Revert "[Dev][Build] VS 2026 Support (#44304)"

This reverts commit f82afdf384.

.github/actions/spell-check/excludes.txt

@@ -104,8 +104,6 @@
 ^src/common/ManagedCommon/ColorFormatHelper\.cs$
 ^src/common/notifications/BackgroundActivatorDLL/cpp\.hint$
 ^src/common/sysinternals/Eula/
-^src/modules/cmdpal/Tests/Microsoft\.CommandPalette\.Extensions\.Toolkit\.UnitTests/FuzzyMatcherComparisonTests.cs$
-^src/modules/cmdpal/Tests/Microsoft\.CommandPalette\.Extensions\.Toolkit\.UnitTests/FuzzyMatcherDiacriticsTests.cs$
 ^src/modules/cmdpal/doc/initial-sdk-spec/list-elements-mock-002\.pdn$
 ^src/modules/cmdpal/ext/SamplePagesExtension/Pages/SampleMarkdownImagesPage\.cs$
 ^src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft\.CmdPal\.UI/Settings/InternalPage\.SampleData\.cs$

.github/actions/spell-check/expect.txt

@@ -647,8 +647,6 @@ GSM
 gtm
 guiddata
 GUITHREADINFO
-Gotcha
-Gotchas
 GValue
 gwl
 GWLP
@@ -1534,7 +1532,6 @@ riid
 RKey
 RNumber
 rollups
-ROOTOWNER
 rop
 ROUNDSMALL
 ROWSETEXT
@@ -1829,7 +1826,6 @@ TEXTBOXNEWLINE
 textextractor
 TEXTINCLUDE
 tfopen
-tgamma
 tgz
 THEMECHANGED
 themeresources

.pipelines/v2/oneFuzz.yml

@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ stages:
             ${{ else }}:
               name: SHINE-OSS-L
             ${{ if eq(parameters.useVSPreview, true) }}:
-              demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Preview
-            ${{ else }}:
-              demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Latest
+              demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS17-Preview
           buildPlatforms:
             - ${{ parameters.platform }}
           buildConfigurations: [Release]

.pipelines/v2/release.yml

@@ -51,9 +51,7 @@ extends:
     pool:
       name: SHINE-INT-S
       ${{ if eq(parameters.useVSPreview, true) }}:
-        demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Preview
-      ${{ else }}:
-        demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Latest
+        demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS17-Preview
       os: windows
     sdl:
       tsa:
@@ -76,9 +74,7 @@ extends:
                 demands:
                   # Our INT agents have a large disk mounted at P:\
                   - ${{ if eq(parameters.useVSPreview, true) }}:
-                    - ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Latest-Preview
-                  - ${{ else }}:
-                    - ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Latest
+                    - ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS17-Preview
                 os: windows
               variables:
                 IsPipeline: 1 # The installer uses this to detect whether it should pick up localizations

.pipelines/v2/templates/job-build-project.yml

@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ jobs:
       displayName: Build PowerToys main project
     inputs:
       solution: 'PowerToys.slnx'
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         -restore -graph
         /p:RestorePackagesConfig=true
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ jobs:
     condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables['BuildPlatform'], 'arm64'))
     inputs:
       solution: PowerToys.slnx
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         -restore
         /p:Configuration=$(BuildConfiguration)
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ jobs:
     displayName: Build BugReportTool
     inputs:
       solution: '**/tools/BugReportTool/BugReportTool.sln'
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         -restore -graph
         /p:RestorePackagesConfig=true
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ jobs:
     displayName: Build StylesReportTool
     inputs:
       solution: '**/tools/StylesReportTool/StylesReportTool.sln'
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         -restore -graph
         /p:RestorePackagesConfig=true
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ jobs:
       displayName: Publish ${{ project }} for Packaging
       inputs:
         solution: ${{ project }}
-        vsVersion: 18.0
+        vsVersion: 17.0
         msbuildArgs: >-
           /target:Publish
           /graph

.pipelines/v2/templates/job-build-ui-tests.yml

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ jobs:
       displayName: Build UI Test Projects
       inputs:
         solution: '**/*UITest*.csproj'
-        vsVersion: 18.0
+        vsVersion: 17.0
         msbuildArgs: >-
           -restore
           -graph
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
         displayName: 'Build UI Test Module: ${{ module }}'
         inputs:
           solution: '**/*${{ module }}*.csproj'
-          vsVersion: 18.0
+          vsVersion: 17.0
           msbuildArgs: >-
             -restore
             -graph

.pipelines/v2/templates/pipeline-ci-build.yml

@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ stages:
               ${{ else }}:
                 name: SHINE-OSS-L
               ${{ if eq(parameters.useVSPreview, true) }}:
-                demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Preview
-              ${{ else }}:
-                demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Latest
+                demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS17-Preview
             buildPlatforms:
               - ${{ platform }}
             buildConfigurations: [Release]

.pipelines/v2/templates/pipeline-ui-tests-full-build.yml

@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ stages:
             ${{ else }}:
               name: SHINE-OSS-L
             ${{ if eq(parameters.useVSPreview, true) }}:
-              demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Preview
-            ${{ else }}:
-              demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS18-Latest
+              demands: ImageOverride -equals SHINE-VS17-Preview
           buildPlatforms:
             - ${{ parameters.platform }}
           buildConfigurations: [Release]

.pipelines/v2/templates/steps-build-installer-vnext.yml

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ steps:
     displayName: Build Shared Support DLLs
     inputs:
       solution: "**/installer/PowerToysSetup.slnx"
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         /t:PowerToysSetupCustomActionsVNext;SilentFilesInUseBAFunction
         /p:RunBuildEvents=true;RestorePackagesConfig=true;CIBuild=true
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ steps:
     displayName: 💻 Build VNext MSI
     inputs:
       solution: "**/installer/PowerToysSetup.slnx"
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         -restore
         /t:PowerToysInstallerVNext
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ steps:
     displayName: 👤 Build VNext MSI
     inputs:
       solution: "**/installer/PowerToysSetup.slnx"
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         /t:PowerToysInstallerVNext
         /p:RunBuildEvents=false;PerUser=true;BuildProjectReferences=false;CIBuild=true
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ steps:
     displayName: 💻 Build VNext Bootstrapper
     inputs:
       solution: "**/installer/PowerToysSetup.slnx"
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         -restore
         /t:PowerToysBootstrapperVNext
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ steps:
     displayName: 👤 Build VNext Bootstrapper
     inputs:
       solution: "**/installer/PowerToysSetup.slnx"
-      vsVersion: 18.0
+      vsVersion: 17.0
       msbuildArgs: >-
         /t:PowerToysBootstrapperVNext
         /p:PerUser=true;BuildProjectReferences=false;CIBuild=true

.pipelines/verifyAndSetLatestVCToolsVersion.ps1

@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
-# Build common vswhere base arguments
-$vsWhereBaseArgs = @('-latest', '-requires', 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64')
-if ($env:VCWhereExtraVersionTarget) {
-    # Add version target if specified (e.g., '-version [18.0,19.0)' for VS2026)
-    $vsWhereBaseArgs += $env:VCWhereExtraVersionTarget.Split(' ')
-}
-
-$VSInstances = ([xml](& 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe' @vsWhereBaseArgs -include packages -format xml))
+$VSInstances = ([xml](& 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe' -latest -requires Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64 -include packages -format xml))
 $VSPackages = $VSInstances.instances.instance.packages.package
 $LatestVCPackage = ($VSPackages | ? { $_.id -eq "Microsoft.VisualCpp.Tools.Core" })
 $LatestVCToolsVersion = $LatestVCPackage.version;
 
-$VSRoot = (& 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe' @vsWhereBaseArgs -property 'resolvedInstallationPath')
+$VSRoot = (& 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe' -latest -requires Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64 -property 'resolvedInstallationPath')
 $VCToolsRoot = Join-Path $VSRoot "VC\Tools\MSVC"
 
 # We have observed a few instances where the VC tools package version actually
@@ -31,12 +24,5 @@ If ($Null -Eq (Get-Item $PackageVCToolPath -ErrorAction:Ignore)) {
 }
 
 Write-Output "Latest VCToolsVersion: $LatestVCToolsVersion"
-
-# VS2026 (MSVC 14.50+) doesn't need explicit VCToolsVersion - let MSBuild auto-select
-$MajorMinorVersion = [Version]::Parse($LatestVCToolsVersion)
-If ($MajorMinorVersion.Major -eq 14 -and $MajorMinorVersion.Minor -ge 50) {
-    Write-Output "VS2026 detected (MSVC 14.50+). Skipping VCToolsVersion override to allow MSBuild auto-selection."
-} Else {
-    Write-Output "Updating VCToolsVersion environment variable for job"
-    Write-Output "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VCToolsVersion]$LatestVCToolsVersion"
-}
+Write-Output "Updating VCToolsVersion environment variable for job"
+Write-Output "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VCToolsVersion]$LatestVCToolsVersion"

AGENTS.md

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ These instruction files are automatically applied when working in their respecti
 
 ### Prerequisites
 
-- Visual Studio 2022 17.4+ or Visual Studio 2026
+- Visual Studio 2022 17.4+
 - Windows 10 1803+ (April 2018 Update or newer)
 - Initialize submodules once: `git submodule update --init --recursive`
 

Cpp.Build.props

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
       <PrecompiledHeader Condition="'$(UsePrecompiledHeaders)' != 'false'">Use</PrecompiledHeader>
       <PrecompiledHeaderFile>pch.h</PrecompiledHeaderFile>
       <WarningLevel>Level4</WarningLevel>
-      <DisableSpecificWarnings>4679;4706;4874;5271;%(DisableSpecificWarnings)</DisableSpecificWarnings>
+      <DisableSpecificWarnings>4679;5271;%(DisableSpecificWarnings)</DisableSpecificWarnings>
       <DisableAnalyzeExternal >true</DisableAnalyzeExternal>
       <ExternalWarningLevel>TurnOffAllWarnings</ExternalWarningLevel>
       <ConformanceMode>false</ConformanceMode>
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@
   <!-- Props that are constant for both Debug and Release configurations -->
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
-    <PlatformToolset Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == '18.0'">v145</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <DesktopCompatible>true</DesktopCompatible>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>

PowerToys.slnx

@@ -360,10 +360,6 @@
       <Platform Solution="*|ARM64" Project="ARM64" />
       <Platform Solution="*|x64" Project="x64" />
     </Project>
-    <Project Path="src/modules/cmdpal/Tests/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit.UnitTests/Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit.UnitTests.csproj" Id="2eca18b7-33b7-4829-88f1-439b20fd60f6">
-      <Platform Solution="*|ARM64" Project="ARM64" />
-      <Platform Solution="*|x64" Project="x64" />
-    </Project>
   </Folder>
   <Folder Name="/modules/CommandPalette/UI/">
     <Project Path="src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.csproj">

doc/devdocs/core/installer.md

@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
 ### Building PowerToys Locally
 
 #### One stop script for building installer
-1. Open `Developer Powershell for VS 2022` or `Developer PowerShell for VS` for VS 2026.
+1. Open developer powershell for vs 2022
 2. Run tools\build\build-installer.ps1
 > For the first-time setup, please run the installer as an administrator. This ensures that the Wix tool can move wix.target to the desired location and trust the certificate used to sign the MSIX packages.
 
