoysExe = sameDirPath;
+            }
+
+            if (powertoysExe == null)
+            {
+                return (1, "Error: PowerToys.exe not found. Please ensure PowerToys is installed.");
+            }
+
+            Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo
+            {
+                FileName = powertoysExe,
+                Arguments = "--open-settings=FancyZones",
+                UseShellExecute = false,
+            });
+            return (0, "FancyZones Settings opened successfully.");
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            return (1, $"Error: Failed to open FancyZones Settings. {ex.Message}");
+        }
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/HotkeyCommands.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/HotkeyCommands.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Linq;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI.Commands;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Hotkey-related commands.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class HotkeyCommands
+{
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) GetHotkeys()
+    {
+        var hotkeys = FancyZonesData.ReadLayoutHotkeys();
+        if (hotkeys?.Hotkeys == null || hotkeys.Hotkeys.Count == 0)
+        {
+            return (0, "No hotkeys configured.");
+        }
+
+        var sb = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
+        sb.AppendLine("=== Layout Hotkeys ===\n");
+        sb.AppendLine("Press Win + Ctrl + Alt + <number> to switch layouts:\n");
+
+        foreach (var hotkey in hotkeys.Hotkeys.OrderBy(h => h.Key))
+        {
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  [{hotkey.Key}] => {hotkey.LayoutId}");
+        }
+
+        return (0, sb.ToString().TrimEnd());
+    }
+
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) SetHotkey(int key, string layoutUuid, Action<uint> notifyFancyZones, uint wmPrivLayoutHotkeysFileUpdate)
+    {
+        if (key < 0 || key > 9)
+        {
+            return (1, "Error: Key must be between 0 and 9");
+        }
+
+        // Check if this is a custom layout UUID
+        var customLayouts = FancyZonesData.ReadCustomLayouts();
+        var matchedLayout = customLayouts?.Layouts?.FirstOrDefault(l => l.Uuid.Equals(layoutUuid, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
+        bool isCustomLayout = matchedLayout != null;
+        string layoutName = matchedLayout?.Name ?? layoutUuid;
+
+        var hotkeys = FancyZonesData.ReadLayoutHotkeys() ?? new LayoutHotkeys();
+
+        hotkeys.Hotkeys ??= new List<LayoutHotkey>();
+
+        // Remove existing hotkey for this key
+        hotkeys.Hotkeys.RemoveAll(h => h.Key == key);
+
+        // Add new hotkey
+        hotkeys.Hotkeys.Add(new LayoutHotkey { Key = key, LayoutId = layoutUuid });
+
+        // Save
+        FancyZonesData.WriteLayoutHotkeys(hotkeys);
+
+        // Notify FancyZones
+        notifyFancyZones(wmPrivLayoutHotkeysFileUpdate);
+
+        if (isCustomLayout)
+        {
+            return (0, $"✓ Hotkey {key} assigned to custom layout '{layoutName}'\n  Press Win + Ctrl + Alt + {key} to switch to this layout");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return (0, $"⚠ Warning: Hotkey {key} assigned to '{layoutUuid}'\n  Note: FancyZones hotkeys only work with CUSTOM layouts.\n  Template layouts (focus, columns, rows, etc.) cannot be used with hotkeys.\n  Create a custom layout in the FancyZones Editor to use this hotkey.");
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) RemoveHotkey(int key, Action<uint> notifyFancyZones, uint wmPrivLayoutHotkeysFileUpdate)
+    {
+        var hotkeys = FancyZonesData.ReadLayoutHotkeys();
+        if (hotkeys?.Hotkeys == null)
+        {
+            return (0, $"No hotkey assigned to key {key}");
+        }
+
+        var removed = hotkeys.Hotkeys.RemoveAll(h => h.Key == key);
+        if (removed == 0)
+        {
+            return (0, $"No hotkey assigned to key {key}");
+        }
+
+        // Save
+        FancyZonesData.WriteLayoutHotkeys(hotkeys);
+
+        // Notify FancyZones
+        notifyFancyZones(wmPrivLayoutHotkeysFileUpdate);
+
+        return (0, $"Hotkey {key} removed");
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/LayoutCommands.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/LayoutCommands.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,276 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text.Json;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI.Commands;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Layout-related commands.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class LayoutCommands
+{
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) GetLayouts()
+    {
+        var sb = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
+
+        // Print template layouts
+        var templatesJson = FancyZonesData.ReadLayoutTemplates();
+        if (templatesJson?.Templates != null)
+        {
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"=== Built-in Template Layouts ({templatesJson.Templates.Count} total) ===\n");
+
+            for (int i = 0; i < templatesJson.Templates.Count; i++)
+            {
+                var template = templatesJson.Templates[i];
+                sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"[T{i + 1}] {template.Type}");
+                sb.Append(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"    Zones: {template.ZoneCount}");
+                if (template.ShowSpacing && template.Spacing > 0)
+                {
+                    sb.Append(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $", Spacing: {template.Spacing}px");
+                }
+
+                sb.AppendLine();
+                sb.AppendLine();
+
+                // Draw visual preview
+                sb.Append(LayoutVisualizer.DrawTemplateLayout(template));
+
+                if (i < templatesJson.Templates.Count - 1)
+                {
+                    sb.AppendLine();
+                }
+            }
+
+            sb.AppendLine("\n");
+        }
+
+        // Print custom layouts
+        var customLayouts = FancyZonesData.ReadCustomLayouts();
+        if (customLayouts?.Layouts != null)
+        {
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"=== Custom Layouts ({customLayouts.Layouts.Count} total) ===");
+
+            for (int i = 0; i < customLayouts.Layouts.Count; i++)
+            {
+                var layout = customLayouts.Layouts[i];
+                sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"[{i + 1}] {layout.Name}");
+                sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"    UUID: {layout.Uuid}");
+                sb.Append(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"    Type: {layout.Type}");
+
+                bool isCanvasLayout = false;
+                if (layout.Info.ValueKind != JsonValueKind.Undefined && layout.Info.ValueKind != JsonValueKind.Null)
+                {
+                    if (layout.Type == "grid" && layout.Info.TryGetProperty("rows", out var rows) && layout.Info.TryGetProperty("columns", out var cols))
+                    {
+                        sb.Append(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $" ({rows.GetInt32()}x{cols.GetInt32()} grid)");
+                    }
+                    else if (layout.Type == "canvas" && layout.Info.TryGetProperty("zones", out var zones))
+                    {
+                        sb.Append(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $" ({zones.GetArrayLength()} zones)");
+                        isCanvasLayout = true;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                sb.AppendLine("\n");
+
+                // Draw visual preview
+                sb.Append(LayoutVisualizer.DrawCustomLayout(layout));
+
+                // Add note for canvas layouts
+                if (isCanvasLayout)
+                {
+                    sb.AppendLine("\n    Note: Canvas layout preview is approximate.");
+                    sb.AppendLine("          Open FancyZones Editor for precise zone boundaries.");
+                }
+
+                if (i < customLayouts.Layouts.Count - 1)
+                {
+                    sb.AppendLine();
+                }
+            }
+
+            sb.AppendLine("\nUse 'FancyZonesCLI.exe set-layout <UUID>' to apply a layout.");
+        }
+
+        return (0, sb.ToString().TrimEnd());
+    }
+
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) GetActiveLayout()
+    {
+        if (!FancyZonesData.TryReadAppliedLayouts(out var appliedLayouts, out var error))
+        {
+            return (1, $"Error: {error}");
+        }
+
+        if (appliedLayouts.Layouts == null || appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count == 0)
+        {
+            return (0, "No active layouts found.");
+        }
+
+        var sb = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
+        sb.AppendLine("\n=== Active FancyZones Layout(s) ===\n");
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count; i++)
+        {
+            var layout = appliedLayouts.Layouts[i];
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"Monitor {i + 1}:");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Name: {layout.AppliedLayout.Type}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  UUID: {layout.AppliedLayout.Uuid}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Type: {layout.AppliedLayout.Type} ({layout.AppliedLayout.ZoneCount} zones)");
+
+            if (layout.AppliedLayout.ShowSpacing)
+            {
+                sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Spacing: {layout.AppliedLayout.Spacing}px");
+            }
+
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Sensitivity Radius: {layout.AppliedLayout.SensitivityRadius}px");
+
+            if (i < appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count - 1)
+            {
+                sb.AppendLine();
+            }
+        }
+
+        return (0, sb.ToString().TrimEnd());
+    }
+
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) SetLayout(string[] args, Action<uint> notifyFancyZones, uint wmPrivAppliedLayoutsFileUpdate)
+    {
+        Logger.LogInfo($"SetLayout called with args: [{string.Join(", ", args)}]");
+
+        if (args.Length == 0)
+        {
+            return (1, "Error: set-layout requires a UUID parameter");
+        }
+
+        string uuid = args[0];
+        int? targetMonitor = null;
+        bool applyToAll = false;
+
+        // Parse options
+        for (int i = 1; i < args.Length; i++)
+        {
+            if (args[i] == "--monitor" && i + 1 < args.Length)
+            {
+                if (int.TryParse(args[i + 1], out int monitorNum))
+                {
+                    targetMonitor = monitorNum;
+                    i++; // Skip next arg
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    return (1, $"Error: Invalid monitor number: {args[i + 1]}");
+                }
+            }
+            else if (args[i] == "--all")
+            {
+                applyToAll = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (targetMonitor.HasValue && applyToAll)
+        {
+            return (1, "Error: Cannot specify both --monitor and --all");
+        }
+
+        // Try to find layout in custom layouts first (by UUID)
+        var customLayouts = FancyZonesData.ReadCustomLayouts();
+        var targetCustomLayout = customLayouts?.Layouts?.FirstOrDefault(l => l.Uuid.Equals(uuid, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
+
+        // If not found in custom layouts, try template layouts (by type name)
+        TemplateLayout targetTemplate = null;
+        if (targetCustomLayout == null)
+        {
+            var templates = FancyZonesData.ReadLayoutTemplates();
+            targetTemplate = templates?.Templates?.FirstOrDefault(t => t.Type.Equals(uuid, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
+        }
+
+        if (targetCustomLayout == null && targetTemplate == null)
+        {
+            return (1, $"Error: Layout '{uuid}' not found\nTip: For templates, use the type name (e.g., 'focus', 'columns', 'rows', 'grid', 'priority-grid')\n     For custom layouts, use the UUID from 'get-layouts'");
