Resolve comments

Signed-off-by: Shawn Yuan <shuaiyuan@microsoft.com>

.github/actions/spell-check/allow/code.txt

@@ -273,4 +273,4 @@ mengyuanchen
 testhost
 
 #Tools
-OIP
+OIP

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

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Acceleratorkeys
 ACCEPTFILES
 ACCESSDENIED
 ACCESSTOKEN
+acfs
 AClient
 AColumn
 acrt
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@ CLIPBOARDUPDATE
 CLIPCHILDREN
 CLIPSIBLINGS
 closesocket
+clp
 CLSCTX
 clsids
 Clusion
@@ -313,6 +315,7 @@ debugbreak
 declatory
 decryptor
 Dedup
+Deeplink
 DEFAULTBOOTSTRAPPERINSTALLFOLDER
 DEFAULTCOLOR
 DEFAULTFLAGS
@@ -518,11 +521,13 @@ FRAMECHANGED
 frm
 Froml
 FROMTOUCH
+fsanitize
 fsmgmt
 FZE
 gacutil
 Gaeilge
 Gaidhlig
+gameid
 GC'ed
 GCLP
 gdi
@@ -629,6 +634,7 @@ HOTKEYF
 hotkeys
 hotlight
 hotspot
+Hostx
 HPAINTBUFFER
 HRAWINPUT
 HREDRAW
@@ -712,6 +718,7 @@ INPUTSINK
 INPUTTYPE
 INSTALLDESKTOPSHORTCUT
 INSTALLDIR
+installdir
 INSTALLFOLDER
 INSTALLFOLDERTOBOOTSTRAPPERINSTALLFOLDER
 INSTALLFOLDERTOPREVIOUSINSTALLFOLDER
@@ -1040,6 +1047,7 @@ NOINHERITLAYOUT
 NOINTERFACE
 NOINVERT
 NOLINKINFO
+nologo
 NOMCX
 NOMINMAX
 NOMIRRORBITMAP
@@ -1077,6 +1085,7 @@ NOTRACK
 NOTSRCCOPY
 NOTSRCERASE
 NOTXORPEN
+notwindows
 NOZORDER
 NPH
 npmjs
@@ -1271,6 +1280,7 @@ pstm
 PStr
 pstream
 pstrm
+pswd
 PSYSTEM
 psz
 ptb
@@ -1398,6 +1408,7 @@ sacl
 safeprojectname
 SAMEKEYPREVIOUSLYMAPPED
 SAMESHORTCUTPREVIOUSLYMAPPED
+sancov
 SAVEFAILED
 scanled
 schedtasks
@@ -1416,6 +1427,7 @@ searchterm
 SEARCHUI
 SECONDARYDISPLAY
 secpol
+securestring
 SEEMASKINVOKEIDLIST
 SELCHANGE
 SENDCHANGE
@@ -1569,6 +1581,7 @@ stdcpp
 stdcpplatest
 STDMETHODCALLTYPE
 STDMETHODIMP
+steamapps
 STGC
 STGM
 STGMEDIUM
@@ -1932,6 +1945,7 @@ WUX
 Wwanpp
 XAxis
 xclip
+xcopy
 XDocument
 XElement
 xfd
@@ -1970,3 +1984,11 @@ ZOOMITX
 ZXk
 ZXNs
 zzz
+ACIE
+AOklab
+BCIE
+BOklab
+culori
+Evercoder
+LCh
+CIELCh

.pipelines/UpdateVersions.ps1

@@ -1,16 +1,24 @@
 Param(
-  # Using the default value of 1.6 for winAppSdkVersionNumber and useExperimentalVersion as false
+  # Using the default value of 1.7 for winAppSdkVersionNumber and useExperimentalVersion as false
   [Parameter(Mandatory=$False,Position=1)]
-  [string]$winAppSdkVersionNumber = "1.6",
+  [string]$winAppSdkVersionNumber = "1.7",
 
   # When the pipeline calls the PS1 file, the passed parameters are converted to string type
   [Parameter(Mandatory=$False,Position=2)]
-  [boolean]$useExperimentalVersion = $False
+  [boolean]$useExperimentalVersion = $False,
+
+  # Root folder Path for processing
+  [Parameter(Mandatory=$False,Position=3)]
+  [string]$rootPath = $(Split-Path -Parent (Split-Path -Parent $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path)),
+
+  # Root folder Path for processing
+  [Parameter(Mandatory=$False,Position=4)]
+  [string]$sourceLink = "https://microsoft.pkgs.visualstudio.com/ProjectReunion/_packaging/Project.Reunion.nuget.internal/nuget/v3/index.json"
 )
 
 function Update-NugetConfig {
     param (
-        [string]$filePath = "nuget.config"
+        [string]$filePath = [System.IO.Path]::Combine($rootPath, "nuget.config")
     )
 
     Write-Host "Updating nuget.config file"
@@ -35,7 +43,33 @@ function Update-NugetConfig {
     $xml.Save($filePath)
 }
 