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ dotnet tool install --global wix --version 5.0.2
 
 ##### From the command line
 
-1. From the start menu, open a `Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022` or `Developer Command Prompt for VS`
+1. From the start menu, open a `Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022`
 1. Ensure `nuget.exe` is in your `%path%`
 1. In the repo root, run these commands:
   
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ If you prefer, you can alternatively build prerequisite projects for the install
 
 The resulting installer will be available in the `installer\PowerToysSetupVNext\x64\Release\` folder.
 
-To build the installer from the command line, run `Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022` or `Developer Command Prompt for VS` in admin mode and execute the following commands. The generated installer package will be located at `\installer\PowerToysSetupVNext\{platform}\Release\MachineSetup`.
+To build the installer from the command line, run `Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022` in admin mode and execute the following commands. The generated installer package will be located at `\installer\PowerToysSetupVNext\{platform}\Release\MachineSetup`.
 
 ```
 git clean -xfd  -e *exe -- .\installer\

doc/devdocs/development/debugging.md

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Before you can start debugging PowerToys, you need to set up your development en
 
 You can build the entire solution from the command line, which is sometimes faster than building within Visual Studio:
 
-1. Open `Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022` or `Developer Command Prompt for VS`
+1. Open Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022
 2. Navigate to the repository root directory
 3. Run the following command(don't forget to set the correct platform):
    ```pwsh
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ If you encounter build errors about missing image files (e.g., `.png`, `.ico`, o
 
 1. **Clean the solution in Visual Studio**: Build > Clean Solution
 
-   Or from the command line (Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022 or Developer Command Prompt for VS):
+   Or from the command line (Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022):
    ```pwsh
    msbuild PowerToys.slnx /t:Clean /p:Platform=x64 /p:Configuration=Debug
    ```

doc/devdocs/development/dev-with-vscode.md

@@ -15,11 +15,9 @@ VS Code extensions Needed:
 ---
 
 ## Building in VS Code
-### Configure Developer Powershell for VS 2022 or Developer Powershell for VS for more convenient dev in vscode.
+### Configure developer powershell for vs2022 for more convenient dev in vscode.
 1. Configure profile in in settings, entry:  "terminal.integrated.profiles.windows"
-2. Add below config as entry (choose VS 2022 or VS 2026 based on your installation):
-
-**For Visual Studio 2022:**
+2. Add below config as entry:
 ```json
     "Developer PowerShell for VS 2022": {
 		// Configure based on your preference
@@ -29,35 +27,16 @@ VS Code extensions Needed:
             "-Command",
             "& {",
             "$orig = Get-Location;",
-            // Adjust path based on your edition (Community/Professional/Enterprise)
+            // Configure based on your environment
             "& 'C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2022\\Enterprise\\Common7\\Tools\\Launch-VsDevShell.ps1';",
             "Set-Location $orig",
             "}"
         ]
     },
 ```
+3. [Optional] Set Developer PowerShell for VS 2022 as your default profile, so that you can get a deep integration with vscode coding agent. 
 
-**For Visual Studio 2026:**
-```json
-    "Developer PowerShell for VS": {
-		// Configure based on your preference
-        "path": "C:\\Program Files\\WindowsApps\\Microsoft.PowerShell_7.5.2.0_arm64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\\pwsh.exe",
-        "args": [
-            "-NoExit",
-            "-Command",
-            "& {",
-            "$orig = Get-Location;",
-            // Adjust path based on your edition (Community/Professional/Enterprise)
-            "& 'C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\18\\Enterprise\\Common7\\Tools\\Launch-VsDevShell.ps1';",
-            "Set-Location $orig",
-            "}"
-        ]
-    },
-```
-
-3. [Optional] Set your Developer PowerShell profile as the default, so that you can get a deep integration with vscode coding agent. 
-
-4. Now you can build with plain `msbuild` or configure tasks.json in below section.
+4. Now You can build with plain `msbuild` or configure tasks.json in below section
 Or reach out to "tools\build\BUILD-GUIDELINES.md"
 
 ### Sample plain msbuild command

doc/devdocs/development/new-powertoy.md

@@ -1,311 +0,0 @@
-# 🧭 Creating a new PowerToy: end-to-end developer guide
-
-First of all, thank you for wanting to contribute to PowerToys. The work we do would not be possible without the support of community supporters like you.
-
-This guide documents the process of building a new PowerToys utility from scratch, including architecture decisions, integration steps, and common pitfalls.
-
----
-
-## 1. Overview and prerequisites
-
-A PowerToy module is a self-contained utility integrated into the PowerToys ecosystem. It can be UI-based, service-based, or both.
-
-### Requirements
-
-- [Visual Studio 2026](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/) and the following workloads/individual components:
-  - Desktop Development with C++
-  - WinUI application development
-  - .NET desktop development
-  - Windows 10 SDK (10.0.22621.0)
-  - Windows 11 SDK (10.0.26100.3916)
-- .NET 8 SDK
-- Fork the [PowerToys repository](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/tree/main) locally
-- [Validate that you are able to build and run](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/doc/devdocs/development/debugging.md) `PowerToys.slnx`.
-
-Optional: 
-- [WiX v5 toolset](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/tree/main) for the installer
-
-> [!NOTE]
-> To ensure all the correct VS Workloads are installed, use [the WinGet configuration files](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/tree/e13d6a78aafbcf32a4bb5f8581d041e1d057c3f1/.config) in the project repository. (Use the one that matches your VS distribution. ie: VS Community would use `configuration.winget`)
-
-### Folder structure
-
-```
-src/
-  modules/
-    your_module/
-      YourModule.sln
-      YourModuleInterface/
-      YourModuleUI/ (if needed)
-      YourModuleService/ (if needed)
-```
-
----
-## 2. Design and planning
-
-### Decide the type of module
-
-Think about how your module works and which existing modules behave similarly. You are going to want to think about the UI needed for the application, the lifecycle, whether it is a service that is always running or event based. Below are some basic scenarios with some modules to explore. You can write your application in C++ or C#.
-- **UI-only:** e.g., ColorPicker
-- **Background service:** e.g., LightSwitch, Awake
-- **Hybrid (UI + background logic):** e.g., ShortcutGuide
-- **C++/C# interop:** e.g., PowerRename 
-
-### Write your module interface
-
-Begin by setting up the [PowerToy module template project](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/tree/main/tools/project_template). This will generate boilerplate for you to begin your new module. Below are the key headers in the Module Interface (`dllmain.cpp`) and an explanation of their purpose:
-1. This is where module settings are defined. These can be anything from strings, bools, ints, and even custom Enums.
-```c++
-struct ModuleSettings {};
-```
-
-2. This is the header for the full class. It inherits the PowerToyModuleIface
-```c++
-class ModuleInterface : public PowertoyModuleIface 
-{
-  private:
-    // the private members of the class
-    // Can include the enabled variable, logic for event handlers, or hotkeys.
-  public:
-    // the public members of the class
-    // Will include the constructor and initialization logic.
-}
-```
-
-> [!NOTE]
-> Many of the class functions are boilerplate and need simple string replacements with your module name. The rest of the functions below will require bigger changes.
-
-3. GPO stands for "Group Policy Object" and allows for administrators to configure settings across a network of machines. It is required that your module is on this list of settings. You can right click the `powertoys_gpo` object to go to the definition and set up the `getConfiguredModuleEnabledValue` for your module.
-```c++
-virtual powertoys_gpo::gpo_rule_configured_t gpo_policy_enabled_configuration() override
-{
-    return powertoys_gpo::getConfiguredModuleEnabledValue();
-}
-```
-
-4. `init_settings()` initializes the settings for the interface. Will either pull from existing settings.json or use defaults.
-```c++
-void ModuleInterface::init_settings()
-```
-
-5. `get_config` retrieves the settings from the settings.json file.
-```c++
-virtual bool get_config(wchar_t* buffer, int* buffer_size) override
-```
-
-6. `set_config` sets the new settings to the settings.json file.
-```c++
-virtual void set_config(const wchar_t* config) override
-```
-
-7. `call_custom_action` allows custom actions to be called based on signals from the settings app.
-```c++
-void call_custom_action(const wchar_t* action) override
-```
-
-8. Lifecycle events control whether the module is enabled or not, as well as the default status of the module.
-```c++
-virtual void enable() // starts the module
-virtual void disable() // terminates the module and performs any cleanup
-virtual bool is_enabled() // returns if the module is currently enabled
-virtual bool is_enabled_by_default() const override // allows the module to dictate whether it should be enabled by default in the PowerToys app.
-```
-
-9. Hotkey functions control the status of the hotkey.
-```c++
-// takes the hotkey from settings into a format that the interface can understand
-void parse_hotkey(PowerToysSettings::PowerToyValues& settings) 
-
-// returns the hotkeys from settings
-virtual size_t get_hotkeys(Hotkey* hotkeys, size_t buffer_size) override 
-
-// performs logic when the hotkey event is fired
-virtual bool on_hotkey(size_t hotkeyId) override 
-```
-
-### Notes
-
-- Keep module logic isolated under `/modules/<YourModule>`
-- Use shared utilities from [`common`](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/tree/main/src/common) instead of cross-module dependencies
-- init/set/get config use preset functions to access the settings. Check out the [`settings_objects.h`](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/src/common/SettingsAPI/settings_helpers.h) in `src\common\SettingsAPI`
-
----
-## 3. Bootstrapping your module
-
-1. Use the [template](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/tree/main/tools/project_template) to generate the module interface starter code.
-2. Update all projects and namespaces with your module name.
-3. Update GUIDs in `.vcxproj` and solution files.
-4. Update the functions mentioned in the above section with your custom logic.
-5. In order for your module to be detected by the runner you are required to add  references to various lists. In order to register your module, add the corresponding module reference to the lists that can be found in the following files. (Hint: search other modules names to find the lists quicker)