+        }
+
+        // Read current applied layouts
+        if (!FancyZonesData.TryReadAppliedLayouts(out var appliedLayouts, out var error))
+        {
+            return (1, $"Error: {error}");
+        }
+
+        if (appliedLayouts.Layouts == null || appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count == 0)
+        {
+            return (1, "Error: No monitors configured");
+        }
+
+        // Determine which monitors to update
+        List<int> monitorsToUpdate = new List<int>();
+        if (applyToAll)
+        {
+            for (int i = 0; i < appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count; i++)
+            {
+                monitorsToUpdate.Add(i);
+            }
+        }
+        else if (targetMonitor.HasValue)
+        {
+            int monitorIndex = targetMonitor.Value - 1; // Convert to 0-based
+            if (monitorIndex < 0 || monitorIndex >= appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count)
+            {
+                return (1, $"Error: Monitor {targetMonitor.Value} not found. Available monitors: 1-{appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count}");
+            }
+
+            monitorsToUpdate.Add(monitorIndex);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // Default: first monitor
+            monitorsToUpdate.Add(0);
+        }
+
+        // Update selected monitors
+        foreach (int monitorIndex in monitorsToUpdate)
+        {
+            if (targetCustomLayout != null)
+            {
+                appliedLayouts.Layouts[monitorIndex].AppliedLayout.Uuid = targetCustomLayout.Uuid;
+                appliedLayouts.Layouts[monitorIndex].AppliedLayout.Type = targetCustomLayout.Type;
+            }
+            else if (targetTemplate != null)
+            {
+                // For templates, use all-zeros UUID and the template type
+                appliedLayouts.Layouts[monitorIndex].AppliedLayout.Uuid = "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}";
+                appliedLayouts.Layouts[monitorIndex].AppliedLayout.Type = targetTemplate.Type;
+                appliedLayouts.Layouts[monitorIndex].AppliedLayout.ZoneCount = targetTemplate.ZoneCount;
+                appliedLayouts.Layouts[monitorIndex].AppliedLayout.ShowSpacing = targetTemplate.ShowSpacing;
+                appliedLayouts.Layouts[monitorIndex].AppliedLayout.Spacing = targetTemplate.Spacing;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Write back to file
+        FancyZonesData.WriteAppliedLayouts(appliedLayouts);
+        Logger.LogInfo($"Applied layouts file updated for {monitorsToUpdate.Count} monitor(s)");
+
+        // Notify FancyZones to reload
+        notifyFancyZones(wmPrivAppliedLayoutsFileUpdate);
+        Logger.LogInfo("FancyZones notified of layout change");
+
+        string layoutName = targetCustomLayout?.Name ?? targetTemplate?.Type ?? uuid;
+        if (applyToAll)
+        {
+            return (0, $"Layout '{layoutName}' applied to all {monitorsToUpdate.Count} monitors");
+        }
+        else if (targetMonitor.HasValue)
+        {
+            return (0, $"Layout '{layoutName}' applied to monitor {targetMonitor.Value}");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return (0, $"Layout '{layoutName}' applied to monitor 1");
+        }
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/MonitorCommands.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Commands/MonitorCommands.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System.Globalization;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI.Commands;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Monitor-related commands.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class MonitorCommands
+{
+    public static (int ExitCode, string Output) GetMonitors()
+    {
+        if (!FancyZonesData.TryReadAppliedLayouts(out var appliedLayouts, out var error))
+        {
+            return (1, $"Error: {error}");
+        }
+
+        if (appliedLayouts.Layouts == null || appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count == 0)
+        {
+            return (0, "No monitors found.");
+        }
+
+        var sb = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
+        sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"=== Monitors ({appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count} total) ===");
+        sb.AppendLine();
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < appliedLayouts.Layouts.Count; i++)
+        {
+            var layout = appliedLayouts.Layouts[i];
+            var monitorNum = i + 1;
+
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"Monitor {monitorNum}:");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Monitor: {layout.Device.Monitor}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Monitor Instance: {layout.Device.MonitorInstance}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Monitor Number: {layout.Device.MonitorNumber}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Serial Number: {layout.Device.SerialNumber}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Virtual Desktop: {layout.Device.VirtualDesktop}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Sensitivity Radius: {layout.AppliedLayout.SensitivityRadius}px");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Active Layout: {layout.AppliedLayout.Type}");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"  Zone Count: {layout.AppliedLayout.ZoneCount}");
+            sb.AppendLine();
+        }
+
+        return (0, sb.ToString().TrimEnd());
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/FancyZonesCLI.csproj
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/FancyZonesCLI.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+  <!-- Look at Directory.Build.props in root for common stuff as well -->
+  <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props" />
+  <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.SelfContained.props" />
+  <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props" />
+  
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <AssemblyTitle>PowerToys.FancyZonesCLI</AssemblyTitle>
+    <AssemblyDescription>PowerToys FancyZones Command Line Interface</AssemblyDescription>
+    <Description>PowerToys FancyZones CLI</Description>
+    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
+    <Platforms>x64;ARM64</Platforms>
+    <PublishAot>true</PublishAot>
+    <DisableRuntimeMarshalling>true</DisableRuntimeMarshalling>
+    <AppendTargetFrameworkToOutputPath>false</AppendTargetFrameworkToOutputPath>
+    <AppendRuntimeIdentifierToOutputPath>false</AppendRuntimeIdentifierToOutputPath>
+    <OutputPath>..\..\..\..\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)</OutputPath>
+    <AssemblyName>FancyZonesCLI</AssemblyName>
+    <NoWarn>$(NoWarn);SA1500;SA1402;CA1852</NoWarn>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <PackageReference Include="System.Text.Json" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Windows.CsWin32" PrivateAssets="all" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <!-- Force using WindowsDesktop runtime to ensure consistent dll versions with other projects -->
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <FrameworkReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+</Project>
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/FancyZonesData.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/FancyZonesData.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization.Metadata;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Provides methods to read and write FancyZones configuration data.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class FancyZonesData
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Try to read applied layouts configuration.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static bool TryReadAppliedLayouts(out AppliedLayouts result, out string error)
+    {
+        return TryReadJsonFile(FancyZonesPaths.AppliedLayouts, FancyZonesJsonContext.Default.AppliedLayouts, out result, out error);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Read applied layouts or return null if not found.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static AppliedLayouts ReadAppliedLayouts()
+    {
+        return ReadJsonFileOrDefault(FancyZonesPaths.AppliedLayouts, FancyZonesJsonContext.Default.AppliedLayouts);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Write applied layouts configuration.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void WriteAppliedLayouts(AppliedLayouts layouts)
+    {
+        WriteJsonFile(FancyZonesPaths.AppliedLayouts, layouts, FancyZonesJsonContext.Default.AppliedLayouts);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Read custom layouts or return null if not found.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static CustomLayouts ReadCustomLayouts()
+    {
+        return ReadJsonFileOrDefault(FancyZonesPaths.CustomLayouts, FancyZonesJsonContext.Default.CustomLayouts);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Read layout templates or return null if not found.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static LayoutTemplates ReadLayoutTemplates()
+    {
+        return ReadJsonFileOrDefault(FancyZonesPaths.LayoutTemplates, FancyZonesJsonContext.Default.LayoutTemplates);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Read layout hotkeys or return null if not found.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static LayoutHotkeys ReadLayoutHotkeys()
+    {
+        return ReadJsonFileOrDefault(FancyZonesPaths.LayoutHotkeys, FancyZonesJsonContext.Default.LayoutHotkeys);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Write layout hotkeys configuration.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void WriteLayoutHotkeys(LayoutHotkeys hotkeys)
+    {
+        WriteJsonFile(FancyZonesPaths.LayoutHotkeys, hotkeys, FancyZonesJsonContext.Default.LayoutHotkeys);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Check if editor parameters file exists.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static bool EditorParametersExist()
+    {
+        return File.Exists(FancyZonesPaths.EditorParameters);
+    }
+
+    private static bool TryReadJsonFile<T>(string filePath, JsonTypeInfo<T> jsonTypeInfo, out T result, out string error)
+        where T : class
+    {
+        result = null;
+        error = null;
+
+        Logger.LogDebug($"Reading file: {filePath}");
+
+        if (!File.Exists(filePath))
+        {
+            error = $"File not found: {Path.GetFileName(filePath)}";
+            Logger.LogWarning(error);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            var json = File.ReadAllText(filePath);
+            result = JsonSerializer.Deserialize(json, jsonTypeInfo);
+            if (result == null)
+            {
+                error = $"Failed to parse {Path.GetFileName(filePath)}";
+                Logger.LogError(error);
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            Logger.LogDebug($"Successfully read {Path.GetFileName(filePath)}");
+            return true;
+        }
+        catch (JsonException ex)
+        {
+            error = $"JSON parse error in {Path.GetFileName(filePath)}: {ex.Message}";
+            Logger.LogError(error, ex);
+            return false;
+        }
+        catch (IOException ex)
+        {
+            error = $"Failed to read {Path.GetFileName(filePath)}: {ex.Message}";
+            Logger.LogError(error, ex);
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static T ReadJsonFileOrDefault<T>(string filePath, JsonTypeInfo<T> jsonTypeInfo, T defaultValue = null)
+        where T : class
+    {
+        if (TryReadJsonFile(filePath, jsonTypeInfo, out var result, out _))
+        {
+            return result;
+        }
+
+        return defaultValue;
+    }
+
+    private static void WriteJsonFile<T>(string filePath, T data, JsonTypeInfo<T> jsonTypeInfo)
+    {
+        Logger.LogDebug($"Writing file: {filePath}");
+        var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(data, jsonTypeInfo);
+        File.WriteAllText(filePath, json);
+        Logger.LogInfo($"Successfully wrote {Path.GetFileName(filePath)}");