-$sourceLink = "https://microsoft.pkgs.visualstudio.com/ProjectReunion/_packaging/Project.Reunion.nuget.internal/nuget/v3/index.json"
+function Read-FileWithEncoding {
+    param (
+        [string]$Path
+    )
+
+    $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($Path, $true)  # auto-detect encoding
+    $content = $reader.ReadToEnd()
+    $encoding = $reader.CurrentEncoding
+    $reader.Close()
+
+    return [PSCustomObject]@{
+        Content  = $content
+        Encoding = $encoding
+    }
+}
+
+function Write-FileWithEncoding {
+    param (
+        [string]$Path,
+        [string]$Content,
+        [System.Text.Encoding]$Encoding
+    )
+
+    $writer = New-Object System.IO.StreamWriter($Path, $false, $Encoding)
+    $writer.Write($Content)
+    $writer.Close()
+}
 
 # Execute nuget list and capture the output
 if ($useExperimentalVersion) {
@@ -79,50 +113,54 @@ if ($latestVersion) {
 }
 
 # Update packages.config files
-Get-ChildItem -Recurse packages.config | ForEach-Object {
-    $content = Get-Content $_.FullName -Raw
+Get-ChildItem -Path $rootPath -Recurse packages.config | ForEach-Object {
+    $file = Read-FileWithEncoding -Path $_.FullName
+    $content = $file.Content
     if ($content -match 'package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK"') {
         $newVersionString = 'package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" version="' + $WinAppSDKVersion + '"'
         $oldVersionString = 'package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" version="[-.0-9a-zA-Z]*"'
         $content = $content -replace $oldVersionString, $newVersionString
-        Set-Content -Path $_.FullName -Value $content
+        Write-FileWithEncoding -Path $_.FullName -Content $content -Encoding $file.encoding
         Write-Host "Modified " $_.FullName 
     }
 }
 
 # Update Directory.Packages.props file
-$propsFile = "Directory.Packages.props"
+$propsFile = [System.IO.Path]::Combine($rootPath,"Directory.Packages.props")
 if (Test-Path $propsFile) {
-    $content = Get-Content $propsFile -Raw
+    $file = Read-FileWithEncoding -Path $propsFile
+    $content = $file.Content
     if ($content -match '<PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK"') {
         $newVersionString = '<PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="' + $WinAppSDKVersion + '" />'
         $oldVersionString = '<PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="[-.0-9a-zA-Z]*" />'
         $content = $content -replace $oldVersionString, $newVersionString
-        Set-Content -Path $propsFile -Value $content
+        Write-FileWithEncoding -Path $propsFile -Content $content -Encoding $file.encoding
         Write-Host "Modified " $propsFile
     }
 }
 
 # Update .vcxproj files
-Get-ChildItem -Recurse *.vcxproj | ForEach-Object {
-    $content = Get-Content $_.FullName -Raw
+Get-ChildItem -Path $rootPath -Recurse *.vcxproj | ForEach-Object {
+    $file = Read-FileWithEncoding -Path $_.FullName
+    $content = $file.Content
     if ($content -match '\\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.') {
         $newVersionString = '\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.' + $WinAppSDKVersion + '\'
         $oldVersionString = '\\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.[-.0-9a-zA-Z]*\\'
         $content = $content -replace $oldVersionString, $newVersionString
-        Set-Content -Path $_.FullName -Value $content
+        Write-FileWithEncoding -Path $_.FullName -Content $content -Encoding $file.encoding
         Write-Host "Modified " $_.FullName
     }
 }
 
 # Update .csproj files
-Get-ChildItem -Recurse *.csproj | ForEach-Object {
-    $content = Get-Content $_.FullName -Raw
+Get-ChildItem -Path $rootPath -Recurse *.csproj | ForEach-Object {
+    $file = Read-FileWithEncoding -Path $_.FullName
+    $content = $file.Content
     if ($content -match 'PackageReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK"') {
         $newVersionString = 'PackageReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="'+ $WinAppSDKVersion + '"'
         $oldVersionString = 'PackageReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="[-.0-9a-zA-Z]*"'
         $content = $content -replace $oldVersionString, $newVersionString
-        Set-Content -Path $_.FullName -Value $content
+        Write-FileWithEncoding -Path $_.FullName -Content $content -Encoding $file.encoding
         Write-Host "Modified " $_.FullName 
     }
 }

.pipelines/tsa.json

@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
     "notificationAliases": ["powertoys@microsoft.com"],
     "instanceUrl": "https://microsoft.visualstudio.com",
     "projectName": "OS",
-    "areaPath": "OS\\Windows Client and Services\\WinPD\\DEEP-Developer Experience, Ecosystem and Partnerships\\SHINE\\PowerToys"
+    "areaPath": "OS\\Windows Client and Services\\WinPD\\DEEP-Developer Experience, Ecosystem and Partnerships\\DIVE\\PowerToys"
 }

.pipelines/v2/ci-using-the-latest-winappsdk.yml

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ parameters:
     default: true
   - name: winAppSDKVersionNumber
     type: string
-    default: 1.6
+    default: 1.7
   - name: useExperimentalVersion
     type: boolean
     default: false