-    - `src/runner/modules.h`
-    - `src/runner/modules.cpp`
-    - `src/runner/resource.h`
-    - `src/runner/settings_window.h`
-    - `src/runner/settings_window.cpp`
-    - `src/runner/main.cpp`
-    - `src/common/logger.h` (for logging)
-6. ModuleInterface should build your `ModuleInterface.dll`. This will allow the runner to interact with your service.
-
-> [!TIP]
-> Mismatched module IDs are one of the most common causes of load failures. Keep your ID consistent across manifest, registry, and service.
-
----
-## 4. Write your service
-
-This is going to look different for every PowerToy. It may be easier to develop the application independently, and then link in the PowerToys settings logic later. But you have to write the service first, before connecting it to the runner.
-
-### Notes
-
-- This is a separate project from the Module Interface.
-- You can develop this project using C# or C++.
-- Set the service icon using the `.rc` file.
-- Set the service name in the `.vcxproj` by setting the `<TargetName>`
-```
-<PropertyGroup>
-  <OutDir>..\..\..\..\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(MSBuildProjectName)\</OutDir>
-  <TargetName>PowerToys.LightSwitchService</TargetName>
-</PropertyGroup>
-```
-- To view the code of the `.vcxproj`, right click the item and select **Unload project**
-- Use the following functions to interact with settings from your service
-```
-ModuleSettings::instance().InitFileWatcher();
-ModuleSettings::instance().LoadSettings();
-auto& settings = ModuleSettings::instance().settings();
-```
-These come from the `ModuleSettings.h` file that lives with the Service. You can copy this from another module (e.g., Light Switch) and adjust to fit your needs.
-
-If your module has a user interface:
-- Use the **WinUI Blank App** template when setting up your project
-- Use [Windows design best practices](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/apps/design/basics/)
-- Use the [WinUI 3 Gallery](https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9p3jfpwwdzrc) for help with your UI code, and additional guidance.
-
-## 5. Settings integration
-
-PowerToys settings are stored per-module as JSON under:
-
-```
-%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\<module>\settings.json
-```
-
-### Implementation steps
-
-- In `src\settings-ui\Settings.UI.Library\` create `<module>Properties.cs` and `<module>Settings.cs`
-- `<module>Properties.cs` is where you will define your defaults. Every setting needs to be represented here. This should match what was set in the Module Interface.
-- `<module>Settings.cs`is where your settings.json will be built from. The structure should match the following
-```cs
-public ModuleSettings()
-{
-    Name = ModuleName;
-    Version = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version.ToString();
-    Properties = new ModuleProperties(); // settings properties you set above.
-}
-```
-
-- In `src\settings-ui\Settings.UI\ViewModels` create `<module>ViewModel.cs` this is where the interaction happens between your settings page in the PowerToys app and the settings file that is stored on the device. Changes here will trigger the settings watcher via a `NotifyPropertyChanged` event.
-- Create a `SettingsPage.xaml` at `src\settings-ui\Settings.UI\SettingsXAML\Views`. This will be the page where the user interacts with the settings of your module.
-- Be sure to use resource strings for user facing strings so they can be localized. (`x:Uid` connects to Resources.resw)
-```xaml
-// LightSwitch.xaml
-<ComboBoxItem
-    x:Uid="LightSwitch_ModeOff"
-    AutomationProperties.AutomationId="OffCBItem_LightSwitch"
-    Tag="Off" />
-
-// Resources.resw
-<data name="LightSwitch_ModeOff.Content" xml:space="preserve">
-  <value>Off</value>
-</data>
-```
-> [!IMPORTANT]
-> In the above example we use `.Content` to target the content of the Combobox. This can change per UI element (e.g., `.Text`, `.Header`, etc.)
-
-> **Reminder:** Manual changes via external editors (VS Code, Notepad) do **not** trigger the settings watcher. Only changes written through PowerToys trigger reloads.
-
----
-
-### Gotchas:
-
-- Only use the WinUI 3 framework, _not_ UWP.
-- Use [`DispatcherQueue`](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/apps/develop/dispatcherqueue) when updating UI from non-UI threads.
-
----
-## 6. Building and debugging
-
-### Debugging steps
-
-1. If this is your first time debugging PowerToys, be sure to follow [these steps first](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/doc/devdocs/development/debugging.md#pre-debugging-setup).
-2. Set "runner" as the start up project and ensure your build configuration is set to match your system (ARM64/x64)
-3. Select <kbd>F5</kbd> or the **Local Windows Debugger** button to begin debugging. This should start the PowerToys runner.
-4. To set breakpoints in your service, select Ctrl+Alt+P and search for your service to attach to the runner.
-5. Use logs to document changes. The logs live at `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\RunnerLogs` and `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\Module\Service\<version>` for the specific module.
-
-> [!TIP]
-> PowerToys caches `.nuget` artifacts aggressively. Use `git clean -xfd` when builds behave unexpectedly.
-
----
-## 7. Installer and packaging (WiX)
-
-### Add your module to installer
-
-1. Install [`WixToolset.Heat`](https://www.nuget.org/packages/WixToolset.Heat/) for Wix5 via nuget
-2. Inside `installer\PowerToysInstallerVNext` add a new file for your module: `Module.wxs`
-3. Inside of this file you will need copy the format from another module (ie: Light Switch) and replace the strings and GUID values.
-4. The key part will be `<!--ModuleNameFiles_Component_Def-->` which is a placeholder for code that will be generated by `generateFileComponents.ps1`.
-5. Inside `Product.wxs` add a line item in the `<Feature Id="CoreFeature" ... >` section. It will look like a list of ` <ComponentGroupRef Id="ModuleComponentGroup" />` items.
-6. Inside `generateFileComponents.ps1` you will need to add an entry to the bottom for your new module. It will follow the following format. `-fileListName <Module>Files` will match the string you set in `Module.wxs`, `<ModuleServiceName>` will match the name of your exe.
-```bash
-# Module Name
-Generate-FileList -fileDepsJson "" -fileListName <Module>Files -wxsFilePath $PSScriptRoot\<Module>.wxs -depsPath "$PSScriptRoot..\..\..\$platform\Release\<ModuleServiceName>"
-Generate-FileComponents -fileListName "<Module>Files" -wxsFilePath $PSScriptRoot\<Module>.wxs -regroot $registryroot
-```
----
-## 8. Testing and validation
-
-### UI tests
-
-- Place under `/modules/<YourModule>/Tests`
-- Create a new [WinUI Unit Test App](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/apps/winui/winui3/testing/create-winui-unit-test-project)
-- Write unit tests following the format from previous modules (ie: Light Switch). This can be to test your standalone UI (if you're a module like Color Picker) or to verify that the Settings UI in the PowerToys app is controlling your service.
-
-### Manual validation
-
-- Enable/disable in PowerToys Settings
-- Check initialization in logs
-- Confirm icons, tooltips, and OOBE page appear correctly
-
-### Pro tips
-
-1. Validate wake/sleep and elevation states. Background modules often fail silently after resume if event handles aren’t recreated.
-2. Use Windows Sandbox to simulate clean install environments
-3. To simulate a "new user" you can delete the PowerToys folder from `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft`
-
-### Shortcut conflict detection
-
-If your module has a shortcut, ensure that it is properly registered following [the steps listed in the documentation](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/doc/devdocs/core/settings/settings-implementation.md#shortcut-conflict-detection) for conflict detection.
-
----
-## 9. The final touches
-
-### Out-of-Box experience (OOBE) page
-
-The OOBE page is a custom settings page that gives the user at a glance information about each module. This window opens before the Settings application for new users and after updates. Create `OOBE<ModuleName>.xaml` at `src\settings-ui\Settings.UI\SettingsXAML\OOBE\Views`. You will also need to add your module name to the enum at `src\settings-ui\Settings.UI\OOBE\Enums\PowerToysModules.cs`.
-
-### Module assets
-
-Now that your PowerToy is _done_ you can start to think about the assets that will represent your module.
-- Module Icon: This will be displayed in a number of places: OOBE page, in the README, on the home screen of PowerToys, on your individual module settings page, etc.  
-- Module Image: This is the image you see at the top of each individual settings page.
-- OOBE Image: This is the header you see on the OOBE page for each module
-
-> [!NOTE]
-> This step is something that the Design team will handle internally to ensure consistency throughout the application. If you have ideas or recommendations on what the icon or screenshots should be for your module feel free to leave it in the "Additional Comments" section of the PR and the team will take it into consideration.
-
-### Documentation
-
-There are two types of documentation that will be required when submitting a new PowerToy:
-1. Developer documentation: This will live in the [PowerToys repo](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/doc/devdocs/modules) at `/doc/devdocs/modules/` and should tell a developer how to work on your app. It should outline the module architecture, key files, testing, and tips on debugging if necessary.
-2. Microsoft Learn documentation: When your new Module is ready to be merged into the PowerToys repository, an internal team member will create Microsoft Learn documentation so that users will understand how to use your module. There is not much work on your end as the developer for this step, but keep an eye on your PR in case we need more information about your PowerToy for this step.
-
----
-Thank you again for contributing! If you need help, feel free to [open an issue](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/new/choose) and use the `Needs-Team-Response` label so we know you need attention.

doc/devdocs/modules/fancyzones.md

@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ FancyZones is divided into several projects:
 ## Development Environment Setup
 
 ### Prerequisites
-- Visual Studio 2022 or 2026: Required for building and debugging
+- Visual Studio 2022: Required for building and debugging
 - Windows 10 SDK: Ensure the latest version is installed
 - PowerToys Repository: Clone from GitHub
 
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ FancyZones is divided into several projects:
 ## Debugging
 
 ### Setup for Debugging
-1. In Visual Studio 2022 or 2026, set FancyZonesEditor as the startup project
+1. In Visual Studio 2022, set FancyZonesEditor as the startup project
 2. Set breakpoints in the code where needed
 3. Click Run to start debugging
 

doc/devdocs/readme.md

@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ Once you've discussed your proposed feature/fix/etc. with a team member, and an
 ### Prerequisites for Compiling PowerToys
 
 1. Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803) or newer
-1. Visual Studio Community/Professional/Enterprise 2022 17.4 or newer, or Visual Studio 2026
+1. Visual Studio Community/Professional/Enterprise 2022 17.4 or newer
 1. A local clone of the PowerToys repository