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/FancyZonesPaths.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/FancyZonesPaths.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Provides paths to FancyZones configuration files.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class FancyZonesPaths
+{
+    private static readonly string DataPath = Path.Combine(
+        Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData),
+        "Microsoft",
+        "PowerToys",
+        "FancyZones");
+
+    public static string AppliedLayouts => Path.Combine(DataPath, "applied-layouts.json");
+
+    public static string CustomLayouts => Path.Combine(DataPath, "custom-layouts.json");
+
+    public static string LayoutTemplates => Path.Combine(DataPath, "layout-templates.json");
+
+    public static string LayoutHotkeys => Path.Combine(DataPath, "layout-hotkeys.json");
+
+    public static string EditorParameters => Path.Combine(DataPath, "editor-parameters.json");
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/LayoutVisualizer.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/LayoutVisualizer.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,550 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Text.Json;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI;
+
+public static class LayoutVisualizer
+{
+    public static string DrawTemplateLayout(TemplateLayout template)
+    {
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+        sb.AppendLine("    Visual Preview:");
+
+        switch (template.Type.ToLowerInvariant())
+        {
+            case "focus":
+                sb.Append(RenderFocusLayout(template.ZoneCount > 0 ? template.ZoneCount : 3));
+                break;
+            case "columns":
+                sb.Append(RenderGridLayout(1, template.ZoneCount > 0 ? template.ZoneCount : 3));
+                break;
+            case "rows":
+                sb.Append(RenderGridLayout(template.ZoneCount > 0 ? template.ZoneCount : 3, 1));
+                break;
+            case "grid":
+                // Grid layout: calculate rows and columns from zone count
+                // Algorithm from GridLayoutModel.InitGrid() - tries to make it close to square
+                // with cols >= rows preference
+                int zoneCount = template.ZoneCount > 0 ? template.ZoneCount : 3;
+                int rows = 1;
+                while (zoneCount / rows >= rows)
+                {
+                    rows++;
+                }
+
+                rows--;
+                int cols = zoneCount / rows;
+                if (zoneCount % rows != 0)
+                {
+                    cols++;
+                }
+
+                sb.Append(RenderGridLayoutWithZoneCount(rows, cols, zoneCount));
+                break;
+            case "priority-grid":
+                sb.Append(RenderPriorityGridLayout(template.ZoneCount > 0 ? template.ZoneCount : 3));
+                break;
+            case "blank":
+                sb.AppendLine("    (No zones)");
+                break;
+            default:
+                sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"    ({template.Type} layout)");
+                break;
+        }
+
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    public static string DrawCustomLayout(CustomLayout layout)
+    {
+        if (layout.Info.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Undefined || layout.Info.ValueKind == JsonValueKind.Null)
+        {
+            return string.Empty;
+        }
+
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+        sb.AppendLine("    Visual Preview:");
+
+        if (layout.Type == "grid" &&
+            layout.Info.TryGetProperty("rows", out var rows) &&
+            layout.Info.TryGetProperty("columns", out var cols))
+        {
+            int r = rows.GetInt32();
+            int c = cols.GetInt32();
+
+            // Check if there's a cell-child-map (merged cells)
+            if (layout.Info.TryGetProperty("cell-child-map", out var cellMap))
+            {
+                sb.Append(RenderGridLayoutWithMergedCells(r, c, cellMap));
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                int height = r >= 4 ? 12 : 8;
+                sb.Append(RenderGridLayout(r, c, 30, height));
+            }
+        }
+        else if (layout.Type == "canvas" &&
+                 layout.Info.TryGetProperty("zones", out var zones) &&
+                 layout.Info.TryGetProperty("ref-width", out var refWidth) &&
+                 layout.Info.TryGetProperty("ref-height", out var refHeight))
+        {
+            sb.Append(RenderCanvasLayout(zones, refWidth.GetInt32(), refHeight.GetInt32()));
+        }
+
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    private static string RenderFocusLayout(int zoneCount = 3)
+    {
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+
+        // Focus layout: overlapping zones with cascading offset
+        if (zoneCount == 1)
+        {
+            sb.AppendLine("    +-------+");
+            sb.AppendLine("    |       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("    |       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("    +-------+");
+        }
+        else if (zoneCount == 2)
+        {
+            sb.AppendLine("    +-------+");
+            sb.AppendLine("    |       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("    | +-------+");
+            sb.AppendLine("    +-|       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("      |       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("      +-------+");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            sb.AppendLine("    +-------+");
+            sb.AppendLine("    |       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("    | +-------+");
+            sb.AppendLine("    +-|       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("      | +-------+");
+            sb.AppendLine("      +-|       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("        ...");
+            sb.AppendLine(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"        (total: {zoneCount} zones)");
+            sb.AppendLine("        ...");
+            sb.AppendLine("        | +-------+");
+            sb.AppendLine("        +-|       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("          |       |");
+            sb.AppendLine("          +-------+");
+        }
+
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    private static string RenderPriorityGridLayout(int zoneCount = 3)
+    {
+        // Priority Grid has predefined layouts for zone counts 1-11
+        // Data format from GridLayoutModel._priorityData
+        if (zoneCount >= 1 && zoneCount <= 11)
+        {
+            int[,] cellMap = GetPriorityGridCellMap(zoneCount);
+            return RenderGridLayoutWithCellMap(cellMap);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // > 11 zones: use grid layout
+            int rows = 1;
+            while (zoneCount / rows >= rows)
+            {
+                rows++;
+            }
+
+            rows--;
+            int cols = zoneCount / rows;
+            if (zoneCount % rows != 0)
+            {
+                cols++;
+            }
+
+            return RenderGridLayoutWithZoneCount(rows, cols, zoneCount);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static int[,] GetPriorityGridCellMap(int zoneCount)
+    {
+        // Parsed from Editor's _priorityData byte arrays
+        return zoneCount switch
+        {
+            1 => new int[,] { { 0 } },
+            2 => new int[,] { { 0, 1 } },
+            3 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2 } },
+            4 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2 }, { 0, 1, 3 } },
+            5 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2 }, { 3, 1, 4 } },
+            6 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2 }, { 0, 1, 3 }, { 4, 1, 5 } },
+            7 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2 }, { 3, 1, 4 }, { 5, 1, 6 } },
+            8 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2, 3 }, { 4, 1, 2, 5 }, { 6, 1, 2, 7 } },
+            9 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2, 3 }, { 4, 1, 2, 5 }, { 6, 1, 7, 8 } },
+            10 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2, 3 }, { 4, 1, 5, 6 }, { 7, 1, 8, 9 } },
+            11 => new int[,] { { 0, 1, 2, 3 }, { 4, 1, 5, 6 }, { 7, 8, 9, 10 } },
+            _ => new int[,] { { 0 } },
+        };
+    }
+
+    private static string RenderGridLayoutWithCellMap(int[,] cellMap, int width = 30, int height = 8)
+    {
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+        int rows = cellMap.GetLength(0);
+        int cols = cellMap.GetLength(1);
+
+        int cellWidth = width / cols;
+        int cellHeight = height / rows;
+
+        for (int r = 0; r < rows; r++)
+        {
+            // Top border
+            sb.Append("    +");
+            for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+            {
+                bool mergeTop = r > 0 && cellMap[r, c] == cellMap[r - 1, c];
+                bool mergeLeft = c > 0 && cellMap[r, c] == cellMap[r, c - 1];
+
+                if (mergeTop)
+                {
+                    sb.Append(mergeLeft ? new string(' ', cellWidth) : new string(' ', cellWidth - 1) + "+");
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    sb.Append(mergeLeft ? new string('-', cellWidth) : new string('-', cellWidth - 1) + "+");
+                }
+            }
+
+            sb.AppendLine();
+
+            // Cell content
+            for (int h = 0; h < cellHeight - 1; h++)
+            {
+                sb.Append("    ");
+                for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+                {
+                    bool mergeLeft = c > 0 && cellMap[r, c] == cellMap[r, c - 1];
+                    sb.Append(mergeLeft ? ' ' : '|');
+                    sb.Append(' ', cellWidth - 1);
+                }
+
+                sb.AppendLine("|");
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Bottom border
+        sb.Append("    +");
+        for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+        {
+            sb.Append('-', cellWidth - 1);
+            sb.Append('+');
+        }
+
+        sb.AppendLine();
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    private static string RenderGridLayoutWithMergedCells(int rows, int cols, JsonElement cellMap)
+    {
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+        const int displayWidth = 39;
+        const int displayHeight = 12;
+
+        // Build zone map from cell-child-map
+        int[,] zoneMap = new int[rows, cols];
+        for (int r = 0; r < rows; r++)
+        {
+            var rowArray = cellMap[r];
+            for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+            {
+                zoneMap[r, c] = rowArray[c].GetInt32();
+            }
+        }
+
+        int cellHeight = displayHeight / rows;
+        int cellWidth = displayWidth / cols;
+
+        // Draw top border
+        sb.Append("    +");
+        sb.Append('-', displayWidth);
+        sb.AppendLine("+");
+
+        // Draw rows
+        for (int r = 0; r < rows; r++)
+        {
+            for (int h = 0; h < cellHeight; h++)
+            {
+                sb.Append("    |");
+
+                for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+                {
+                    int currentZone = zoneMap[r, c];
+                    int leftZone = c > 0 ? zoneMap[r, c - 1] : -1;
+                    bool needLeftBorder = c > 0 && currentZone != leftZone;
+
+                    bool zoneHasTopBorder = r > 0 && h == 0 && currentZone != zoneMap[r - 1, c];
+
+                    if (needLeftBorder)
+                    {
+                        sb.Append('|');
+                        sb.Append(zoneHasTopBorder ? '-' : ' ', cellWidth - 1);
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        sb.Append(zoneHasTopBorder ? '-' : ' ', cellWidth);
+                    }
+                }
+
+                sb.AppendLine("|");
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Draw bottom border
+        sb.Append("    +");
+        sb.Append('-', displayWidth);
+        sb.AppendLine("+");
+