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

@@ -344,6 +344,11 @@ jobs:
       flattenFolders: True
       OverWrite: True
 
+  # Check if all projects (located in src sub-folder) import common props
+  - pwsh: |-
+      & '.pipelines/verifyCommonProps.ps1' -sourceDir '$(build.sourcesdirectory)\src'
+    displayName: Audit shared common props for CSharp projects in src sub-folder
+
   # Check if deps.json files don't reference different dll versions.
   - pwsh: |-
       & '.pipelines/verifyDepsJsonLibraryVersions.ps1' -targetDir '$(build.sourcesdirectory)\$(BuildPlatform)\$(BuildConfiguration)'

.pipelines/v2/templates/steps-update-winappsdk-and-restore-nuget.yml

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ steps:
     arguments: >
       -winAppSdkVersionNumber ${{ parameters.versionNumber }}
       -useExperimentalVersion $${{ parameters.useExperimentalVersion }}
+      -rootPath "$(build.sourcesdirectory)"
 
 - script: echo $(WinAppSDKVersion)
   displayName: 'Display WinAppSDK Version Found'

.pipelines/verifyCommonProps.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+[CmdletBinding()]
+Param(
+    [Parameter(Mandatory = $True, Position = 1)]
+    [string]$sourceDir
+)
+
+# scan all csharp project in the source directory
+function Get-CSharpProjects {
+    param (
+        [string]$path
+    )
+
+    # Get all .csproj files under the specified path
+    return Get-ChildItem -Path $path -Recurse -Filter *.csproj | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName
+}
+
+# Check if the project file imports 'Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props'
+function Test-ImportSharedCsWinRTProps {
+    param (
+        [string]$filePath
+    )
+
+    # Load the XML content of the .csproj file
+    [xml]$csprojContent = Get-Content -Path $filePath
+
+    
+    # Check if the Import element with Project attribute containing 'Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props' exists
+    return $csprojContent.Project.Import | Where-Object { $null -ne $_.Project -and $_.Project.EndsWith('Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props') }
+}
+
+# Call the function with the provided source directory
+$csprojFilesArray = Get-CSharpProjects -path $sourceDir
+
+$hasInvalidCsProj = $false
+
+# Enumerate the array of file paths and call Validate-ImportSharedCsWinRTProps for each file
+foreach ($csprojFile in $csprojFilesArray) {
+    # Skip if the file ends with 'TemplateCmdPalExtension.csproj'
+    if ($csprojFile -like '*TemplateCmdPalExtension.csproj') {
+        continue
+    }
+
+    $importExists = Test-ImportSharedCsWinRTProps -filePath $csprojFile
+    if (!$importExists) {
+        Write-Output "$csprojFile need to import 'Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props'."
+        $hasInvalidCsProj = $true
+    }
+}
+
+if ($hasInvalidCsProj) {
+    exit 1
+}
+
+exit 0

Directory.Packages.props

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Web.WebView2" Version="1.0.2903.40" />
     <!-- Package Microsoft.Win32.SystemEvents added as a hack for being able to exclude the runtime assets so they don't conflict with 8.0.1. This is a dependency of System.Drawing.Common but the 8.0.1 version wasn't published to nuget. -->
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Win32.SystemEvents" Version="9.0.4" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsPackageManager.ComInterop" Version="1.10.120-preview" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsPackageManager.ComInterop" Version="1.10.340" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.Compatibility" Version="9.0.4" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.CsWin32" Version="0.2.46-beta" />
     <!-- CsWinRT version needs to be set to have a WinRT.Runtime.dll at the same version contained inside the NET SDK we're currently building on CI. -->
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 	-->
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.CsWinRT" Version="2.2.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" Version="10.0.22621.2428" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="1.6.250205002" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="1.7.250401001" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.WinUI.Managed" Version="2.0.9" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.Wpf" Version="1.1.39" />
     <PackageVersion Include="ModernWpfUI" Version="0.9.4" />

NOTICE.md

@@ -1472,8 +1472,8 @@ SOFTWARE.
 - Microsoft.Windows.CsWin32 0.2.46-beta
 - Microsoft.Windows.CsWinRT 2.2.0
 - Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools 10.0.22621.2428
-- Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK 1.6.250205002
-- Microsoft.WindowsPackageManager.ComInterop 1.10.120-preview
+- Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK 1.7.250401001
+- Microsoft.WindowsPackageManager.ComInterop 1.10.340
 - Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.WinUI.Managed 2.0.9
 - Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.Wpf 1.1.39
 - ModernWpfUI 0.9.4