 1. Enable long paths in Windows (see [Enable Long Paths](https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/win32/fileio/maximum-file-path-limitation#enabling-long-paths-in-windows-10-version-1607-and-later) for details)
 

installer/PowerToysSetupCustomActionsVNext/PowerToysSetupCustomActionsVNext.vcxproj

@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <Import Project="..\..\deps\spdlog.props" />

installer/PowerToysSetupVNext/Directory.Build.props

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <Project>
-  <Import Project="..\..\Directory.Build.props" />
+  <Import Project="..\..\src\Version.props" Condition="Exists('..\..\src\Version.props')" />
   <PropertyGroup>
     <!-- Set BaseIntermediateOutputPath for each project to avoid conflicts -->
     <BaseIntermediateOutputPath Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectName)' == 'PowerToysInstallerVNext'">obj\Installer\</BaseIntermediateOutputPath>

installer/PowerToysSetupVNext/Product.wxs

@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
       <Custom Action="UnRegisterCmdPalPackage" Before="RemoveFiles" Condition="Installed AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE) AND (REMOVE=&quot;ALL&quot;)" />
       <Custom Action="UninstallCommandNotFound" Before="RemoveFiles" Condition="Installed AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE) AND (REMOVE=&quot;ALL&quot;)" />
       <Custom Action="UpgradeCommandNotFound" After="InstallFiles" Condition="WIX_UPGRADE_DETECTED" />
-      <Custom Action="UninstallPackageIdentityMSIX" Before="RemoveFiles" Condition="Installed AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE) AND (REMOVE=&quot;ALL&quot;)" />
+      <Custom Action="UninstallPackageIdentityMSIX" Before="RemoveFiles" Condition="Installed AND (REMOVE=&quot;ALL&quot;)" />
       <Custom Action="UninstallServicesTask" After="InstallFinalize" Condition="Installed AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE) AND (REMOVE=&quot;ALL&quot;)" />
         <!-- TODO: Use to activate embedded MSIX -->
       <!--<Custom Action="UninstallEmbeddedMSIXTask" After="InstallFinalize">

installer/PowerToysSetupVNext/SilentFilesInUseBA/SilentFilesInUseBAFunction.vcxproj

@@ -37,14 +37,14 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
@@ -68,10 +68,11 @@
     <ClCompile Include="SilentFilesInUseBAFunctions.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="bafunctions.cpp">
       <PrecompiledHeader>Create</PrecompiledHeader>
+      <PrecompiledHeaderFile>precomp.h</PrecompiledHeaderFile>
     </ClCompile>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <ClInclude Include="pch.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="precomp.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="resource.h" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>

installer/PowerToysSetupVNext/SilentFilesInUseBA/SilentFilesInUseBAFunctions.cpp

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Copyright (c) .NET Foundation and contributors. All rights reserved. Licensed under the Microsoft Reciprocal License. See LICENSE.TXT file in the project root for full license information.
 
-#include "pch.h"
+#include "precomp.h"
 #include "BalBaseBAFunctions.h"
 #include "BalBaseBAFunctionsProc.h"
 
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ public: // IBootstrapperApplication
 
         BalLog(BOOTSTRAPPER_LOG_LEVEL_STANDARD, "*** CUSTOM BA FUNCTION SYSTEM ACTIVE *** Running detect begin BA function. fCached=%d, registrationType=%d, cPackages=%u, fCancel=%d", fCached, registrationType, cPackages, *pfCancel);
 
+    LExit:
         return hr;
     }
 
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ public: // IBAFunctions
         // BalExitOnFailure(hr, "Change this message to represent real error handling.");
         //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+    LExit:
         return hr;
     }
 
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ public: // IBAFunctions
         __in DWORD cFiles,
         __in_ecount_z(cFiles) LPCWSTR* rgwzFiles,
         __in int nRecommendation,
-        __in BOOTSTRAPPER_FILES_IN_USE_TYPE /* source */,
+        __in BOOTSTRAPPER_FILES_IN_USE_TYPE source,
         __inout int* pResult
         )
     {

installer/PowerToysSetupVNext/SilentFilesInUseBA/bafunctions.cpp

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Copyright (c) .NET Foundation and contributors. All rights reserved. Licensed under the Microsoft Reciprocal License. See LICENSE.TXT file in the project root for full license information.
 
-#include "pch.h"
+#include "precomp.h"
 
 static HINSTANCE vhInstance = NULL;
 

src/ActionRunner/actionRunner.vcxproj

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="..\..\deps\expected.props" />
   <PropertyGroup>

src/Common.Dotnet.FuzzTest.props

@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
        As a temporary workaround, create a .NET 8 project and use file links 
        to include the code that needs testing. -->
   <PropertyGroup>
-    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.26100.0</TargetFramework>
+    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
   </PropertyGroup>
 </Project>

src/PackageIdentity/PackageIdentity.vcxproj

@@ -55,26 +55,26 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Utility</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|x64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Utility</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|ARM64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Utility</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|ARM64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Utility</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
   </PropertyGroup>
 

src/Update/PowerToys.Update.vcxproj

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="..\..\deps\expected.props" />
   <PropertyGroup>

src/common/COMUtils/COMUtils.vcxproj

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/common/CalculatorEngineCommon/CalculatorEngineCommon.vcxproj

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <GenerateManifest>false</GenerateManifest>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/common/CalculatorEngineCommon/ExprtkEvaluator.cpp

@@ -3,27 +3,9 @@
 #include <iomanip>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <sstream>
-#include <cmath>
-#include <limits>
 
 namespace ExprtkCalculator::internal
 {
-    static double factorial(const double n)
-    {
-        // Only allow non-negative integers
-        if (n < 0.0 || std::floor(n) != n)
-        {
-            return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
-        }
-        return std::tgamma(n + 1.0);
-    }
-
-    static double sign(const double n)
-    {
-        if (n > 0.0) return 1.0;
-        if (n < 0.0) return -1.0;
-        return 0.0;
-    }
 
     std::wstring ToWStringFullPrecision(double value)
     {
@@ -43,9 +25,6 @@ namespace ExprtkCalculator::internal
             symbol_table.add_constant(name, value);
         }
 
-        symbol_table.add_function("factorial", factorial);
-        symbol_table.add_function("sign", sign);
-
         exprtk::expression<double> expression;
         expression.register_symbol_table(symbol_table);
 

src/common/Display/Display.vcxproj

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <Project DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
-  <Import Project="..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.props" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.props')" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Globals">
     <VCProjectVersion>16.0</VCProjectVersion>
     <ProjectGuid>{CABA8DFB-823B-4BF2-93AC-3F31984150D9}</ProjectGuid>
@@ -11,7 +10,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">
@@ -40,18 +39,5 @@
     <ClCompile Include="monitors.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="dpi_aware.cpp" />
   </ItemGroup>
-  <ItemGroup>
-    <None Include="packages.config" />
-  </ItemGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.targets" />
-  <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionTargets">
-    <Import Project="..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.targets')" />
-  </ImportGroup>
-  <Target Name="EnsureNuGetPackageBuildImports" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
-    <PropertyGroup>
-      <ErrorText>This project references NuGet package(s) that are missing on this computer. Use NuGet Package Restore to download them.  For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=322105. The missing file is {0}.</ErrorText>
-    </PropertyGroup>
-    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.props'))" />
-    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.2.0.240111.5\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT.targets'))" />
-  </Target>
 </Project>

src/common/Display/packages.config

@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<packages>
-  <package id="Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT" version="2.0.240111.5" targetFramework="native" />
-</packages>

src/common/GPOWrapper/GPOWrapper.vcxproj

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <GenerateManifest>false</GenerateManifest>
     <DesktopCompatible>true</DesktopCompatible>

src/common/SettingsAPI/SettingsAPI.vcxproj

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/common/Telemetry/EtwTrace/EtwTrace.vcxproj

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/common/Themes/Themes.vcxproj

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/common/UnitTests-CommonLib/UnitTests-CommonLib.vcxproj

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseOfMfc>false</UseOfMfc>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <OutDir>$(SolutionDir)$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\tests\UnitTestsCommonLib\</OutDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />

src/common/interop/PowerToys.Interop.vcxproj

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <GenerateManifest>false</GenerateManifest>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/common/interop/shared_constants.h

@@ -72,10 +72,6 @@ namespace CommonSharedConstants
 
     const wchar_t ALWAYS_ON_TOP_TERMINATE_EVENT[] = L"Local\\AlwaysOnTopTerminateEvent-cfdf1eae-791f-4953-8021-2f18f3837eae";
 
-    const wchar_t ALWAYS_ON_TOP_INCREASE_OPACITY_EVENT[] = L"Local\\AlwaysOnTopIncreaseOpacityEvent-a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890";
-
-    const wchar_t ALWAYS_ON_TOP_DECREASE_OPACITY_EVENT[] = L"Local\\AlwaysOnTopDecreaseOpacityEvent-b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f12345678901";
-
     // Path to the event used by PowerAccent
     const wchar_t POWERACCENT_EXIT_EVENT[] = L"Local\\PowerToysPowerAccentExitEvent-53e93389-d19a-4fbb-9b36-1981c8965e17";
 

src/common/logger/logger.vcxproj

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <OutDir>..\..\..\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\</OutDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />

src/common/notifications/BackgroundActivator/BackgroundActivator.vcxproj

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <GenerateManifest>false</GenerateManifest>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/common/notifications/BackgroundActivatorDLL/BackgroundActivatorDLL.vcxproj

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/common/notifications/notifications.vcxproj

