## Summary
Adds end‑to‑end UI tests on the `Microsoft.PowerToys.UITest.Next`
(winappcli) framework for three
modules, grows the shared `.Next` test framework with the helpers those
suites needed, and adds the
CI plumbing that lets shell‑extension tests exercise the **real**
Windows 11 modern context menu.
Also ships two agent skills that document how to write and run these
tests.
Product runtime behavior is **unchanged** — the only product edits are
test‑observability hooks in Peek
and a unit‑test project exclude.
Closes: https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/40660https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/49424https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/40661
## What's added
### New UI test suites
- **Image Resizer** —
`src/modules/imageresizer/tests/ImageResizer.UITests`: context‑menu
enable/disable
tracking, the resize dialog, custom presets, every fit mode, every unit,
filename format, keep‑date,
shrink‑only, replace‑in‑place, and orientation.
- **Peek** — `src/modules/peek/Peek.UITests.Next`: file‑preview coverage
across image/text/archive/
markdown types with per‑arch visual baselines.
- **File Explorer add‑ons** —
`src/modules/previewpane/PreviewPane.UITests`: Preview Pane handlers and
thumbnail providers.
### `UITestAutomation.Next` framework
- New helpers: `ExplorerShell` (Shell selection/view‑mode interop),
`WaitHelper` (structured stable
waits), `WindowControl` (foreground/context‑menu/process control),
`VisualAssert` (image compare),
`WindowHelper`.
- Updates to `Session`, `UITestBase`, `SettingsConfigHelper`,
`WinappCli`.
- New `UITestAutomation.Next.UnitTests` project covering the new
wait/settings/CLI helpers.
### CI — sign sparse MSIX so the modern menu registers
- **`.pipelines/signSparsePackages.ps1`** — self‑signs each sparse
context‑menu MSIX with a
publisher‑matching test certificate and force‑trusts it (machine
stores), so
`AddPackageByUriAsync` succeeds on otherwise‑unsigned PR builds. Robust
`signtool` discovery with a
NuGet fallback; test‑only trust that asserts no security.
- Wired into **`.pipelines/v2/templates/job-test-project.yml`** as a
best‑effort step covering the
run‑in‑place, machine‑install, and per‑user‑install locations. Signs
nothing it can't (skips
already‑signed packages) and never fails the job.
### Product changes (test observability only)
- **Peek `FilePreview.xaml` / `.xaml.cs`** — a named `LoadingIndicator`
and a hidden automation peer
that exposes the current preview state as text, so tests can read load
state deterministically. No
runtime behavior change.
- **`ImageResizer.UnitTests.csproj`** — exclude the sibling
`ImageResizer.UITests\**` folder from the
unit‑test compilation.
### Agent skills & docs
- **New `ui-tests-local-vm` skill** — run `.Next` suites in persistent
dockur/windows VMs: setup,
agentic loop, image customization, troubleshooting, the shell‑extension
**signing** reference, plus
controller/guest scripts and VM templates.
- **Updated `ui-tests-migration` skill** — WinAppDriver/Selenium →
`.Next` porting guidance
(CI stability, Explorer/shell‑extension test design, patterns &
pitfalls).
- **`doc/devdocs/development/ui-tests.md`** — updated for the `.Next`
workflow.
## Testing
- All three suites pass locally and in CI across **x64 Win10**, **x64
Win11**, and **arm64** (machine
and per‑user install legs).
## Reviewer notes
- No product runtime behavior changes; product edits are limited to the
Peek test hooks above.
- The CI signing step is a **test‑only** trust anchor (self‑signed,
scoped to the agent) and is
best‑effort, so it can only add modern‑menu coverage and never regress
the job.
## Summary
Guard PowerToys' WinUI windows against an empty native window title, so
the WinUI `TitleBar` control can't read an empty title during startup
and fault the process. This fixes a class of bugs like
https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/48547
## Background
Spotted while reading through the Environment Variables `MainWindow`
startup path. The WinUI `TitleBar` control (used with
`ExtendsContentIntoTitleBar`) reads the owning window's
`AppWindow.Title` during a deferred layout pass (`OnApplyTemplate` →
`UpdateTitle`). When the native window title is empty at that instant,
the windowing layer can fault while resolving the title and terminate
the process during startup.
The native title ends up empty in two ways:
1. The title is computed from `ResourceLoader.GetString(...)`, which
returns an **empty string** (it doesn't throw) when the resource map
can't be resolved at runtime.
2. The window sets `AppWindow.Title` only *later*, not before the title
bar's first layout.