PowerToys.sln

@@ -708,6 +708,8 @@ Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.System
 EndProject
 Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "CmdPalKeyboardService", "src\modules\cmdpal\CmdPalKeyboardService\CmdPalKeyboardService.vcxproj", "{5F63C743-F6CE-4DBA-A200-2B3F8A14E8C2}"
 EndProject
+Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "PowerRename.FuzzingTest", "src\modules\powerrename\PowerRename.FuzzingTest\PowerRename.FuzzingTest.vcxproj", "{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E}"
+EndProject
 Global
 	GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
 		Debug|ARM64 = Debug|ARM64
@@ -2588,6 +2590,12 @@ Global
 		{5F63C743-F6CE-4DBA-A200-2B3F8A14E8C2}.Release|ARM64.Build.0 = Release|ARM64
 		{5F63C743-F6CE-4DBA-A200-2B3F8A14E8C2}.Release|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|x64
 		{5F63C743-F6CE-4DBA-A200-2B3F8A14E8C2}.Release|x64.Build.0 = Release|x64
+		{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E}.Debug|ARM64.ActiveCfg = Debug|ARM64
+		{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Debug|x64
+		{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E}.Debug|x64.Build.0 = Debug|x64
+		{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E}.Release|ARM64.ActiveCfg = Release|ARM64
+		{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E}.Release|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|x64
+		{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E}.Release|x64.Build.0 = Release|x64
 	EndGlobalSection
 	GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
 		HideSolutionNode = FALSE
@@ -2859,6 +2867,7 @@ Global
 		{5702B3CC-8575-48D5-83D8-15BB42269CD3} = {929C1324-22E8-4412-A9A8-80E85F3985A5}
 		{64B88F02-CD88-4ED8-9624-989A800230F9} = {ECB8E0D1-7603-4E5C-AB10-D1E545E6F8E2}
 		{5F63C743-F6CE-4DBA-A200-2B3F8A14E8C2} = {3846508C-77EB-4034-A702-F8BB263C4F79}
+		{2694E2FB-DCD5-4BFF-A418-B6C3C7CE3B8E} = {89E20BCE-EB9C-46C8-8B50-E01A82E6FDC3}
 	EndGlobalSection
 	GlobalSection(ExtensibilityGlobals) = postSolution
 		SolutionGuid = {C3A2F9D1-7930-4EF4-A6FC-7EE0A99821D0}

doc/Fuzzing/CppFuzzingGuide.md

@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+# 🧪 C++ Project Fuzzing Test Guide
+
+This guide walks you through setting up a **fuzzing test** project for a C++ module using [libFuzzer](https://llvm.org/docs/LibFuzzer.html).
+.
+
+---
+
+## 🏗️ Step-by-Step Setup
+
+### 1. Create a New C++ Project
+
+- Use **Empty Project** template.
+- Name it `<ModuleName>.FuzzingTest`.
+
+---
+
+### 2. Update Build Configuration
+
+- In **Configuration Manager**, Uncheck Build for both Release|ARM64, Debug|ARM64 and Debug|x64 configurations.
+- Note: ARM64 is not supported in this case, so leave ARM64 configurations build disabled.
+---
+
+### 3. Enable ASan and libFuzzer in `.vcxproj`
+
+Edit the project file to enable fuzzing:
+
+```xml
+<PropertyGroup>
+  <EnableASAN>true</EnableASAN>
+  <EnableFuzzer>true</EnableFuzzer>
+</PropertyGroup>
+```
+
+---
+
+### 4. Add Fuzzing Compiler Flags
+
+Add this to `AdditionalOptions` under the `Fuzzing` configuration:
+
+```xml
+/fsanitize=address
+/fsanitize-coverage=inline-8bit-counters
+/fsanitize-coverage=edge
+/fsanitize-coverage=trace-cmp
+/fsanitize-coverage=trace-div
+%(AdditionalOptions)
+```
+
+---
+
+### 5. Link the Sanitizer Coverage Runtime
+
+In `Linker → Input → Additional Dependencies`, add:
+
+```text
+$(VCToolsInstallDir)lib\$(Platform)\libsancov.lib
+```
+
+---
+
+### 6. Copy Required Runtime DLL
+
+Add a `PostBuildEvent` to copy the ASAN DLL:
+
+```xml
+<Command>
+  xcopy /y "$(VCToolsInstallDir)bin\Hostx64\x64\clang_rt.asan_dynamic-x86_64.dll" "$(OutDir)"
+</Command>
+```
+
+---
+
+### 7. Add Preprocessor Definitions
+
+To avoid annotation issues, add these to the `Preprocessor Definitions`:
+
+```text
+_DISABLE_VECTOR_ANNOTATION;_DISABLE_STRING_ANNOTATION
+```
+
+---
+
+## 🧬 Required Code
+
+### `LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput` Entry Point
+
+Every fuzzing project must expose this function:
+
+```cpp
+extern "C" int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t* data, size_t size)
+{
+    std::string input(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(data), size);
+
+    try
+    {
+        // Call your module with the input here.
+    }
+    catch (...) {}
+
+    return 0;
+}
+```
+
+---
+
+## ⚙️ [Test run in the cloud](https://eng.ms/docs/cloud-ai-platform/azure-edge-platform-aep/aep-security/epsf-edge-and-platform-security-fundamentals/the-onefuzz-service/onefuzz/faq/notwindows/walkthrough)
+
+To submit a job to the cloud you can run with this command:
+
+```
+oip submit --config .\OneFuzzConfig.json --drop-path <your_submission_directory> --platform windows --do-not-file-bugs --duration 1
+```
+You want to run with --do-not-file-bugs because if there is an issue with running the parser in the cloud (which is very possible), you don't want bugs to be created if there is an issue. The --duration task is the number of hours you want the task to run. I recommend just running for 1 hour to make sure things work initially. If you don't specify this parameter, it will default to 48 hours. You can find more about submitting a test job here. 
+
+OneFuzz will send you an email when the job has started.
+
+---

installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs

@@ -79,10 +79,7 @@
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="ToolComponentGroup" />
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="MonacoSRCHeatGenerated" />
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="WorkspacesComponentGroup" />
-
-      <?if $(var.CIBuild) = "true" ?>
-        <ComponentGroupRef Id="CmdPalComponentGroup" />
-      <?endif?>
+      <ComponentGroupRef Id="CmdPalComponentGroup" />
     </Feature>
 
     <SetProperty Id="ARPINSTALLLOCATION" Value="[INSTALLFOLDER]" After="CostFinalize" />

src/Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <!-- Some items may be set in Directory.Build.props in root -->
 <Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
+  <Import Project=".\Common.Dotnet.PrepareGeneratedFolder.targets" />
+
   <PropertyGroup>
     <WindowsSdkPackageVersion>10.0.22621.57</WindowsSdkPackageVersion>
     <TargetFramework>net9.0-windows10.0.22621.0</TargetFramework>

src/Common.Dotnet.FuzzTest.props

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- Some items may be set in Directory.Build.props in root -->
+<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
+  <!-- OneFuzz does not currently support testing with .NET 9.
+       As a temporary workaround, create a .NET 8 project and use file links 
+       to include the code that needs testing. -->
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+</Project>

src/Common.Dotnet.PrepareGeneratedFolder.targets

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
+
+  <Target Name="EnsureGeneratedBaseFolder" BeforeTargets="XamlPreCompile">
+    <PropertyGroup>
+      <!-- Only create the base 'generated' folder -->
+      <CompilerGeneratedFilesOutputPath>$(ProjectDir)obj\g</CompilerGeneratedFilesOutputPath>
+    </PropertyGroup>
+
+    <!-- Create 'generated' folder if missing -->
+    <MakeDir Directories="$(CompilerGeneratedFilesOutputPath)" />
+
+    <!-- Optional logging for debugging -->
+    <Message Text="Ensured: $(GeneratedBasePath)" Importance="Low" />
+  </Target>
+
+</Project>

src/common/ManagedCommon/ColorFormatHelper.cs

@@ -141,6 +141,40 @@ namespace ManagedCommon
             return lab;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Convert a given <see cref="Color"/> to a Oklab color
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="color">The <see cref="Color"/> to convert</param>
+        /// <returns>The perceptual lightness [0..1] and two chromaticities [-0.5..0.5]</returns>
+        public static (double Lightness, double ChromaticityA, double ChromaticityB) ConvertToOklabColor(Color color)
+        {
+            var linear = ConvertSRGBToLinearRGB(color.R / 255d, color.G / 255d, color.B / 255d);
+            var oklab = GetOklabColorFromLinearRGB(linear.R, linear.G, linear.B);
+            return oklab;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Convert a given <see cref="Color"/> to a Oklch color
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="color">The <see cref="Color"/> to convert</param>
+        /// <returns>The perceptual lightness [0..1], the chroma [0..0.5], and the hue angle [0°..360°]</returns>
+        public static (double Lightness, double Chroma, double Hue) ConvertToOklchColor(Color color)
+        {
+            var oklab = ConvertToOklabColor(color);
+            var oklch = GetOklchColorFromOklab(oklab.Lightness, oklab.ChromaticityA, oklab.ChromaticityB);
+
+            return oklch;
+        }
+
+        public static (double R, double G, double B) ConvertSRGBToLinearRGB(double r, double g, double b)
+        {
+            // inverse companding, gamma correction must be undone
+            double rLinear = (r > 0.04045) ? Math.Pow((r + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4) : (r / 12.92);
+            double gLinear = (g > 0.04045) ? Math.Pow((g + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4) : (g / 12.92);
+            double bLinear = (b > 0.04045) ? Math.Pow((b + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4) : (b / 12.92);
+            return (rLinear, gLinear, bLinear);
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Convert a given <see cref="Color"/> to a CIE XYZ color (XYZ)
         /// The constants of the formula matches this Wikipedia page, but at a higher precision:
@@ -156,10 +190,7 @@ namespace ManagedCommon
             double g = color.G / 255d;
             double b = color.B / 255d;
 