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/common/updating/updating.vcxproj

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   <Import Project="..\..\..\deps\expected.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <Import Project="..\..\..\deps\spdlog.props" />

src/common/version/version.vcxproj

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/logging/logging.vcxproj

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <CharacterSet>MultiByte</CharacterSet>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <OutDir>..\..\$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\</OutDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />

src/modules/AdvancedPaste/AdvancedPasteModuleInterface/AdvancedPasteModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/modules/CropAndLock/CropAndLock/CropAndLock.vcxproj

@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
+    <PlatformToolset Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == '16.0'">v142</PlatformToolset>
+    <PlatformToolset Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == '17.0'">v143</PlatformToolset>
+    <PlatformToolset Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == '18.0'">v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/CropAndLock/CropAndLockModuleInterface/CropAndLockModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/EnvironmentVariables/EnvironmentVariablesModuleInterface/EnvironmentVariablesModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/FileLocksmith/FileLocksmithCLI/FileLocksmithCLI.vcxproj

@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />

src/modules/FileLocksmith/FileLocksmithCLI/tests/FileLocksmithCLIUnitTests.vcxproj

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <Import Project="..\..\..\..\..\deps\spdlog.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/FileLocksmith/FileLocksmithContextMenu/FileLocksmithContextMenu.vcxproj

@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/FileLocksmith/FileLocksmithExt/FileLocksmithExt.vcxproj

@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/FileLocksmith/FileLocksmithLib/FileLocksmithLib.vcxproj

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />

src/modules/FileLocksmith/FileLocksmithLibInterop/FileLocksmithLibInterop.vcxproj

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <GenerateManifest>false</GenerateManifest>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/Hosts/HostsModuleInterface/HostsModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/LightSwitch/LightSwitchLib/LightSwitchLib.vcxproj

@@ -31,22 +31,26 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|x64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|ARM64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|ARM64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/LightSwitch/LightSwitchService/LightSwitchService.vcxproj

@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|x64'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MeasureTool/MeasureToolModuleInterface/MeasureToolModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MouseUtils/CursorWrap/CursorWrap.vcxproj

@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MouseUtils/FindMyMouse/FindMyMouse.vcxproj

@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MouseUtils/MouseHighlighter/MouseHighlighter.vcxproj

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MouseUtils/MouseJump.Common.UnitTests/Helpers/DrawingHelperTests.cs

@@ -143,12 +143,11 @@ public static class DrawingHelperTests
                     var actualPixel = actual.GetPixel(x, y);
 
                     // allow a small tolerance for rounding differences in gdi
-                    // using a tolerance of 3 for support of minor differences in Windows Server 2025 CI
                     Assert.IsTrue(
-                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.A - actualPixel.A) <= 3) &&
-                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.R - actualPixel.R) <= 3) &&
-                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.G - actualPixel.G) <= 3) &&
-                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.B - actualPixel.B) <= 3),
+                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.A - actualPixel.A) <= 1) &&
+                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.R - actualPixel.R) <= 1) &&
+                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.G - actualPixel.G) <= 1) &&
+                        (Math.Abs(expectedPixel.B - actualPixel.B) <= 1),
                         $"images differ at pixel ({x}, {y}) - expected: {expectedPixel}, actual: {actualPixel}");
                 }
             }

src/modules/MouseUtils/MouseJump/MouseJump.vcxproj

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MouseUtils/MousePointerCrosshairs/MousePointerCrosshairs.vcxproj

@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MouseWithoutBorders/ModuleInterface/MouseWithoutBordersModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/modules/NewPlus/NewShellExtensionContextMenu.win10/NewPlus.ShellExtension.win10.vcxproj

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">

src/modules/NewPlus/NewShellExtensionContextMenu/NewShellExtensionContextMenu.vcxproj

@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/PowerOCR/PowerOCRModuleInterface/PowerOCRModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/modules/ShortcutGuide/ShortcutGuide/ShortcutGuide.vcxproj

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <PlatformToolset Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == '15.0'">v141</PlatformToolset>
     <PlatformToolset Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == '16.0'">v142</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>

src/modules/ShortcutGuide/ShortcutGuideModuleInterface/ShortcutGuideModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/WorkspacesLauncher.vcxproj

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
   <!-- Props that are constant for both Debug and Release configurations -->
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib.UnitTests/WorkspacesLibUnitTests.vcxproj

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup>
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib/WorkspacesLib.vcxproj

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesModuleInterface/WorkspacesModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesSnapshotTool/WorkspacesSnapshotTool.vcxproj

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
   <!-- Props that are constant for both Debug and Release configurations -->
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesWindowArranger/WorkspacesWindowArranger.vcxproj

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
   <!-- Props that are constant for both Debug and Release configurations -->
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/ZoomIt/ZoomItModuleInterface/ZoomItModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/ZoomIt/ZoomItSettingsInterop/ZoomItSettingsInterop.vcxproj

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <GenerateManifest>false</GenerateManifest>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/alwaysontop/AlwaysOnTop/AlwaysOnTop.cpp

@@ -153,21 +153,9 @@ LRESULT AlwaysOnTop::WndProc(HWND window, UINT message, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lp
 {
     if (message == WM_HOTKEY)
     {
-        int hotkeyId = static_cast<int>(wparam);
         if (HWND fw{ GetForegroundWindow() })
         {
-            if (hotkeyId == static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::Pin))
-            {
-                ProcessCommand(fw);
-            }
-            else if (hotkeyId == static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::IncreaseOpacity))
-            {
-                StepWindowTransparency(fw, Settings::transparencyStep);
-            }
-            else if (hotkeyId == static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::DecreaseOpacity))
-            {
-                StepWindowTransparency(fw, -Settings::transparencyStep);
-            }
+            ProcessCommand(fw);
         }
     }
     else if (message == WM_PRIV_SETTINGS_CHANGED)
@@ -203,10 +191,6 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::ProcessCommand(HWND window)
                 m_topmostWindows.erase(iter);
             }
 
-            // Restore transparency when unpinning
-            RestoreWindowAlpha(window);
-            m_windowOriginalLayeredState.erase(window);
-
             Trace::AlwaysOnTop::UnpinWindow();
         }
     }
@@ -216,7 +200,6 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::ProcessCommand(HWND window)
         {
             soundType = Sound::Type::On;
             AssignBorder(window);
-            
             Trace::AlwaysOnTop::PinWindow();
         }
     }
@@ -286,22 +269,11 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::RegisterHotkey() const
 {
     if (m_useCentralizedLLKH)
     {
-        // All hotkeys are handled by centralized LLKH
         return;
     }
 
-    // Register hotkeys only when not using centralized LLKH
     UnregisterHotKey(m_window, static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::Pin));
-    UnregisterHotKey(m_window, static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::IncreaseOpacity));
-    UnregisterHotKey(m_window, static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::DecreaseOpacity));
-
-    // Register pin hotkey
     RegisterHotKey(m_window, static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::Pin), AlwaysOnTopSettings::settings().hotkey.get_modifiers(), AlwaysOnTopSettings::settings().hotkey.get_code());
-
-    // Register transparency hotkeys using the same modifiers as the pin hotkey
-    UINT modifiers = AlwaysOnTopSettings::settings().hotkey.get_modifiers();
-    RegisterHotKey(m_window, static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::IncreaseOpacity), modifiers, VK_OEM_PLUS);
-    RegisterHotKey(m_window, static_cast<int>(HotkeyId::DecreaseOpacity), modifiers, VK_OEM_MINUS);
 }
 
 void AlwaysOnTop::RegisterLLKH()
@@ -313,8 +285,6 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::RegisterLLKH()
 	
     m_hPinEvent = CreateEventW(nullptr, false, false, CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_PIN_EVENT);
     m_hTerminateEvent = CreateEventW(nullptr, false, false, CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_TERMINATE_EVENT);
-    m_hIncreaseOpacityEvent = CreateEventW(nullptr, false, false, CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_INCREASE_OPACITY_EVENT);
-    m_hDecreaseOpacityEvent = CreateEventW(nullptr, false, false, CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_DECREASE_OPACITY_EVENT);
 
     if (!m_hPinEvent)
     {
@@ -328,54 +298,30 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::RegisterLLKH()
         return;
     }
 
-    if (!m_hIncreaseOpacityEvent)
-    {
-        Logger::warn(L"Failed to create increaseOpacityEvent. {}", get_last_error_or_default(GetLastError()));
-    }
-
-    if (!m_hDecreaseOpacityEvent)
-    {
-        Logger::warn(L"Failed to create decreaseOpacityEvent. {}", get_last_error_or_default(GetLastError()));
-    }
-
-    HANDLE handles[4] = { m_hPinEvent,
-                          m_hTerminateEvent,
-                          m_hIncreaseOpacityEvent,
-                          m_hDecreaseOpacityEvent };
+    HANDLE handles[2] = { m_hPinEvent,