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    public static string RenderGridLayoutWithZoneCount(int rows, int cols, int zoneCount, int width = 30, int height = 8)
+    {
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+
+        // Build zone map like Editor's InitGrid
+        int[,] zoneMap = new int[rows, cols];
+        int index = 0;
+        for (int r = 0; r < rows; r++)
+        {
+            for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+            {
+                zoneMap[r, c] = index++;
+                if (index == zoneCount)
+                {
+                    index--; // Remaining cells use the last zone index
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        int cellWidth = width / cols;
+        int cellHeight = height / rows;
+
+        for (int r = 0; r < rows; r++)
+        {
+            // Top border
+            sb.Append("    +");
+            for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+            {
+                bool mergeLeft = c > 0 && zoneMap[r, c] == zoneMap[r, c - 1];
+                sb.Append('-', mergeLeft ? cellWidth : cellWidth - 1);
+                if (!mergeLeft)
+                {
+                    sb.Append('+');
+                }
+            }
+
+            sb.AppendLine();
+
+            // Cell content
+            for (int h = 0; h < cellHeight - 1; h++)
+            {
+                sb.Append("    ");
+                for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+                {
+                    bool mergeLeft = c > 0 && zoneMap[r, c] == zoneMap[r, c - 1];
+                    sb.Append(mergeLeft ? ' ' : '|');
+                    sb.Append(' ', cellWidth - 1);
+                }
+
+                sb.AppendLine("|");
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Bottom border
+        sb.Append("    +");
+        for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+        {
+            sb.Append('-', cellWidth - 1);
+            sb.Append('+');
+        }
+
+        sb.AppendLine();
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    public static string RenderGridLayout(int rows, int cols, int width = 30, int height = 8)
+    {
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+        int cellWidth = width / cols;
+        int cellHeight = height / rows;
+
+        for (int r = 0; r < rows; r++)
+        {
+            // Top border
+            sb.Append("    +");
+            for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+            {
+                sb.Append('-', cellWidth - 1);
+                sb.Append('+');
+            }
+
+            sb.AppendLine();
+
+            // Cell content
+            for (int h = 0; h < cellHeight - 1; h++)
+            {
+                sb.Append("    ");
+                for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+                {
+                    sb.Append('|');
+                    sb.Append(' ', cellWidth - 1);
+                }
+
+                sb.AppendLine("|");
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Bottom border
+        sb.Append("    +");
+        for (int c = 0; c < cols; c++)
+        {
+            sb.Append('-', cellWidth - 1);
+            sb.Append('+');
+        }
+
+        sb.AppendLine();
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+
+    private static string RenderCanvasLayout(JsonElement zones, int refWidth, int refHeight)
+    {
+        var sb = new StringBuilder();
+        const int displayWidth = 49;
+        const int displayHeight = 15;
+
+        // Create a 2D array to track which zones occupy each position
+        var zoneGrid = new List<int>[displayHeight, displayWidth];
+        for (int i = 0; i < displayHeight; i++)
+        {
+            for (int j = 0; j < displayWidth; j++)
+            {
+                zoneGrid[i, j] = new List<int>();
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Map each zone to the grid
+        int zoneId = 0;
+        var zoneList = new List<(int X, int Y, int Width, int Height, int Id)>();
+
+        foreach (var zone in zones.EnumerateArray())
+        {
+            int x = zone.GetProperty("X").GetInt32();
+            int y = zone.GetProperty("Y").GetInt32();
+            int w = zone.GetProperty("width").GetInt32();
+            int h = zone.GetProperty("height").GetInt32();
+
+            int dx = Math.Max(0, Math.Min(displayWidth - 1, x * displayWidth / refWidth));
+            int dy = Math.Max(0, Math.Min(displayHeight - 1, y * displayHeight / refHeight));
+            int dw = Math.Max(3, w * displayWidth / refWidth);
+            int dh = Math.Max(2, h * displayHeight / refHeight);
+
+            if (dx + dw > displayWidth)
+            {
+                dw = displayWidth - dx;
+            }
+
+            if (dy + dh > displayHeight)
+            {
+                dh = displayHeight - dy;
+            }
+
+            zoneList.Add((dx, dy, dw, dh, zoneId));
+
+            for (int r = dy; r < dy + dh && r < displayHeight; r++)
+            {
+                for (int c = dx; c < dx + dw && c < displayWidth; c++)
+                {
+                    zoneGrid[r, c].Add(zoneId);
+                }
+            }
+
+            zoneId++;
+        }
+
+        // Draw top border
+        sb.Append("    +");
+        sb.Append('-', displayWidth);
+        sb.AppendLine("+");
+
+        // Draw each row
+        char[] shades = { '.', ':', '░', '▒', '▓', '█', '◆', '●', '■', '▪' };
+
+        for (int r = 0; r < displayHeight; r++)
+        {
+            sb.Append("    |");
+            for (int c = 0; c < displayWidth; c++)
+            {
+                var zonesHere = zoneGrid[r, c];
+
+                if (zonesHere.Count == 0)
+                {
+                    sb.Append(' ');
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    int topZone = zonesHere[zonesHere.Count - 1];
+                    var rect = zoneList[topZone];
+
+                    bool isTopEdge = r == rect.Y;
+                    bool isBottomEdge = r == rect.Y + rect.Height - 1;
+                    bool isLeftEdge = c == rect.X;
+                    bool isRightEdge = c == rect.X + rect.Width - 1;
+
+                    if ((isTopEdge || isBottomEdge) && (isLeftEdge || isRightEdge))
+                    {
+                        sb.Append('+');
+                    }
+                    else if (isTopEdge || isBottomEdge)
+                    {
+                        sb.Append('-');
+                    }
+                    else if (isLeftEdge || isRightEdge)
+                    {
+                        sb.Append('|');
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        sb.Append(shades[topZone % shades.Length]);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            sb.AppendLine("|");
+        }
+
+        // Draw bottom border
+        sb.Append("    +");
+        sb.Append('-', displayWidth);
+        sb.AppendLine("+");
+
+        // Draw legend
+        sb.AppendLine();
+        sb.Append("    Legend: ");
+        for (int i = 0; i < Math.Min(zoneId, shades.Length); i++)
+        {
+            if (i > 0)
+            {
+                sb.Append(", ");
+            }
+
+            sb.Append(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, $"Zone {i} = {shades[i]}");
+        }
+
+        sb.AppendLine();
+        return sb.ToString();
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Logger.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Logger.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Simple logger for FancyZones CLI.
+/// Logs to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\FancyZones\CLI\Logs
+/// </summary>
+internal static class Logger
+{
+    private static readonly object LockObj = new();
+    private static string _logFilePath = string.Empty;
+    private static bool _isInitialized;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the path to the current log file.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string LogFilePath => _logFilePath;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes the logger.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void InitializeLogger()
+    {
+        if (_isInitialized)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            var localAppData = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData);
+            var logDirectory = Path.Combine(localAppData, "Microsoft", "PowerToys", "FancyZones", "CLI", "Logs");
+
+            if (!Directory.Exists(logDirectory))
+            {
+                Directory.CreateDirectory(logDirectory);
+            }
+
+            var logFileName = $"FancyZonesCLI_{DateTime.Now:yyyy-MM-dd}.log";
+            _logFilePath = Path.Combine(logDirectory, logFileName);
+            _isInitialized = true;
+
+            LogInfo("FancyZones CLI started");
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // Silently fail if logging cannot be initialized
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Logs an error message.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void LogError(string message, [CallerMemberName] string memberName = "", [CallerFilePath] string sourceFilePath = "", [CallerLineNumber] int sourceLineNumber = 0)
+    {
+        Log("ERROR", message, memberName, sourceFilePath, sourceLineNumber);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Logs an error message with exception details.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void LogError(string message, Exception ex, [CallerMemberName] string memberName = "", [CallerFilePath] string sourceFilePath = "", [CallerLineNumber] int sourceLineNumber = 0)
+    {
+        var fullMessage = ex == null
+            ? message
+            : $"{message} | Exception: {ex.GetType().Name}: {ex.Message}";
+        Log("ERROR", fullMessage, memberName, sourceFilePath, sourceLineNumber);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Logs a warning message.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void LogWarning(string message, [CallerMemberName] string memberName = "", [CallerFilePath] string sourceFilePath = "", [CallerLineNumber] int sourceLineNumber = 0)
+    {
+        Log("WARN", message, memberName, sourceFilePath, sourceLineNumber);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Logs an informational message.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void LogInfo(string message, [CallerMemberName] string memberName = "", [CallerFilePath] string sourceFilePath = "", [CallerLineNumber] int sourceLineNumber = 0)
+    {
+        Log("INFO", message, memberName, sourceFilePath, sourceLineNumber);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Logs a debug message (only in DEBUG builds).
+    /// </summary>
+    [System.Diagnostics.Conditional("DEBUG")]
+    public static void LogDebug(string message, [CallerMemberName] string memberName = "", [CallerFilePath] string sourceFilePath = "", [CallerLineNumber] int sourceLineNumber = 0)
+    {
+        Log("DEBUG", message, memberName, sourceFilePath, sourceLineNumber);
+    }
+
+    private static void Log(string level, string message, string memberName, string sourceFilePath, int sourceLineNumber)
+    {
+        if (!_isInitialized || string.IsNullOrEmpty(_logFilePath))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            var fileName = Path.GetFileName(sourceFilePath);
+            var timestamp = DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.fff", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+            var logEntry = $"[{timestamp}] [{level}] [{fileName}:{sourceLineNumber}] [{memberName}] {message}{Environment.NewLine}";
+
+            lock (LockObj)
+            {
+                File.AppendAllText(_logFilePath, logEntry);
+            }
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // Silently fail if logging fails
+        }
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Models.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Models.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI;
+
+// JSON Source Generator for AOT compatibility
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(LayoutTemplates))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(CustomLayouts))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(AppliedLayouts))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(LayoutHotkeys))]