-            // inverse companding, gamma correction must be undone
-            double rLinear = (r > 0.04045) ? Math.Pow((r + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4) : (r / 12.92);
-            double gLinear = (g > 0.04045) ? Math.Pow((g + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4) : (g / 12.92);
-            double bLinear = (b > 0.04045) ? Math.Pow((b + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4) : (b / 12.92);
+            (double rLinear, double gLinear, double bLinear) = ConvertSRGBToLinearRGB(r, g, b);
 
             return (
                 (rLinear * 0.41239079926595948) + (gLinear * 0.35758433938387796) + (bLinear * 0.18048078840183429),
@@ -210,6 +241,63 @@ namespace ManagedCommon
             return (l, a, b);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Convert a linear RGB color <see cref="double"/> to an Oklab color.
+        /// The constants of this formula come from https://github.com/Evercoder/culori/blob/2bedb8f0507116e75f844a705d0b45cf279b15d0/src/oklab/convertLrgbToOklab.js
+        /// and the implementation is based on https://bottosson.github.io/posts/oklab/
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="r">Linear R value</param>
+        /// <param name="g">Linear G value</param>
+        /// <param name="b">Linear B value</param>
+        /// <returns>The perceptual lightness [0..1] and two chromaticities [-0.5..0.5]</returns>
+        private static (double Lightness, double ChromaticityA, double ChromaticityB)
+            GetOklabColorFromLinearRGB(double r, double g, double b)
+        {
+            double l = (0.41222147079999993 * r) + (0.5363325363 * g) + (0.0514459929 * b);
+            double m = (0.2119034981999999 * r) + (0.6806995450999999 * g) + (0.1073969566 * b);
+            double s = (0.08830246189999998 * r) + (0.2817188376 * g) + (0.6299787005000002 * b);
+
+            double l_ = Math.Cbrt(l);
+            double m_ = Math.Cbrt(m);
+            double s_ = Math.Cbrt(s);
+
+            return (
+                (0.2104542553 * l_) + (0.793617785 * m_) - (0.0040720468 * s_),
+                (1.9779984951 * l_) - (2.428592205 * m_) + (0.4505937099 * s_),
+                (0.0259040371 * l_) + (0.7827717662 * m_) - (0.808675766 * s_)
+            );
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Convert an Oklab color <see cref="double"/> from Cartesian form to its polar form Oklch
+        /// https://bottosson.github.io/posts/oklab/#the-oklab-color-space
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="lightness">The <see cref="lightness"/></param>
+        /// <param name="chromaticity_a">The <see cref="chromaticity_a"/></param>
+        /// <param name="chromaticity_b">The <see cref="chromaticity_b"/></param>
+        /// <returns>The perceptual lightness [0..1], the chroma [0..0.5], and the hue angle [0°..360°]</returns>
+        private static (double Lightness, double Chroma, double Hue)
+            GetOklchColorFromOklab(double lightness, double chromaticity_a, double chromaticity_b)
+        {
+            return GetLCHColorFromLAB(lightness, chromaticity_a, chromaticity_b);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Convert a color in Cartesian form (Lab) to its polar form (LCh)
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="lightness">The <see cref="lightness"/></param>
+        /// <param name="chromaticity_a">The <see cref="chromaticity_a"/></param>
+        /// <param name="chromaticity_b">The <see cref="chromaticity_b"/></param>
+        /// <returns>The lightness, chroma, and hue angle</returns>
+        private static (double Lightness, double Chroma, double Hue)
+            GetLCHColorFromLAB(double lightness, double chromaticity_a, double chromaticity_b)
+        {
+            // Lab to LCh transformation
+            double chroma = Math.Sqrt(Math.Pow(chromaticity_a, 2) + Math.Pow(chromaticity_b, 2));
+            double hue = Math.Round(chroma, 3) == 0 ? 0.0 : ((Math.Atan2(chromaticity_b, chromaticity_a) * 180d / Math.PI) + 360d) % 360d;
+            return (lightness, chroma, hue);
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Convert a given <see cref="Color"/> to a natural color (hue, whiteness, blackness)
         /// </summary>
@@ -276,12 +364,17 @@ namespace ManagedCommon
             { "Br", 'p' },   // brightness       percent
             { "In", 'p' },   // intensity        percent
             { "Ll", 'p' },   // lightness (HSL)  percent
-            { "Lc", 'p' },   // lightness(CIELAB)percent
             { "Va", 'p' },   // value            percent
             { "Wh", 'p' },   // whiteness        percent
             { "Bn", 'p' },   // blackness        percent
-            { "Ca", 'p' },   // chromaticityA    percent
-            { "Cb", 'p' },   // chromaticityB    percent
+            { "Lc", 'p' },   // lightness (CIE)         percent
+            { "Ca", 'p' },   // chromaticityA (CIELAB)  percent
+            { "Cb", 'p' },   // chromaticityB (CIELAB)  percent
+            { "Lo", 'p' },   // lightness (Oklab/Oklch) percent
+            { "Oa", 'p' },   // chromaticityA (Oklab)   percent
+            { "Ob", 'p' },   // chromaticityB (Oklab)   percent
+            { "Oc", 'p' },   // chroma (Oklch)          percent
+            { "Oh", 'p' },   // hue angle (Oklch)       percent
             { "Xv", 'i' },   // X value          int
             { "Yv", 'i' },   // Y value          int
             { "Zv", 'i' },   // Z value          int
@@ -424,6 +517,10 @@ namespace ManagedCommon
                     var (lightnessC, _, _) = ConvertToCIELABColor(color);
                     lightnessC = Math.Round(lightnessC, 2);
                     return lightnessC.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+                case "Lo":
+                    var (lightnessO, _, _) = ConvertToOklabColor(color);
+                    lightnessO = Math.Round(lightnessO, 2);
+                    return lightnessO.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
                 case "Wh":
                     var (_, whiteness, _) = ConvertToHWBColor(color);
                     whiteness = Math.Round(whiteness * 100);
@@ -440,6 +537,22 @@ namespace ManagedCommon
                     var (_, _, chromaticityB) = ConvertToCIELABColor(color);
                     chromaticityB = Math.Round(chromaticityB, 2);
                     return chromaticityB.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+                case "Oa":
+                    var (_, chromaticityAOklab, _) = ConvertToOklabColor(color);
+                    chromaticityAOklab = Math.Round(chromaticityAOklab, 2);
+                    return chromaticityAOklab.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+                case "Ob":
+                    var (_, _, chromaticityBOklab) = ConvertToOklabColor(color);
+                    chromaticityBOklab = Math.Round(chromaticityBOklab, 2);
+                    return chromaticityBOklab.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+                case "Oc":
+                    var (_, chromaOklch, _) = ConvertToOklchColor(color);
+                    chromaOklch = Math.Round(chromaOklch, 2);
+                    return chromaOklch.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
+                case "Oh":
+                    var (_, _, hueOklch) = ConvertToOklchColor(color);
+                    hueOklch = Math.Round(hueOklch, 2);
+                    return hueOklch.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
                 case "Xv":
                     var (x, _, _) = ConvertToCIEXYZColor(color);
                     x = Math.Round(x * 100, 4);
@@ -495,8 +608,10 @@ namespace ManagedCommon
                 case "HSI": return "hsi(%Hu, %Si%, %In%)";
                 case "HWB": return "hwb(%Hu, %Wh%, %Bn%)";
                 case "NCol": return "%Hn, %Wh%, %Bn%";
-                case "CIELAB": return "CIELab(%Lc, %Ca, %Cb)";
                 case "CIEXYZ": return "XYZ(%Xv, %Yv, %Zv)";
+                case "CIELAB": return "CIELab(%Lc, %Ca, %Cb)";
+                case "Oklab": return "oklab(%Lo, %Oa, %Ob)";
+                case "Oklch": return "oklch(%Lo, %Oc, %Oh)";
                 case "VEC4": return "(%Reff, %Grff, %Blff, 1f)";
                 case "Decimal": return "%Dv";
                 case "HEX Int": return "0xFF%ReX%GrX%BlX";