+                          m_hTerminateEvent };
 
     m_thread = std::thread([this, handles]() {
         MSG msg;
         while (m_running)
         {
-            DWORD dwEvt = MsgWaitForMultipleObjects(4, handles, false, INFINITE, QS_ALLINPUT);
+            DWORD dwEvt = MsgWaitForMultipleObjects(2, handles, false, INFINITE, QS_ALLINPUT);
             if (!m_running)
             {
                 break;
             }
             switch (dwEvt)
             {
-            case WAIT_OBJECT_0: // Pin event
+            case WAIT_OBJECT_0:
                 if (HWND fw{ GetForegroundWindow() })
                 {
                     ProcessCommand(fw);
                 }
                 break;
-            case WAIT_OBJECT_0 + 1: // Terminate event
+            case WAIT_OBJECT_0 + 1:
                 PostThreadMessage(m_mainThreadId, WM_QUIT, 0, 0);
                 break;
-            case WAIT_OBJECT_0 + 2: // Increase opacity event
-                if (HWND fw{ GetForegroundWindow() })
-                {
-                    StepWindowTransparency(fw, Settings::transparencyStep);
-                }
-                break;
-            case WAIT_OBJECT_0 + 3: // Decrease opacity event
-                if (HWND fw{ GetForegroundWindow() })
-                {
-                    StepWindowTransparency(fw, -Settings::transparencyStep);
-                }
-                break;
-            case WAIT_OBJECT_0 + 4: // Message queue
+            case WAIT_OBJECT_0 + 2:
                 if (PeekMessageW(&msg, nullptr, 0, 0, PM_REMOVE))
                 {
                     TranslateMessage(&msg);
@@ -424,12 +370,9 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::UnpinAll()
         {
             Logger::error(L"Unpinning topmost window failed");
         }
-        // Restore transparency when unpinning all
-        RestoreWindowAlpha(topWindow);
     }
 
     m_topmostWindows.clear();
-    m_windowOriginalLayeredState.clear();
 }
 
 void AlwaysOnTop::CleanUp()
@@ -513,7 +456,6 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::HandleWinHookEvent(WinHookEvent* data) noexcept
     for (const auto window : toErase)
     {
         m_topmostWindows.erase(window);
-        m_windowOriginalLayeredState.erase(window);
     }
 
     switch (data->event)
@@ -614,166 +556,4 @@ void AlwaysOnTop::RefreshBorders()
             }
         }
     }
-}
-
-HWND AlwaysOnTop::ResolveTransparencyTargetWindow(HWND window)
-{
-    if (!window || !IsWindow(window))
-    {
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    // Only allow transparency changes on pinned windows
-    if (!IsPinned(window))
-    {
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    return window;
-}
-
-
-void AlwaysOnTop::StepWindowTransparency(HWND window, int delta)
-{
-    HWND targetWindow = ResolveTransparencyTargetWindow(window);
-    if (!targetWindow)
-    {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    int currentTransparency = Settings::maxTransparencyPercentage;
-    LONG exStyle = GetWindowLong(targetWindow, GWL_EXSTYLE);
-    if (exStyle & WS_EX_LAYERED)
-    {
-        BYTE alpha = 255;
-        if (GetLayeredWindowAttributes(targetWindow, nullptr, &alpha, nullptr))
-        {
-            currentTransparency = (alpha * 100) / 255;
-        }
-    }
-
-    int newTransparency = (std::max)(Settings::minTransparencyPercentage, 
-                                     (std::min)(Settings::maxTransparencyPercentage, currentTransparency + delta));
-
-    if (newTransparency != currentTransparency)
-    {
-        ApplyWindowAlpha(targetWindow, newTransparency);
-
-        if (AlwaysOnTopSettings::settings().enableSound)
-        {
-            m_sound.Play(delta > 0 ? Sound::Type::IncreaseOpacity : Sound::Type::DecreaseOpacity);
-        }
-
-        Logger::debug(L"Transparency adjusted to {}%", newTransparency);
-    }
-}
-
-void AlwaysOnTop::ApplyWindowAlpha(HWND window, int percentage)
-{
-    if (!window || !IsWindow(window))
-    {
-        return;
-    }
-    
-    percentage = (std::max)(Settings::minTransparencyPercentage, 
-                            (std::min)(Settings::maxTransparencyPercentage, percentage));
-
-    LONG exStyle = GetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE);
-    bool isCurrentlyLayered = (exStyle & WS_EX_LAYERED) != 0;
-
-    // Cache original state on first transparency application
-    if (m_windowOriginalLayeredState.find(window) == m_windowOriginalLayeredState.end())
-    {
-        WindowLayeredState state;
-        state.hadLayeredStyle = isCurrentlyLayered;
-        
-        if (isCurrentlyLayered)
-        {
-            BYTE alpha = 255;
-            COLORREF colorKey = 0;
-            DWORD flags = 0;
-            if (GetLayeredWindowAttributes(window, &colorKey, &alpha, &flags))
-            {
-                state.originalAlpha = alpha;
-                state.usedColorKey = (flags & LWA_COLORKEY) != 0;
-                state.colorKey = colorKey;
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                Logger::warn(L"GetLayeredWindowAttributes failed for layered window, skipping");
-                return;
-            }
-        }
-        m_windowOriginalLayeredState[window] = state;
-    }
-
-    // Clear WS_EX_LAYERED first to ensure SetLayeredWindowAttributes works
-    if (isCurrentlyLayered)
-    {
-        SetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE, exStyle & ~WS_EX_LAYERED);
-        SetWindowPos(window, nullptr, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_FRAMECHANGED);
-        exStyle = GetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE);
-    }
-
-    BYTE alphaValue = static_cast<BYTE>((255 * percentage) / 100);
-    SetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE, exStyle | WS_EX_LAYERED);
-    SetLayeredWindowAttributes(window, 0, alphaValue, LWA_ALPHA);
-}
-
-void AlwaysOnTop::RestoreWindowAlpha(HWND window)
-{
-    if (!window || !IsWindow(window))
-    {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    LONG exStyle = GetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE);
-    auto it = m_windowOriginalLayeredState.find(window);
-    
-    if (it != m_windowOriginalLayeredState.end())
-    {
-        const auto& originalState = it->second;
-        
-        if (originalState.hadLayeredStyle)
-        {
-            // Window originally had WS_EX_LAYERED - restore original attributes
-            // Clear and re-add to ensure clean state
-            if (exStyle & WS_EX_LAYERED)
-            {
-                SetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE, exStyle & ~WS_EX_LAYERED);
-                exStyle = GetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE);
-            }
-            SetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE, exStyle | WS_EX_LAYERED);
-            
-            // Restore original alpha and/or color key
-            DWORD flags = LWA_ALPHA;
-            if (originalState.usedColorKey)
-            {
-                flags |= LWA_COLORKEY;
-            }
-            SetLayeredWindowAttributes(window, originalState.colorKey, originalState.originalAlpha, flags);
-            SetWindowPos(window, nullptr, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_FRAMECHANGED);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            // Window originally didn't have WS_EX_LAYERED - remove it completely
-            if (exStyle & WS_EX_LAYERED)
-            {
-                SetLayeredWindowAttributes(window, 0, 255, LWA_ALPHA);
-                SetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE, exStyle & ~WS_EX_LAYERED);
-                SetWindowPos(window, nullptr, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_FRAMECHANGED);
-            }
-        }
-        
-        m_windowOriginalLayeredState.erase(it);
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        // Fallback: no cached state, just remove layered style
-        if (exStyle & WS_EX_LAYERED)
-        {
-            SetLayeredWindowAttributes(window, 0, 255, LWA_ALPHA);
-            SetWindowLong(window, GWL_EXSTYLE, exStyle & ~WS_EX_LAYERED);
-        }
-    }
 }

src/modules/alwaysontop/AlwaysOnTop/AlwaysOnTop.h

@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 
 #include <common/hooks/WinHookEvent.h>
 #include <common/notifications/NotificationUtil.h>
-#include <common/utils/window.h>
 
 class AlwaysOnTop : public SettingsObserver
 {
@@ -39,8 +38,6 @@ private:
     enum class HotkeyId : int
     {
         Pin = 1,
-        IncreaseOpacity = 2,
-        DecreaseOpacity = 3,
     };
 
     static inline AlwaysOnTop* s_instance = nullptr;
@@ -51,20 +48,8 @@ private:
     HWND m_window{ nullptr };
     HINSTANCE m_hinstance;
     std::map<HWND, std::unique_ptr<WindowBorder>> m_topmostWindows{};
-    
-    // Store original window layered state for proper restoration
-    struct WindowLayeredState {
-        bool hadLayeredStyle = false;
-        BYTE originalAlpha = 255;
-        bool usedColorKey = false;
-        COLORREF colorKey = 0;
-    };
-    std::map<HWND, WindowLayeredState> m_windowOriginalLayeredState{};
-    
     HANDLE m_hPinEvent;
     HANDLE m_hTerminateEvent;
-    HANDLE m_hIncreaseOpacityEvent;
-    HANDLE m_hDecreaseOpacityEvent;
     DWORD m_mainThreadId;
     std::thread m_thread;
     const bool m_useCentralizedLLKH;
@@ -93,12 +78,6 @@ private:
     bool AssignBorder(HWND window);
     void RefreshBorders();
 
-    // Transparency methods
-    HWND ResolveTransparencyTargetWindow(HWND window);
-    void StepWindowTransparency(HWND window, int delta);
-    void ApplyWindowAlpha(HWND window, int percentage);
-    void RestoreWindowAlpha(HWND window);
-
     virtual void SettingsUpdate(SettingId type) override;
 
     static void CALLBACK WinHookProc(HWINEVENTHOOK winEventHook,

src/modules/alwaysontop/AlwaysOnTop/AlwaysOnTop.vcxproj

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
   <!-- Props that are constant for both Debug and Release configurations -->
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <SpectreMitigation>Spectre</SpectreMitigation>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/alwaysontop/AlwaysOnTop/Settings.h

@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ class SettingsObserver;
 struct Settings
 {
     PowerToysSettings::HotkeyObject hotkey = PowerToysSettings::HotkeyObject::from_settings(true, true, false, false, 84); // win + ctrl + T
-    static constexpr int minTransparencyPercentage = 20; // minimum transparency (can't go below 20%)
-    static constexpr int maxTransparencyPercentage = 100; // maximum (fully opaque)
-    static constexpr int transparencyStep = 10; // step size for +/- adjustment
     bool enableFrame = true;
     bool enableSound = true;
     bool roundCornersEnabled = true;

src/modules/alwaysontop/AlwaysOnTop/Sound.h

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "pch.h"
 
+#include <atomic>
 #include <mmsystem.h> // sound
 
 class Sound
@@ -11,10 +12,12 @@ public:
     {
         On,
         Off,
-        IncreaseOpacity,
-        DecreaseOpacity,
     };
     
+    Sound()
+        : isPlaying(false)
+    {}
+
     void Play(Type type)
     {
         BOOL success = false;
@@ -26,12 +29,6 @@ public:
         case Type::Off:
             success = PlaySound(TEXT("Media\\Speech Sleep.wav"), NULL, SND_FILENAME | SND_ASYNC);
             break;
-        case Type::IncreaseOpacity:
-            success = PlaySound(TEXT("Media\\Windows Hardware Insert.wav"), NULL, SND_FILENAME | SND_ASYNC);