+[JsonSourceGenerationOptions(WriteIndented = true)]
+internal partial class FancyZonesJsonContext : JsonSerializerContext
+{
+}
+
+// Layout Templates
+public sealed class LayoutTemplates
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("layout-templates")]
+    public List<TemplateLayout> Templates { get; set; }
+}
+
+public sealed class TemplateLayout
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("type")]
+    public string Type { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("zone-count")]
+    public int ZoneCount { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("show-spacing")]
+    public bool ShowSpacing { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("spacing")]
+    public int Spacing { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("sensitivity-radius")]
+    public int SensitivityRadius { get; set; }
+}
+
+// Custom Layouts
+public sealed class CustomLayouts
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("custom-layouts")]
+    public List<CustomLayout> Layouts { get; set; }
+}
+
+public sealed class CustomLayout
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("uuid")]
+    public string Uuid { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("name")]
+    public string Name { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("type")]
+    public string Type { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("info")]
+    public JsonElement Info { get; set; }
+}
+
+// Applied Layouts
+public sealed class AppliedLayouts
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("applied-layouts")]
+    public List<AppliedLayoutWrapper> Layouts { get; set; }
+}
+
+public sealed class AppliedLayoutWrapper
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("device")]
+    public DeviceInfo Device { get; set; } = new();
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("applied-layout")]
+    public AppliedLayoutInfo AppliedLayout { get; set; } = new();
+}
+
+public sealed class DeviceInfo
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("monitor")]
+    public string Monitor { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("monitor-instance")]
+    public string MonitorInstance { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("monitor-number")]
+    public int MonitorNumber { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("serial-number")]
+    public string SerialNumber { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("virtual-desktop")]
+    public string VirtualDesktop { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+}
+
+public sealed class AppliedLayoutInfo
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("uuid")]
+    public string Uuid { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("type")]
+    public string Type { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("show-spacing")]
+    public bool ShowSpacing { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("spacing")]
+    public int Spacing { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("zone-count")]
+    public int ZoneCount { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("sensitivity-radius")]
+    public int SensitivityRadius { get; set; }
+}
+
+// Layout Hotkeys
+public sealed class LayoutHotkeys
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("layout-hotkeys")]
+    public List<LayoutHotkey> Hotkeys { get; set; }
+}
+
+public sealed class LayoutHotkey
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("key")]
+    public int Key { get; set; }
+
+    [JsonPropertyName("layout-id")]
+    public string LayoutId { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/NativeMethods.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/NativeMethods.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using Windows.Win32;
+using Windows.Win32.Foundation;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Native Windows API methods for FancyZones CLI.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class NativeMethods
+{
+    // Registered Windows messages for notifying FancyZones
+    private static uint wmPrivAppliedLayoutsFileUpdate;
+    private static uint wmPrivLayoutHotkeysFileUpdate;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the Windows message ID for applied layouts file update notification.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static uint WM_PRIV_APPLIED_LAYOUTS_FILE_UPDATE => wmPrivAppliedLayoutsFileUpdate;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the Windows message ID for layout hotkeys file update notification.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static uint WM_PRIV_LAYOUT_HOTKEYS_FILE_UPDATE => wmPrivLayoutHotkeysFileUpdate;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes the Windows messages used for FancyZones notifications.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void InitializeWindowMessages()
+    {
+        wmPrivAppliedLayoutsFileUpdate = PInvoke.RegisterWindowMessage("{2ef2c8a7-e0d5-4f31-9ede-52aade2d284d}");
+        wmPrivLayoutHotkeysFileUpdate = PInvoke.RegisterWindowMessage("{07229b7e-4f22-4357-b136-33c289be2295}");
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Broadcasts a notification message to FancyZones.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="message">The Windows message ID to broadcast.</param>
+    public static void NotifyFancyZones(uint message)
+    {
+        PInvoke.PostMessage(HWND.HWND_BROADCAST, message, 0, 0);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Brings the specified window to the foreground.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="hWnd">A handle to the window.</param>
+    /// <returns>True if the window was brought to the foreground.</returns>
+    public static bool SetForegroundWindow(nint hWnd)
+    {
+        return PInvoke.SetForegroundWindow(new HWND(hWnd));
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/NativeMethods.json
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/NativeMethods.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://aka.ms/CsWin32.schema.json",
+  "emitSingleFile": true,
+  "allowMarshaling": false
+}
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/NativeMethods.txt
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/NativeMethods.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+PostMessage
+SetForegroundWindow
+RegisterWindowMessage
+HWND_BROADCAST
--- a/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Program.cs
+++ b/src/modules/fancyzones/FancyZonesCLI/Program.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Linq;
+using FancyZonesCLI.Commands;
+
+namespace FancyZonesCLI;
+
+internal sealed class Program
+{
+    private static int Main(string[] args)
+    {
+        // Initialize logger
+        Logger.InitializeLogger();
+        Logger.LogInfo($"CLI invoked with args: [{string.Join(", ", args)}]");
+
+        // Initialize Windows messages
+        NativeMethods.InitializeWindowMessages();
+
+        (int ExitCode, string Output) result;
+
+        if (args.Length == 0)
+        {
+            result = (1, GetUsageText());
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            var command = args[0].ToLowerInvariant();
+
+            result = command switch
+            {
+                "open-editor" or "editor" or "e" => EditorCommands.OpenEditor(),
+                "get-monitors" or "monitors" or "m" => MonitorCommands.GetMonitors(),
+                "get-layouts" or "layouts" or "ls" => LayoutCommands.GetLayouts(),
+                "get-active-layout" or "active" or "get-active" or "a" => LayoutCommands.GetActiveLayout(),
+                "set-layout" or "set" or "s" => args.Length >= 2
+                    ? LayoutCommands.SetLayout(args.Skip(1).ToArray(), NativeMethods.NotifyFancyZones, NativeMethods.WM_PRIV_APPLIED_LAYOUTS_FILE_UPDATE)
+                    : (1, "Error: set-layout requires a UUID parameter"),
+                "open-settings" or "settings" => EditorCommands.OpenSettings(),
+                "get-hotkeys" or "hotkeys" or "hk" => HotkeyCommands.GetHotkeys(),
+                "set-hotkey" or "shk" => args.Length >= 3
+                    ? HotkeyCommands.SetHotkey(int.Parse(args[1], CultureInfo.InvariantCulture), args[2], NativeMethods.NotifyFancyZones, NativeMethods.WM_PRIV_LAYOUT_HOTKEYS_FILE_UPDATE)
+                    : (1, "Error: set-hotkey requires <key> <uuid>"),
+                "remove-hotkey" or "rhk" => args.Length >= 2
+                    ? HotkeyCommands.RemoveHotkey(int.Parse(args[1], CultureInfo.InvariantCulture), NativeMethods.NotifyFancyZones, NativeMethods.WM_PRIV_LAYOUT_HOTKEYS_FILE_UPDATE)
+                    : (1, "Error: remove-hotkey requires <key>"),
+                "help" or "--help" or "-h" => (0, GetUsageText()),
+                _ => (1, $"Error: Unknown command: {command}\n\n{GetUsageText()}"),
+            };
+        }
+
+        // Log result
+        if (result.ExitCode == 0)
+        {
+            Logger.LogInfo($"Command completed successfully");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            Logger.LogWarning($"Command failed with exit code {result.ExitCode}: {result.Output}");
+        }
+
+        // Output result
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(result.Output))
+        {
+            Console.WriteLine(result.Output);
+        }
+
+        return result.ExitCode;
+    }
+
+    private static string GetUsageText()
+    {
+        return """
+            FancyZones CLI - Command line interface for FancyZones
+            ======================================================
+
+            Usage: FancyZonesCLI.exe <command> [options]
+
+            Commands:
+              open-editor (editor, e)          Launch FancyZones layout editor
+              get-monitors (monitors, m)       List all monitors and their properties
+              get-layouts (layouts, ls)        List all available layouts
+              get-active-layout (get-active, active, a)
+                                               Show currently active layout
+              set-layout (set, s) <uuid> [options]
+                                               Set layout by UUID
+                --monitor <n>                  Apply to monitor N (1-based)
+                --all                          Apply to all monitors
+              open-settings (settings)         Open FancyZones settings page
+              get-hotkeys (hotkeys, hk)        List all layout hotkeys
+              set-hotkey (shk) <key> <uuid>    Assign hotkey (0-9) to CUSTOM layout
+                                               Note: Only custom layouts work with hotkeys
+              remove-hotkey (rhk) <key>        Remove hotkey assignment
+              help                             Show this help message
+
+
+            Examples:
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe e                   # Open editor (short)
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe m                   # List monitors (short)
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe ls                  # List layouts (short)
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe a                   # Get active layout (short)
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe s focus --all       # Set layout (short)
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe open-editor         # Open editor (long)
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe get-monitors
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe get-layouts
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe set-layout {12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012}
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe set-layout focus --monitor 2
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe set-layout columns --all
+              FancyZonesCLI.exe set-hotkey 3 {12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012}
+            """;
+    }
+}
--- a/src/modules/launcher/Plugins/Microsoft.PowerToys.Run.Plugin.PowerToys/Components/UtilityProvider.cs
+++ b/src/modules/launcher/Plugins/Microsoft.PowerToys.Run.Plugin.PowerToys/Components/UtilityProvider.cs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Run.Plugin.PowerToys