## Windows fixed
Every PowerToys window that hosts the `TitleBar` control:
| Window | Fix |
|---|---|
| Environment Variables | Non-empty fallback for the resource-based
title |
| Hosts | Non-empty fallback for the resource-based title |
| File Locksmith | Non-empty fallback for the resource-based title |
| Shortcut Guide | Non-empty fallback for the resource-based title |
| Settings — shortcut-conflict window | Non-empty fallback for the
resource-based title |
| Registry Preview | Set `AppWindow.Title` to the app name in the
constructor (previously only set later in `UpdateWindowTitle`) |
| Keyboard Manager Editor | No change — already sets a hardcoded
non-empty `Title` |
## Risk
Very low. The only behavior change is that a previously-empty title
becomes a non-empty fallback; the normal (resource-resolved) paths are
unchanged.
## Validation
Each affected project builds clean (`x64 | Release`):
EnvironmentVariables, Hosts, FileLocksmithUI, ShortcutGuide.Ui,
RegistryPreview, PowerToys.Settings.
## Related
Root cause write-up (windowing/WinUI side):
microsoft/microsoft-ui-xaml#11214.
---
ADO:
https://microsoft.visualstudio.com/DefaultCollection/OS/_workitems/edit/62685601/
---------
Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
- Upgrade to WASDK 1.8.5 that includes a fix for the `TitleBar` control.
- Remove the workaround from windows that use this control, as we can
set the `TitleBar` directly now
## Summary of the Pull Request
This PR removes title bar controls from tab navigation, solving one of
hidden tab stops (the other being #40637).
Affected apps:
- Command Palette - Settings
- Environment Variables
- File Locksmith
- Hosts File Editor
- Registry Preview
- Settings (the search box in the title bar is still tab navigable)
<!-- Please review the items on the PR checklist before submitting-->
## PR Checklist
- [x] Closes: #41944
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [ ] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [ ] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
All apps were manually tests, by pressing tab and shift + tab.
---------
Co-authored-by: Niels Laute <niels.laute@live.nl>
## Summary of the Pull Request
We have migrated `SubtleButtonStyle` to Windows App SDK, so now that we
migrated to 1.8 we no longer need custom implementations and can just
refer to the built-in styles.
This PR:
- Removed custom SubtleButton styles
- Added the style to the pin button in Peek so it's more inline with the
Photos app design
## PR Checklist
- [ ] Closes: #xxx
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [ ] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [ ] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
* Fix borders for windows in the Settings UI
* Fix HOSTS window
* Fix Advanced Paste
* Fix Environment Variables
* Fix File Locksmith
* Fix Peek, with a caveat
* Fix Registry Preview
* Remove unused imports
* Clean up imports in OobeShellPage
* Move OSVersionHelper from Common.UI up into ManagedCommon
## Summary of the Pull Request
Removes all C++/CX code, replacing it with C++/WinRT.
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
Removes all C++/CX code.
Renames interop namespaces to be better consumed by CsWinRT.
Standardizes all projects on net8.0-windows10.0.20348.0, which is a
requirement for C++/WinRT usage.
FileLocksmithLibInterop brought to stdcpplatest and static analysis
errors were corrected.
Removed now unneeded string conversion code from
FileLocksmithLibInterop.
Changed interop KeyboardHook to use a single hook across all instances.
Required because on C++/WinRT we don't have the .NET runtime to bind a
object instance to a delegate and be able to pass it to a C function
pointer argument (still no idea why this worked correctly on C++/CX to
be honest). This change actually makes us create less low level keyboard
hooks.
Changed some code that depended on arrays since WinRT/C++ returns null
instead of an empty array through the interface.
## Validation Steps Performed
Built and tested runtime.
## Summary of the Pull Request
To prevent a crash, show the individual files of a process within a
modal dialog rather than as inline text. Please see the linked issue for
more details.
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
- Removed inline list of process files.
- Added "Show files" button to expander to show list of process files as
a modal dialog. This dialog has the same design as the one used to
display the list of selected folders within the same application.
- Added unhandled exception hander to application similar to our other
applications.
* [FileLocksmith] Add scroll to path in Selected file paths UI
* [FileLocksmith] Make path wrap into multiple lines in Selected paths UI
Earlier, the path was getting truncated within a single line.
Fixes microsoft#26489
* Use XamlStyler to check XAML formatting
* fix spellcheck
* fix
* format XAML FLS, Hosts, ImageResizer, MeasureTool, PowerRename
* format XAML Peek
* exclude settings XAML and make CI pass
* doc
* Update to WASDK 1.4
* Remove redundant title bar styles.