-            break;
-        case Type::DecreaseOpacity:
-            success = PlaySound(TEXT("Media\\Windows Hardware Remove.wav"), NULL, SND_FILENAME | SND_ASYNC);
-            break;
         default:
             break;
         }
@@ -41,4 +38,7 @@ public:
             Logger::error(L"Sound playing error");
         }
     }
+
+private:
+    std::atomic<bool> isPlaying;
 };

src/modules/alwaysontop/AlwaysOnTopModuleInterface/AlwaysOnTopModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionSettings">

src/modules/alwaysontop/AlwaysOnTopModuleInterface/dllmain.cpp

@@ -105,28 +105,17 @@ public:
         }
     }
 
-    virtual bool on_hotkey(size_t hotkeyId) override
+    virtual bool on_hotkey(size_t /*hotkeyId*/) override
     {
         if (m_enabled)
         {
-            Logger::trace(L"AlwaysOnTop hotkey pressed, id={}", hotkeyId);
+            Logger::trace(L"AlwaysOnTop hotkey pressed");
             if (!is_process_running())
             {
                 Enable();
             }
 
-            if (hotkeyId == 0)
-            {
-                SetEvent(m_hPinEvent);
-            }
-            else if (hotkeyId == 1)
-            {
-                SetEvent(m_hIncreaseOpacityEvent);
-            }
-            else if (hotkeyId == 2)
-            {
-                SetEvent(m_hDecreaseOpacityEvent);
-            }
+            SetEvent(m_hPinEvent);
 
             return true;
         }
@@ -136,48 +125,19 @@ public:
 
     virtual size_t get_hotkeys(Hotkey* hotkeys, size_t buffer_size) override
     {
-        size_t count = 0;
-        
-        // Hotkey 0: Pin/Unpin (e.g., Win+Ctrl+T)
         if (m_hotkey.key)
         {
-            if (hotkeys && buffer_size > count)
+            if (hotkeys && buffer_size >= 1)
             {
-                hotkeys[count] = m_hotkey;
-                Logger::trace(L"AlwaysOnTop hotkey[0]: win={}, ctrl={}, shift={}, alt={}, key={}", 
-                    m_hotkey.win, m_hotkey.ctrl, m_hotkey.shift, m_hotkey.alt, m_hotkey.key);
+                hotkeys[0] = m_hotkey;
             }
-            count++;
-        }
 
-        // Hotkey 1: Increase opacity (same modifiers + VK_OEM_PLUS '=')
-        if (m_hotkey.key)
+            return 1;
+        }
+        else
         {
-            if (hotkeys && buffer_size > count)
-            {
-                hotkeys[count] = m_hotkey;
-                hotkeys[count].key = VK_OEM_PLUS; // '=' key
-                Logger::trace(L"AlwaysOnTop hotkey[1] (increase opacity): win={}, ctrl={}, shift={}, alt={}, key={}", 
-                    hotkeys[count].win, hotkeys[count].ctrl, hotkeys[count].shift, hotkeys[count].alt, hotkeys[count].key);
-            }
-            count++;
+            return 0;
         }
-
-        // Hotkey 2: Decrease opacity (same modifiers + VK_OEM_MINUS '-')
-        if (m_hotkey.key)
-        {
-            if (hotkeys && buffer_size > count)
-            {
-                hotkeys[count] = m_hotkey;
-                hotkeys[count].key = VK_OEM_MINUS; // '-' key
-                Logger::trace(L"AlwaysOnTop hotkey[2] (decrease opacity): win={}, ctrl={}, shift={}, alt={}, key={}", 
-                    hotkeys[count].win, hotkeys[count].ctrl, hotkeys[count].shift, hotkeys[count].alt, hotkeys[count].key);
-            }
-            count++;
-        }
-
-        Logger::trace(L"AlwaysOnTop get_hotkeys returning count={}", count);
-        return count;
     }
 
     // Enable the powertoy
@@ -215,8 +175,6 @@ public:
         app_key = NonLocalizable::ModuleKey;
         m_hPinEvent = CreateDefaultEvent(CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_PIN_EVENT);
         m_hTerminateEvent = CreateDefaultEvent(CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_TERMINATE_EVENT);
-        m_hIncreaseOpacityEvent = CreateDefaultEvent(CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_INCREASE_OPACITY_EVENT);
-        m_hDecreaseOpacityEvent = CreateDefaultEvent(CommonSharedConstants::ALWAYS_ON_TOP_DECREASE_OPACITY_EVENT);
         init_settings();
     }
 
@@ -334,8 +292,6 @@ private:
     // Handle to event used to pin/unpin windows
     HANDLE m_hPinEvent;
     HANDLE m_hTerminateEvent;
-    HANDLE m_hIncreaseOpacityEvent;
-    HANDLE m_hDecreaseOpacityEvent;
 };
 
 extern "C" __declspec(dllexport) PowertoyModuleIface* __cdecl powertoy_create()

src/modules/awake/AwakeModuleInterface/AwakeModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     <RootNamespace>Awake</RootNamespace>
     <ProjectName>AwakeModuleInterface</ProjectName>
     <TargetName>PowerToys.AwakeModuleInterface</TargetName>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">

src/modules/awake/README.md

@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ PowerToys.Awake.exe --pid 1234
 
 ### Prerequisites
 
-- Visual Studio 2022 or 2026 with C++ and .NET workloads
+- Visual Studio 2022 with C++ and .NET workloads
 - Windows SDK 10.0.26100.0 or later
 
 ### Build Commands

src/modules/cmdNotFound/CmdNotFoundModuleInterface/CmdNotFoundModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <ProjectGuid>{0014d652-901f-4456-8d65-06fc5f997fb0}</ProjectGuid>
     <RootNamespace>CmdNotFoundModuleInterface</RootNamespace>
     <TargetName>PowerToys.CmdNotFoundModuleInterface</TargetName>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <ProjectName>CmdNotFoundModuleInterface</ProjectName>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />

src/modules/cmdpal/CmdPalKeyboardService/CmdPalKeyboardService.vcxproj

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Default.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <GenerateManifest>false</GenerateManifest>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/cmdpal/CmdPalModuleInterface/CmdPalModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
     <ConfigurationType>DynamicLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
-    
+    <PlatformToolset>v143</PlatformToolset>
     <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>

src/modules/cmdpal/CommandPalette.slnf

@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
       "src\\modules\\cmdpal\\Tests\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.WindowWalker.UnitTests\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.WindowWalker.UnitTests.csproj",
       "src\\modules\\cmdpal\\Tests\\Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.UnitTests\\Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.UnitTests.csproj",
       "src\\modules\\cmdpal\\Tests\\Microsoft.CmdPal.UITests\\Microsoft.CmdPal.UITests.csproj",
-      "src\\modules\\cmdpal\\Tests\\Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit.UnitTests\\Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit.UnitTests.csproj",
       "src\\modules\\cmdpal\\ext\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps.csproj",
       "src\\modules\\cmdpal\\ext\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Bookmark\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Bookmarks.csproj",
       "src\\modules\\cmdpal\\ext\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Calc\\Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Calc.csproj",

src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/BatchUpdateManager.cs

@@ -1,136 +0,0 @@
-// 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.Concurrent;
-using Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.Common;
-using Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.Common.Helpers;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels;
-
-internal static class BatchUpdateManager
-{
-    private const int ExpectedBatchSize = 32;
-
-    // 30 ms chosen empirically to balance responsiveness and batching:
-    // - Keeps perceived latency low (< ~50 ms) for user-visible updates.
-    // - Still allows multiple COM/background events to be coalesced into a single batch.
-    private static readonly TimeSpan BatchDelay = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(30);
-    private static readonly ConcurrentQueue<IBatchUpdateTarget> DirtyQueue = [];
-    private static readonly Timer Timer = new(static _ => Flush(), null, Timeout.InfiniteTimeSpan, Timeout.InfiniteTimeSpan);
-
-    private static InterlockedBoolean _isFlushScheduled;
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Enqueue a target for batched processing. Safe to call from any thread (including COM callbacks).
-    /// </summary>
-    public static void Queue(IBatchUpdateTarget target)
-    {
-        if (!target.TryMarkBatchQueued())
-        {
-            return; // already queued in current batch window
-        }
-
-        DirtyQueue.Enqueue(target);
-        TryScheduleFlush();
-    }
-
-    private static void TryScheduleFlush()
-    {
-        if (!_isFlushScheduled.Set())
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if (DirtyQueue.IsEmpty)
-        {
-            _isFlushScheduled.Clear();
-
-            if (DirtyQueue.IsEmpty)
-            {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            if (!_isFlushScheduled.Set())
-            {
-                return;
-            }
-        }
-
-        try
-        {
-            Timer.Change(BatchDelay, Timeout.InfiniteTimeSpan);
-        }
-        catch (Exception ex)
-        {
-            _isFlushScheduled.Clear();
-            CoreLogger.LogError("Failed to arm batch timer.", ex);
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static void Flush()
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            var drained = new List<IBatchUpdateTarget>(ExpectedBatchSize);
-            while (DirtyQueue.TryDequeue(out var item))
-            {
-                drained.Add(item);
-            }
-
-            if (drained.Count == 0)
-            {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            // LOAD BEARING:
-            // ApplyPendingUpdates must run on a background thread.
-            // The VM itself is responsible for marshaling UI notifications to its _uiScheduler.
-            ApplyBatch(drained);
-        }
-        catch (Exception ex)
-        {
-            // Don't kill the timer thread.
-            CoreLogger.LogError("Batch flush failed.", ex);
-        }
-        finally
-        {
-            _isFlushScheduled.Clear();
-            TryScheduleFlush();
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static void ApplyBatch(List<IBatchUpdateTarget> items)
-    {
-        // Runs on the Timer callback thread (ThreadPool). That's fine: background work only.
-        foreach (var item in items)
-        {
-            // Allow re-queueing immediately if more COM events arrive during apply.
-            item.ClearBatchQueued();
-
-            try
-            {
-                item.ApplyPendingUpdates();
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex)
-            {
-                CoreLogger.LogError("Failed to apply pending updates for a batched target.", ex);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-internal interface IBatchUpdateTarget
-{
-    /// <summary>UI scheduler (used by targets internally for UI marshaling). Kept here for diagnostics / consistency.</summary>
-    TaskScheduler UIScheduler { get; }
-
-    /// <summary>Apply any coalesced updates. Must be safe to call on a background thread.</summary>
-    void ApplyPendingUpdates();
-
-    /// <summary>De-dupe gate: returns true only for the first enqueue until cleared.</summary>
-    bool TryMarkBatchQueued();