        public UtilityProvider()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            var generalSettings = settingsUtils.GetSettings<GeneralSettings>();

            _utilities = new List<Utility>();
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Run.Plugin.PowerToys
                    {
                        retryCount++;

-                        var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+                        var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
                        var generalSettings = settingsUtils.GetSettings<GeneralSettings>();

                        foreach (var u in _utilities)
--- a/src/modules/launcher/PowerLauncher/SettingsReader.cs
+++ b/src/modules/launcher/PowerLauncher/SettingsReader.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace PowerLauncher

        public SettingsReader(PowerToysRunSettings settings, ThemeManager themeManager)
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            _settings = settings;
            _themeManager = themeManager;

--- a/src/modules/peek/Peek.FilePreviewer/Models/PreviewSettings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/peek/Peek.FilePreviewer/Models/PreviewSettings.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace Peek.FilePreviewer.Models

        public PreviewSettings()
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            SourceCodeWrapText = false;
            SourceCodeTryFormat = false;
            SourceCodeFontSize = 14;
--- a/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/Services/UserSettings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/Services/UserSettings.cs
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ namespace Peek.UI

        public UserSettings()
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

            LoadSettingsFromJson();

--- a/src/modules/poweraccent/PowerAccent.Core/Services/SettingsService.cs
+++ b/src/modules/poweraccent/PowerAccent.Core/Services/SettingsService.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public class SettingsService

    public SettingsService(KeyboardListener keyboardListener)
    {
-        _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+        _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
        _keyboardListener = keyboardListener;
        ReadSettings();
        _watcher = Helper.GetFileWatcher(PowerAccentModuleName, "settings.json", () => { ReadSettings(); });
--- a/src/modules/poweraccent/PowerAccent.Core/Tools/CharactersUsageInfo.cs
+++ b/src/modules/poweraccent/PowerAccent.Core/Tools/CharactersUsageInfo.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace PowerAccent.Core.Tools

        public CharactersUsageInfo()
        {
-            _filePath = new SettingsUtils().GetSettingsFilePath(PowerAccentSettings.ModuleName, "UsageInfo.json");
+            _filePath = SettingsUtils.Default.GetSettingsFilePath(PowerAccentSettings.ModuleName, "UsageInfo.json");
            var data = GetUsageInfoData();
            _characterUsageCounters = data.CharacterUsageCounters;
            _characterUsageTimestamp = data.CharacterUsageTimestamp;
--- a/src/modules/powerrename/PowerRenameUILib/PowerRenameUI.vcxproj
+++ b/src/modules/powerrename/PowerRenameUILib/PowerRenameUI.vcxproj
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
    <!-- MRT from windows app sdk will search for a pri file with the same name of the module before defaulting to resources.pri -->
    <ProjectPriFileName>PowerToys.PowerRename.pri</ProjectPriFileName>
    <RuntimeIdentifier>win10-x64;win10-arm64</RuntimeIdentifier>
+    <WindowsAppSDKVerifyTransitiveDependencies>false</WindowsAppSDKVerifyTransitiveDependencies>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" GeneratePathProperty="true" />
--- a/src/modules/previewpane/MonacoPreviewHandler/Settings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/previewpane/MonacoPreviewHandler/Settings.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.PreviewHandler.Monaco
    /// </summary>
    public class Settings
    {
-        private static SettingsUtils moduleSettings = new SettingsUtils();
+        private static SettingsUtils moduleSettings = SettingsUtils.Default;

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets a value indicating whether word wrapping should be applied. Set by PT settings.
--- a/src/modules/previewpane/StlThumbnailProvider/StlThumbnailProvider.cs
+++ b/src/modules/previewpane/StlThumbnailProvider/StlThumbnailProvider.cs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.ThumbnailHandler.Stl
            {
                try
                {
-                    var moduleSettings = new SettingsUtils();
+                    var moduleSettings = SettingsUtils.Default;

                    var colorString = moduleSettings.GetSettings<PowerPreviewSettings>(PowerPreviewSettings.ModuleName).Properties.StlThumbnailColor.Value;

--- a/src/modules/previewpane/SvgPreviewHandler/Settings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/previewpane/SvgPreviewHandler/Settings.cs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ namespace SvgPreviewHandler
 {
    internal sealed class Settings
    {
-        private static readonly SettingsUtils ModuleSettings = new SettingsUtils();
+        private static readonly SettingsUtils ModuleSettings = SettingsUtils.Default;

        public int ColorMode
        {
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.Library/SettingsBackupAndRestoreUtils.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.Library/SettingsBackupAndRestoreUtils.cs
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library
        /// </summary>
        public (bool Success, string Message, string Severity, bool LastBackupExists, string OptionalMessage) DryRunBackup()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            var appBasePath = Path.GetDirectoryName(settingsUtils.GetSettingsFilePath());
            string settingsBackupAndRestoreDir = GetSettingsBackupAndRestoreDir();
            var results = BackupSettings(appBasePath, settingsBackupAndRestoreDir, true);
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.Library/SettingsUtils.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.Library/SettingsUtils.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,14 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library
        private readonly ISettingsPath _settingsPath;
        private readonly JsonSerializerOptions _serializerOptions;