* Update notice
* Update C++ projects as well
* Upgrade CppWinRT too
* Add exception to WASDK file version set to 1.0.0.0
---------
Co-authored-by: Jaime Bernardo <jaime@janeasystems.com>
* Flatten everything and succeed build
* Figure out Settings assets
* Remove UseCommonOutputDirectory tag
* Proper settings app path
* [VCM] Fix assets location
* Fix some runtime paths
* [RegistryPreview]Use MRTCore specific pri file
* [Hosts]Use MRTCore specific pri file
* [Settings]Use MRTCore specific pri file
* [Peek]Use MRTCore specific pri file
* [FileLocksmith]Use MRTCore specific pri file
* [ScreenRuler]Use MRTCore specific pri file
* [PowerRename]Use MRTCore specific pri file
* [Peek]Move assets to own folder
* [FileLocksmith] Use own Assets path
* [Hosts]Use own assets folder
* [PowerRename]Use own assets dir
* [MeasureTool] Use its own assets folder
* [ImageResizer]Use its own assets path
* Fix spellcheck
* Fix tab instead of space in project files
* Normalize target frameworks and platforms
* Remove WINRT_NO_MAKE_DETECTION flag. No longer needed?
* Fix AOT and Hosts locations
* Fix Dll version differences on dependency
* Add Common.UI.csproj as refernce to fix dll versions
* Update ControlzEx to normalize dll versions
* Update System.Management version to 7.0.2
* Add GPOWrapper to Registry Preview to fix dll versions
* [PTRun]Reference Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting to fix dll versions
* Fix remaining output paths / dll version conflicts
* [KeyboardManager]Executables still on their own directories
* Fix Monaco paths
* WinAppSDK apps get to play outside again
* Enable VCM settings again
* Fix KBM Editor path again
* [Monaco]Set to own Assets dir
* Fix installer preamble; Fix publish. remove unneeded publishes
* Remove Hardlink functions
* Installer builds again (still needs work to work)
* Readd Monaco to spellcheck excludes
* Fix spellcheck and call publish.cmd again
* [Installer] Remove components that don't need own dirs
* [Installer] Refactor Power Launcher
* [Installer] Refactor Color Picker
* [Installer] Refactor Monaco assets
* [Installer]Generate File script no longer needs to remove files
* [Installer]Refactor FileLocksmith
* [Installer] Refactor Hosts
* [Installer]Refactor Image Resizer
* [Installer]Refactor MouseUtils
* [Installer]Refactor MWB
* [Installer]Refactor MeasureTool
* [Installer]Refactor Peek
* [Installer]Refactor PowerRename and registry fixes
* [Installer]Refactor RegistryPreview
* [Installer]Refactor ShortcutGuide
* [Installer]Refactor Settings
* [Installer]Clean up some unused stuff
* [Installer]Clean up stuff for user install
* [Installer]Fix WinUi3Apps wxs
* [Installer]Fix misplaced folders
* [Installer]Move x86 VCM dll to right path
* Fix monaco language list location
* [Installer]Fix VCM directory reference
* [CI]Fix signing
* [Installer] Fix resources folder for release CI
* [ci]Looks like we still ship NLog on PowerToys Run
* [Settings]Add dependency to avoid dll collision with Experimentation
* [RegistryPreview]Move XAML files to own path
* [RegistryPreview]Fix app icon
* [Hosts]Move XAML files to their own path
* [FileLocksmith]Move XAML files to their own path
* [Peek]Move XAML files to own path
* [ScreenRuler]Move XAML files to its own path
* [Settings]Move XAML to its own path
* [ColorPicker]Move Resources to Assets
* [ShortcutGuide]Move svgs to own Assets path
* [Awake]Move images to assets path
* [Runner]Remove debug checks for PowerToys Run assets
* [PTRun]Move images to its own assets path
* [ImageResizer]Icon for context menu on own assets path
* [PowerRename]Move ico to its own path
* Remove unneeded intermediary directories
* Remove further int dirs
* Move tests to its own output path
* Fix spellcheck
* spellcheck: remove warnings
* [CppAnalyzers]Ignore rule in a tool
* [CI]Check if all deps.json files reference same versions
* fix spellcheck
* [ci]Fix task identation
* [ci]Add script to guard against asset conflicts
* [ci]Add more deps.json audit steps in the release build
* Add xbf to spellcheck expects
* Fix typo in asset conflict check scripts
* Fix some more dependency conflicts
* Downgrade CsWinRT to have the same dll version as sdk
* [ci]Do a recursive check for every deps.json
* Fix spellcheck error inside comment
* [ci]Fix asset script error
* [ci]Name deps.json verify tasks a bit better
* [ci]Improve deps json verify script output
* [ci]Update WinRT version to the same running in CI
* Also upgrade CsWinRT in NOTICE.MD
* [PowerRename]Move XAML files to own path
* [Common]Fix Settings executable path
* [ci]Verify there's no xbf files in app directories
* [installer]Fix firewall path
* [Monaco]Move new files to their proper assets path
* [Monaco]Fix paths for new files after merge
* [Feedback]Removed unneeded build conditions
* [Feedback]Clear vcxproj direct reference to frameworks
* [Feedback]RunPlugins name to hold PTRun plugins
* [Feedback]Remove unneeded foreach
* [Feedback]Shortcut Guide svgs with ** in project file
* [Feedback]Fix spellcheck