src/common/ManagedCommon/IdRecoveryHelper.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
+// The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+
+namespace ManagedCommon
+{
+    public static class IdRecoveryHelper
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Fixes invalid IDs in the given list by assigning unique values.
+        /// It ensures that all IDs are non-empty and unique, correcting any duplicates or empty IDs.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="items">The list of items that may contain invalid IDs.</param>
+        public static void RecoverInvalidIds<T>(IEnumerable<T> items)
+            where T : class, IHasId
+        {
+            var idSet = new HashSet<int>();
+            int newId = 0;
+            var sortedItems = items.OrderBy(i => i.Id).ToList(); // Sort items by ID for consistent processing
+
+            // Iterate through the list and fix invalid IDs
+            foreach (var item in sortedItems)
+            {
+                // If the ID is invalid or already exists in the set (duplicate), assign a new unique ID
+                if (!idSet.Add(item.Id))
+                {
+                    // Find the next available unique ID
+                    while (idSet.Contains(newId))
+                    {
+                        newId++;
+                    }
+
+                    item.Id = newId;
+                    idSet.Add(newId); // Add the newly assigned ID to the set
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    public interface IHasId
+    {
+        int Id { get; set; }
+    }
+}

src/common/utils/package.h

@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ namespace package
         if (!std::filesystem::exists(directoryPath))
         {
             Logger::error(L"The directory '" + directoryPath + L"' does not exist.");
+            return {};
         }
 
         const std::regex pattern(R"(^.+\.(appx|msix|msixbundle)$)", std::regex_constants::icase);

src/modules/AdvancedPaste/AdvancedPaste.FuzzTests/AdvancedPaste.FuzzTests.csproj

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+	<!-- Look at Directory.Build.props in root for common stuff as well -->
+	<Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props" />
+	<Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.FuzzTest.props" />
 	<PropertyGroup>
-		<TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
 		<LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>
 		<ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
 		<Nullable>enable</Nullable>

src/modules/AdvancedPaste/AdvancedPaste/Helpers/OcrHelpers.cs

@@ -18,10 +18,19 @@ public static class OcrHelpers
 {
     public static async Task<string> ExtractTextAsync(SoftwareBitmap bitmap, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
-        var ocrLanguage = GetOCRLanguage() ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Unable to determine OCR language");
+        var ocrLanguage = GetOCRLanguage();
         cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
 