-        public SettingsUtils()
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the default instance of the <see cref="SettingsUtils"/> class for general use.
+        /// Same as instantiating a new instance with the <see cref="SettingsUtils(IFileSystem?, JsonSerializerOptions?)"/> constructor with a new <see cref="FileSystem"/> object as the first argument and <c>null</c> as the second argument.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>For using in tests, you should use one of the public constructors.</remarks>
+        public static SettingsUtils Default { get; } = new SettingsUtils();
+
+        private SettingsUtils()
            : this(new FileSystem())
        {
        }
@@ -234,7 +241,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library
        public static (bool Success, string Message, string Severity, bool LastBackupExists, string OptionalMessage) BackupSettings()
        {
            var settingsBackupAndRestoreUtilsX = SettingsBackupAndRestoreUtils.Instance;
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = Default;
            var appBasePath = Path.GetDirectoryName(settingsUtils._settingsPath.GetSettingsPath(string.Empty, string.Empty));
            string settingsBackupAndRestoreDir = settingsBackupAndRestoreUtilsX.GetSettingsBackupAndRestoreDir();

@@ -247,7 +254,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library
        public static (bool Success, string Message, string Severity) RestoreSettings()
        {
            var settingsBackupAndRestoreUtilsX = SettingsBackupAndRestoreUtils.Instance;
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = Default;
            var appBasePath = Path.GetDirectoryName(settingsUtils._settingsPath.GetSettingsPath(string.Empty, string.Empty));
            string settingsBackupAndRestoreDir = settingsBackupAndRestoreUtilsX.GetSettingsBackupAndRestoreDir();
            return settingsBackupAndRestoreUtilsX.RestoreSettings(appBasePath, settingsBackupAndRestoreDir);
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.Library/Utilities/GetSettingCommandLineCommand.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.Library/Utilities/GetSettingCommandLineCommand.cs
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public sealed class GetSettingCommandLineCommand
        var modulesSettings = new Dictionary<string, Dictionary<string, object>>();

        var settingsAssembly = CommandLineUtils.GetSettingsAssembly();
-        var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+        var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

        var enabledModules = SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils).SettingsConfig.Enabled;

--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.UnitTests/ViewModelTests/ColorPicker.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.UnitTests/ViewModelTests/ColorPicker.cs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
            using (var viewModel = new ColorPickerViewModel(
                ISettingsUtilsMocks.GetStubSettingsUtils<ColorPickerSettings>().Object,
                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(ISettingsUtilsMocks.GetStubSettingsUtils<GeneralSettings>().Object),
-                SettingsRepository<ColorPickerSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()),
+                SettingsRepository<ColorPickerSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default),
                ColorPickerIsEnabledByDefaultIPC))
            {
                Assert.IsTrue(viewModel.IsEnabled);
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.UnitTests/ViewModelTests/FancyZones.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.UnitTests/ViewModelTests/FancyZones.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.

 using System;
+using System.IO.Abstractions;
 using System.Text.Json;

 using Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library;
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void IsEnabledShouldDisableModuleWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            Func<string, int> sendMockIPCConfigMSG = msg =>
            {
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void ShiftDragShouldSetValue2FalseWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void OverrideSnapHotkeysShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void MoveWindowsAcrossMonitorsShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void MoveWindowsBasedOnPositionShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void QuickLayoutSwitchShouldSetValue2FalseWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void FlashZonesOnQuickSwitchShouldSetValue2FalseWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void MakeDraggedWindowsTransparentShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void MouseSwitchShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void DisplayOrWorkAreaChangeMoveWindowsShouldSetValue2FalseWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void ZoneSetChangeMoveWindowsShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void AppLastZoneMoveWindowsShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -343,7 +344,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void OpenWindowOnActiveMonitorShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -361,7 +362,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void RestoreSizeShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -379,7 +380,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void UseCursorPosEditorStartupScreenShouldSetValue2FalseWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -397,7 +398,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void ShowOnAllMonitorsShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -415,7 +416,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void SpanZonesAcrossMonitorsShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -433,7 +434,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void OverlappingZonesAlgorithmIndexShouldSetValue2AnotherWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -451,7 +452,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void AllowChildWindowsToSnapShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -469,7 +470,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void DisableRoundCornersOnSnapShouldSetValue2TrueWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -487,7 +488,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void ZoneHighlightColorShouldSetColorValue2WhiteWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -505,7 +506,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void ZoneBorderColorShouldSetColorValue2WhiteWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -523,7 +524,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void ZoneInActiveColorShouldSetColorValue2WhiteWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -541,7 +542,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void ExcludedAppsShouldSetColorValue2WhiteWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
@@ -559,7 +560,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void HighlightOpacityShouldSetOpacityValueTo60WhenSuccessful()
        {
-            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            Mock<SettingsUtils> mockSettingsUtils = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // arrange
            FancyZonesViewModel viewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(mockSettingsUtils.Object, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(mockGeneralSettingsUtils.Object), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(mockFancyZonesSettingsUtils.Object), sendMockIPCConfigMSG, FancyZonesTestFolderName);
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.UnitTests/ViewModelTests/ShortcutGuide.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI.UnitTests/ViewModelTests/ShortcutGuide.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.

 using System;
+using System.IO.Abstractions;
 using System.Text.Json;

 using Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Library;
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ namespace ViewModelTests
        [TestMethod]
        public void IsEnabledShouldEnableModuleWhenSuccessful()
        {
-            var settingsUtilsMock = new Mock<SettingsUtils>();
+            var settingsUtilsMock = new Mock<SettingsUtils>(new FileSystem(), null);

            // Assert
            // Initialize mock function of sending IPC message.
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/Helpers/HotkeyConflictIgnoreHelper.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/Helpers/HotkeyConflictIgnoreHelper.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Helpers

        static HotkeyConflictIgnoreHelper()
        {
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            _generalSettingsRepository = SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(_settingsUtils);
        }

--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/App.xaml.cs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI
            var settingValue = cmdArgs[3];
            try
            {
-                SetSettingCommandLineCommand.Execute(settingName, settingValue, new SettingsUtils());
+                SetSettingCommandLineCommand.Execute(settingName, settingValue, SettingsUtils.Default);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI
            {
                using (var settings = JsonDocument.Parse(File.ReadAllText(ipcFileName)))
                {
-                    SetAdditionalSettingsCommandLineCommand.Execute(moduleName, settings, new SettingsUtils());
+                    SetAdditionalSettingsCommandLineCommand.Execute(moduleName, settings, SettingsUtils.Default);
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI
            return 0;
        }

-        private static ISettingsUtils settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+        private static ISettingsUtils settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
        private static ThemeService themeService = new ThemeService(SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils));

        public static ThemeService ThemeService => themeService;
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Controls/Dashboard/ShortcutConflictWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Controls/Dashboard/ShortcutConflictWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.SettingsXAML.Controls.Dashboard

        public ShortcutConflictWindow()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new ShortcutConflictViewModel(
                settingsUtils,
                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils),
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Flyout/AppsListPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Flyout/AppsListPage.xaml.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Flyout
        {
            this.InitializeComponent();

-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new AllAppsViewModel(SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), Views.ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage);
            DataContext = ViewModel;
        }
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Flyout/LaunchPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Flyout/LaunchPage.xaml.cs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Flyout
        public LaunchPage()
        {
            this.InitializeComponent();
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new LauncherViewModel(SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), Views.ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage);
            DataContext = ViewModel;
        }
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Flyout
                    break;
                case ModuleType.EnvironmentVariables: // Launch Environment Variables
                    {
-                        bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<EnvironmentVariablesSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
+                        bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<EnvironmentVariablesSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
                        string eventName = !App.IsElevated && launchAdmin
                            ? Constants.ShowEnvironmentVariablesAdminSharedEvent()
                            : Constants.ShowEnvironmentVariablesSharedEvent();
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Flyout

                case ModuleType.Hosts: // Launch Hosts
                    {
-                        bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<HostsSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
+                        bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<HostsSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
                        string eventName = !App.IsElevated && launchAdmin
                            ? Constants.ShowHostsAdminSharedEvent()
                            : Constants.ShowHostsSharedEvent();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI
            // open main window
            ShellPage.SetUpdatingGeneralSettingsCallback((ModuleType moduleType, bool isEnabled) =>
            {
-                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings> repository = SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils());
+                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings> repository = SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default);
                GeneralSettings generalSettingsConfig = repository.SettingsConfig;
                bool needToUpdate = ModuleHelper.GetIsModuleEnabled(generalSettingsConfig, moduleType) != isEnabled;

--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeAdvancedPaste.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeAdvancedPaste.xaml.cs
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            AdvancedPasteUIHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.AdvancedPasteUIShortcut.GetKeysList();
-            PasteAsPlainTextHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.PasteAsPlainTextShortcut.GetKeysList();
-            PasteAsMarkdownHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.PasteAsMarkdownShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            AdvancedPasteUIHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.AdvancedPasteUIShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            PasteAsPlainTextHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.PasteAsPlainTextShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            PasteAsMarkdownHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.PasteAsMarkdownShortcut.GetKeysList();

            // TODO(stefan): Check how to remove additional space if item is set to Collapsed.
            if (PasteAsMarkdownHotkeyControl.Keys.Count > 0)
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
                PasteAsMarkdownHotkeyControl.Visibility = Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Visibility.Visible;
            }