-
-    /// <summary>Clear the de-dupe gate so the item can be queued again.</summary>
-    void ClearBatchQueued();
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/ExtensionObjectViewModel.cs

@@ -2,99 +2,36 @@
 // 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.Buffers;
-using System.Collections.Concurrent;
-using System.ComponentModel;
-using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.Common;
-using Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.Common.Helpers;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels;
 
-public abstract partial class ExtensionObjectViewModel : ObservableObject, IBatchUpdateTarget, IBackgroundPropertyChangedNotification
+public abstract partial class ExtensionObjectViewModel : ObservableObject
 {
-    private const int InitialPropertyBatchingBufferSize = 16;
+    public WeakReference<IPageContext> PageContext { get; set; }
 
-    // Raised on the background thread before UI notifications. It's raised on the background thread to prevent
-    // blocking the COM proxy.
-    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler? PropertyChangedBackground;
-
-    private readonly ConcurrentQueue<string> _pendingProps = [];
-
-    private readonly TaskScheduler _uiScheduler;
-
-    private InterlockedBoolean _batchQueued;
-
-    public WeakReference<IPageContext> PageContext { get; private set; } = null!;
-
-    TaskScheduler IBatchUpdateTarget.UIScheduler => _uiScheduler;
-
-    void IBatchUpdateTarget.ApplyPendingUpdates() => ApplyPendingUpdates();
-
-    bool IBatchUpdateTarget.TryMarkBatchQueued() => _batchQueued.Set();
-
-    void IBatchUpdateTarget.ClearBatchQueued() => _batchQueued.Clear();
-
-    private protected ExtensionObjectViewModel(TaskScheduler scheduler)
+    internal ExtensionObjectViewModel(IPageContext? context)
     {
-        if (this is not IPageContext)
+        var realContext = context ?? (this is IPageContext c ? c : throw new ArgumentException("You need to pass in an IErrorContext"));
+        PageContext = new(realContext);
+    }
+
+    internal ExtensionObjectViewModel(WeakReference<IPageContext> context)
+    {
+        PageContext = context;
+    }
+
+    public async virtual Task InitializePropertiesAsync()
+    {
+        var t = new Task(() =>
         {
-            throw new InvalidOperationException($"Constructor overload without IPageContext can only be used when the derived class implements IPageContext. Type: {GetType().FullName}");
-        }
-
-        _uiScheduler = scheduler ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(scheduler));
-
-        // Defer PageContext assignment - derived constructor MUST call InitializePageContext()
-        // or we set it lazily on first access
+            SafeInitializePropertiesSynchronous();
+        });
+        t.Start();
+        await t;
     }
 
-    private protected ExtensionObjectViewModel(IPageContext context)
-    {
-        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(context);
-
-        PageContext = new WeakReference<IPageContext>(context);
-        _uiScheduler = context.Scheduler;
-
-        LogIfDefaultScheduler();
-    }
-
-    private protected ExtensionObjectViewModel(WeakReference<IPageContext> contextRef)
-    {
-        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(contextRef);
-
-        if (!contextRef.TryGetTarget(out var context))
-        {
-            throw new ArgumentException("IPageContext must be alive when creating view models.", nameof(contextRef));
-        }
-
-        PageContext = contextRef;
-        _uiScheduler = context.Scheduler;
-
-        LogIfDefaultScheduler();
-    }
-
-    protected void InitializeSelfAsPageContext()
-    {
-        if (this is not IPageContext self)
-        {
-            throw new InvalidOperationException("This method can only be called when the class implements IPageContext.");
-        }
-
-        PageContext = new WeakReference<IPageContext>(self);
-    }
-
-    private void LogIfDefaultScheduler()
-    {
-        if (_uiScheduler == TaskScheduler.Default)
-        {
-            CoreLogger.LogDebug($"ExtensionObjectViewModel created with TaskScheduler.Default. Type: {GetType().FullName}");
-        }
-    }
-
-    public virtual Task InitializePropertiesAsync()
-        => Task.Run(SafeInitializePropertiesSynchronous);
-
     public void SafeInitializePropertiesSynchronous()
     {
         try
@@ -109,151 +46,49 @@ public abstract partial class ExtensionObjectViewModel : ObservableObject, IBatc
 
     public abstract void InitializeProperties();
 
-    protected void UpdateProperty(string propertyName) => MarkPropertyDirty(propertyName);
+    protected void UpdateProperty(string propertyName)
+    {
+        DoOnUiThread(() => OnPropertyChanged(propertyName));
+    }
 
     protected void UpdateProperty(string propertyName1, string propertyName2)
     {
-        MarkPropertyDirty(propertyName1);
-        MarkPropertyDirty(propertyName2);
+        DoOnUiThread(() =>
+        {
+            OnPropertyChanged(propertyName1);
+            OnPropertyChanged(propertyName2);
+        });
+    }
+
+    protected void UpdateProperty(string propertyName1, string propertyName2, string propertyName3)
+    {
+        DoOnUiThread(() =>
+        {
+            OnPropertyChanged(propertyName1);
+            OnPropertyChanged(propertyName2);
+            OnPropertyChanged(propertyName3);
+        });
     }
 
     protected void UpdateProperty(params string[] propertyNames)
     {
-        foreach (var p in propertyNames)
+        DoOnUiThread(() =>
         {
-            MarkPropertyDirty(p);
-        }
-    }
-
-    internal void MarkPropertyDirty(string? propertyName)
-    {
-        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(propertyName))
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // We should re-consider if this worth deduping
-        _pendingProps.Enqueue(propertyName);
-        BatchUpdateManager.Queue(this);
-    }
-
-    public void ApplyPendingUpdates()
-    {
-        ((IBatchUpdateTarget)this).ClearBatchQueued();
-
-        var buffer = ArrayPool<string>.Shared.Rent(InitialPropertyBatchingBufferSize);
-        var count = 0;
-        var transferred = false;
-
-        try
-        {
-            while (_pendingProps.TryDequeue(out var name))
+            foreach (var propertyName in propertyNames)
             {
-                if (count == buffer.Length)
-                {
-                    var bigger = ArrayPool<string>.Shared.Rent(buffer.Length * 2);
-                    Array.Copy(buffer, bigger, buffer.Length);
-                    ArrayPool<string>.Shared.Return(buffer, clearArray: true);
-                    buffer = bigger;
-                }
-
-                buffer[count++] = name;
+                OnPropertyChanged(propertyName);
             }
-
-            if (count == 0)
-            {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            // 1) Background subscribers (must be raised before UI notifications).
-            var propertyChangedEventHandler = PropertyChangedBackground;
-            if (propertyChangedEventHandler is not null)
-            {
-                RaiseBackground(propertyChangedEventHandler, this, buffer, count);
-            }
-
-            // 2) UI-facing PropertyChanged: ALWAYS marshal to UI scheduler.
-            // Hand-off pooled buffer to UI task (UI task returns it).
-            //
-            // It would be lovely to do nothing if no one is actually listening on PropertyChanged,
-            // but ObservableObject doesn't expose that information.
-            _ = Task.Factory.StartNew(
-                static state =>
-                {
-                    var p = (UiBatch)state!;
-                    try
-                    {
-                        p.Owner.RaiseUi(p.Names, p.Count);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex)
-                    {
-                        CoreLogger.LogError("Failed to raise property change notifications on UI thread.", ex);
-                    }
-                    finally
-                    {
-                        ArrayPool<string>.Shared.Return(p.Names, clearArray: true);
-                    }
-                },
-                new UiBatch(this, buffer, count),
-                CancellationToken.None,
-                TaskCreationOptions.DenyChildAttach,
-                _uiScheduler);
-
-            transferred = true;
-        }
-        catch (Exception ex)
-        {
-            CoreLogger.LogError("Failed to apply pending property updates.", ex);
-        }
-        finally
-        {
-            if (!transferred)
-            {
-                ArrayPool<string>.Shared.Return(buffer, clearArray: true);
-            }
-        }
+        });
     }
 
-    private void RaiseUi(string[] names, int count)
-    {
-        for (var i = 0; i < count; i++)
-        {
-            OnPropertyChanged(Args(names[i]));
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static void RaiseBackground(PropertyChangedEventHandler handlers, object sender, string[] names, int count)
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            for (var i = 0; i < count; i++)
-            {
-                handlers(sender, Args(names[i]));
-            }
-        }
-        catch (Exception ex)
-        {
-            CoreLogger.LogError("Failed to raise PropertyChangedBackground notifications.", ex);
-        }
-    }
-
-    private sealed record UiBatch(ExtensionObjectViewModel Owner, string[] Names, int Count);
-
     protected void ShowException(Exception ex, string? extensionHint = null)
     {
         if (PageContext.TryGetTarget(out var pageContext))
         {
             pageContext.ShowException(ex, extensionHint);
         }
-        else
-        {
-            CoreLogger.LogError("Failed to show exception because PageContext is no longer available.", ex);
-        }
     }
 
-    [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
-    private static PropertyChangedEventArgs Args(string name) => new(name);
-
     protected void DoOnUiThread(Action action)
     {
         if (PageContext.TryGetTarget(out var pageContext))

src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/IBackgroundPropertyChangedNotification.cs

@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-// 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.ComponentModel;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels;
-
-/// <summary>
-/// Provides a notification mechanism for property changes that fires
-/// synchronously on the calling thread.
-/// </summary>
-public interface IBackgroundPropertyChangedNotification
-{
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Occurs when the value of a property changes.
-    /// </summary>
-    event PropertyChangedEventHandler? PropertyChangedBackground;
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Core/Microsoft.CmdPal.Core.ViewModels/PageViewModel.cs

@@ -77,11 +77,11 @@ public partial class PageViewModel : ExtensionObjectViewModel, IPageContext
     public IconInfoViewModel Icon { get; protected set; }
 
     public PageViewModel(IPage? model, TaskScheduler scheduler, AppExtensionHost extensionHost)
-        : base(scheduler)
+        : base((IPageContext?)null)
     {
-        InitializeSelfAsPageContext();
         _pageModel = new(model);
         Scheduler = scheduler;
+        PageContext = new(this);
         ExtensionHost = extensionHost;
         Icon = new(null);