-            PasteAsJsonHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.PasteAsJsonShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            PasteAsJsonHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AdvancedPasteSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.PasteAsJsonShortcut.GetKeysList();
            if (PasteAsJsonHotkeyControl.Keys.Count > 0)
            {
                PasteAsJsonHotkeyControl.Visibility = Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Visibility.Visible;
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeAlwaysOnTop.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeAlwaysOnTop.xaml.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AlwaysOnTopSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.Hotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
+            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AlwaysOnTopSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.Hotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeColorPicker.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeColorPicker.xaml.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            ColorPickerSettings settings = new SettingsUtils().GetSettingsOrDefault<ColorPickerSettings, ColorPickerSettingsVersion1>(ColorPickerSettings.ModuleName, settingsUpgrader: ColorPickerSettings.UpgradeSettings);
+            ColorPickerSettings settings = SettingsUtils.Default.GetSettingsOrDefault<ColorPickerSettings, ColorPickerSettingsVersion1>(ColorPickerSettings.ModuleName, settingsUpgrader: ColorPickerSettings.UpgradeSettings);

            HotkeyControl.Keys = settings.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
        }
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeCropAndLock.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeCropAndLock.xaml.cs
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            ReparentHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<CropAndLockSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.ReparentHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
-            ThumbnailHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<CropAndLockSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.ThumbnailHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
+            ReparentHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<CropAndLockSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.ReparentHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
+            ThumbnailHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<CropAndLockSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.ThumbnailHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeEnvironmentVariables.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeEnvironmentVariables.xaml.cs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views

        private void Launch_EnvironmentVariables_Click(object sender, Microsoft.UI.Xaml.RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
-            bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<EnvironmentVariablesSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
+            bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<EnvironmentVariablesSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
            string eventName = !App.IsElevated && launchAdmin
                ? Constants.ShowEnvironmentVariablesAdminSharedEvent()
                : Constants.ShowEnvironmentVariablesSharedEvent();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeFancyZones.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeFancyZones.xaml.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.FancyzonesEditorHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
+            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.FancyzonesEditorHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeHosts.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeHosts.xaml.cs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views

        private void Launch_Hosts_Click(object sender, Microsoft.UI.Xaml.RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
-            bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<HostsSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
+            bool launchAdmin = SettingsRepository<HostsSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.LaunchAdministrator;
            string eventName = !App.IsElevated && launchAdmin
                ? Constants.ShowHostsAdminSharedEvent()
                : Constants.ShowHostsSharedEvent();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeMeasureTool.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeMeasureTool.xaml.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            HotkeyActivation.Keys = SettingsRepository<MeasureToolSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            HotkeyActivation.Keys = SettingsRepository<MeasureToolSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeOverviewAlternate.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeOverviewAlternate.xaml.cs
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
            ViewModel = new OobePowerToysModule(OobeShellPage.OobeShellHandler.Modules[(int)PowerToysModules.Overview]);
            DataContext = ViewModel;

-            FancyZonesHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.FancyzonesEditorHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
-            RunHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PowerLauncherSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.OpenPowerLauncher.GetKeysList();
-            ColorPickerHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<ColorPickerSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
-            AlwaysOnTopHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AlwaysOnTopSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.Hotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
+            FancyZonesHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.FancyzonesEditorHotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
+            RunHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PowerLauncherSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.OpenPowerLauncher.GetKeysList();
+            ColorPickerHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<ColorPickerSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            AlwaysOnTopHotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<AlwaysOnTopSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.Hotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
        }

        private void SettingsLaunchButton_Click(object sender, Microsoft.UI.Xaml.RoutedEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobePeek.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobePeek.xaml.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PeekSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PeekSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobePowerOCR.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobePowerOCR.xaml.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PowerOcrSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
+            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PowerOcrSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.ActivationShortcut.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeRun.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeRun.xaml.cs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();

-            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PowerLauncherSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.OpenPowerLauncher.GetKeysList();
+            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<PowerLauncherSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.OpenPowerLauncher.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeShellPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeShellPage.xaml.cs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views

        public ObservableCollection<OobePowerToysModule> Modules { get; }

-        private static ISettingsUtils settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+        private static ISettingsUtils settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

        /* NOTE: Experimentation for OOBE is currently turned off on server side. Keeping this code in a comment to allow future experiments.
          private bool ExperimentationToggleSwitchEnabled { get; set; } = true;
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeShortcutGuide.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeShortcutGuide.xaml.cs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            var settingsProperties = SettingsRepository<ShortcutGuideSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties;
+            var settingsProperties = SettingsRepository<ShortcutGuideSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties;

            if ((bool)settingsProperties.UseLegacyPressWinKeyBehavior.Value)
            {
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeWorkspaces.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/OOBE/Views/OobeWorkspaces.xaml.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.OOBE.Views
        protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
        {
            ViewModel.LogOpeningModuleEvent();
-            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<WorkspacesSettings>.GetInstance(new SettingsUtils()).SettingsConfig.Properties.Hotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
+            HotkeyControl.Keys = SettingsRepository<WorkspacesSettings>.GetInstance(SettingsUtils.Default).SettingsConfig.Properties.Hotkey.Value.GetKeysList();
        }

        protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/AdvancedPastePage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/AdvancedPastePage.xaml.cs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public AdvancedPastePage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new AdvancedPasteViewModel(
                settingsUtils,
                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils),
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/AlwaysOnTopPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/AlwaysOnTopPage.xaml.cs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public AlwaysOnTopPage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new AlwaysOnTopViewModel(settingsUtils, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), SettingsRepository<AlwaysOnTopSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage);
            DataContext = ViewModel;
            InitializeComponent();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/AwakePage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/AwakePage.xaml.cs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views
        {
            _dispatcherQueue = DispatcherQueue.GetForCurrentThread();
            _fileSystem = new FileSystem();
-            _settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            _settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            _sendConfigMsg = ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage;

            ViewModel = new AwakeViewModel();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/CmdPalPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/CmdPalPage.xaml.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public CmdPalPage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new CmdPalViewModel(
                settingsUtils,
                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils),
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/ColorPickerPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/ColorPickerPage.xaml.cs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public ColorPickerPage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new ColorPickerViewModel(
                settingsUtils,
                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils),
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/CropAndLockPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/CropAndLockPage.xaml.cs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public CropAndLockPage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new CropAndLockViewModel(settingsUtils, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), SettingsRepository<CropAndLockSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage);
            DataContext = ViewModel;
            InitializeComponent();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/DashboardPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/DashboardPage.xaml.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views
        public DashboardPage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

            ViewModel = new DashboardViewModel(
               SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage);
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/EnvironmentVariablesPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/EnvironmentVariablesPage.xaml.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views
        public EnvironmentVariablesPage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new EnvironmentVariablesViewModel(settingsUtils, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), SettingsRepository<EnvironmentVariablesSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage, App.IsElevated);
        }

--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/FancyZonesPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/FancyZonesPage.xaml.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views
        public FancyZonesPage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new FancyZonesViewModel(settingsUtils, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), SettingsRepository<FancyZonesSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage);
            DataContext = ViewModel;
            Loaded += (s, e) => ViewModel.OnPageLoaded();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/FileLocksmithPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/FileLocksmithPage.xaml.cs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public FileLocksmithPage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new FileLocksmithViewModel(settingsUtils, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage);
            DataContext = ViewModel;
            InitializeComponent();
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/GeneralPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/GeneralPage.xaml.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

            // Load string resources
            var loader = Helpers.ResourceLoaderInstance.ResourceLoader;
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;

            Action stateUpdatingAction = () =>
            {
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/HostsPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/HostsPage.xaml.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views
        public HostsPage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new HostsViewModel(settingsUtils, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), SettingsRepository<HostsSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage, App.IsElevated);
            BackupsCountInputSettingsCard.Header = ResourceLoaderInstance.ResourceLoader.GetString("Hosts_Backup_CountInput_Header");
            BackupsCountInputSettingsCard.Description = ResourceLoaderInstance.ResourceLoader.GetString("Hosts_Backup_CountInput_Description");
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/ImageResizerPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/ImageResizerPage.xaml.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views
        public ImageResizerPage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            var resourceLoader = ResourceLoaderInstance.ResourceLoader;
            Func<string, string> loader = resourceLoader.GetString;

--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/KeyboardManagerPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/KeyboardManagerPage.xaml.cs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public KeyboardManagerPage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new KeyboardManagerViewModel(settingsUtils, SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils), ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage, FilterRemapKeysList);

            watcher = Helper.GetFileWatcher(
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/LightSwitchPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/LightSwitchPage.xaml.cs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public LightSwitchPage()
        {
-            this.settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            this.settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            this.sendConfigMsg = ShellPage.SendDefaultIPCMessage;

            this.generalSettingsRepository = SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(this.settingsUtils);
--- a/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/MeasureToolPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/settings-ui/Settings.UI/SettingsXAML/Views/MeasureToolPage.xaml.cs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerToys.Settings.UI.Views

        public MeasureToolPage()
        {
-            var settingsUtils = new SettingsUtils();
+            var settingsUtils = SettingsUtils.Default;
            ViewModel = new MeasureToolViewModel(
                settingsUtils,
                SettingsRepository<GeneralSettings>.GetInstance(settingsUtils),
--- a/Show More
+++ b/Show More