-        var ocrEngine = OcrEngine.TryCreateFromLanguage(ocrLanguage) ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Unable to create OCR engine");
+        OcrEngine ocrEngine;
+        if (ocrLanguage is not null)
+        {
+            ocrEngine = OcrEngine.TryCreateFromLanguage(ocrLanguage) ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Unable to create OCR engine from specified language");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            ocrEngine = OcrEngine.TryCreateFromUserProfileLanguages() ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Unable to create OCR engine from user profile language");
+        }
+
         cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
 
         var ocrResult = await ocrEngine.RecognizeAsync(bitmap);

src/modules/EnvironmentVariables/EnvironmentVariablesUILib/EnvironmentVariablesUILib.csproj

@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
     <ProjectPriFileName>PowerToys.EnvironmentVariablesUILib.pri</ProjectPriFileName>
     <GenerateLibraryLayout>true</GenerateLibraryLayout>
     <IsPackable>true</IsPackable>
-    <!-- The default generated file path exceeds the length limit 260 on the build agent. Using a shorter path as a workaround. -->
-    <CompilerGeneratedFilesOutputPath>$(ProjectDir)obj\g</CompilerGeneratedFilesOutputPath>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <PropertyGroup>
@@ -56,7 +54,4 @@
     <Manifest Include="$(ApplicationManifest)" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
-  <Target Name="EnsureCompilerGeneratedFilesOutputPathExists" BeforeTargets="XamlPreCompile">
-    <MakeDir Directories="$(CompilerGeneratedFilesOutputPath)" />
-  </Target>
 </Project>

src/modules/Hosts/Hosts.FuzzTests/Hosts.FuzzTests.csproj

@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+	<!-- Look at Directory.Build.props in root for common stuff as well -->
+	<Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props" />
+	<Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.FuzzTest.props" />
+
 	<PropertyGroup>
-		<TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
 		<LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>
 		<ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
 	</PropertyGroup>

src/modules/MeasureTool/MeasureToolCore/PowerToys.MeasureToolCore.vcxproj

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <Project ToolsVersion="15.0" DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
-  <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props')" />
+  <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props')" />
   <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.props" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.props')" />
   <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">
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
     <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.ImplementationLibrary.1.0.231216.1\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.ImplementationLibrary.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.ImplementationLibrary.1.0.231216.1\build\native\Microsoft.Windows.ImplementationLibrary.targets')" />
     <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.targets')" />
     <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.1.0.2903.40\build\native\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.1.0.2903.40\build\native\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.targets')" />
-    <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets')" />
+    <Import Project="..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets')" />
   </ImportGroup>
   <Target Name="EnsureNuGetPackageBuildImports" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
     <PropertyGroup>
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
     <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.props'))" />
     <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.10.0.22621.2428\build\Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.targets'))" />
     <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.1.0.2903.40\build\native\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.1.0.2903.40\build\native\Microsoft.Web.WebView2.targets'))" />
-    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props'))" />
-    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.6.250205002\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets'))" />
+    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.props'))" />
+    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.1.7.250401001\build\native\Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.targets'))" />
   </Target>
 </Project>

src/modules/MeasureTool/MeasureToolCore/packages.config

@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@
   <package id="Microsoft.Windows.CppWinRT" version="2.0.240111.5" targetFramework="native" />
   <package id="Microsoft.Windows.ImplementationLibrary" version="1.0.231216.1" targetFramework="native" />
   <package id="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" version="10.0.22621.2428" targetFramework="native" />
-  <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" version="1.6.250205002" targetFramework="native" />
+  <package id="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" version="1.7.250401001" targetFramework="native" />
 </packages>

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/AppLauncher.cpp

@@ -121,6 +121,22 @@ namespace AppLauncher
         // packaged apps: try launching first by AppUserModel.ID
         // usage example: elevated Terminal
         if (!launched && !app.appUserModelId.empty() && !app.packageFullName.empty())
+        {
+            Logger::trace(L"Launching {} as {} - {app.packageFullName}", app.name, app.appUserModelId, app.packageFullName);
+            auto res = LaunchApp(L"shell:AppsFolder\\" + app.appUserModelId, app.commandLineArgs, app.isElevated);
+            if (res.isOk())
+            {
+                launched = true;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                launchErrors.push_back({ std::filesystem::path(app.path).filename(), res.error() });
+            }
+        }
+
+        // win32 app with appUserModelId:
+        // usage example: steam games
+        if (!launched && !app.appUserModelId.empty())
         {
             Logger::trace(L"Launching {} as {}", app.name, app.appUserModelId);
             auto res = LaunchApp(L"shell:AppsFolder\\" + app.appUserModelId, app.commandLineArgs, app.isElevated);

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib/AppUtils.cpp

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "pch.h"
 #include "AppUtils.h"
+#include "SteamHelper.h"
 
 #include <atlbase.h>
 #include <propvarutil.h>
@@ -34,6 +35,8 @@ namespace Utils
 
             constexpr const wchar_t* EdgeFilename = L"msedge.exe";
             constexpr const wchar_t* ChromeFilename = L"chrome.exe";
+
+            constexpr const wchar_t* SteamUrlProtocol = L"steam:";
         }
 
         AppList IterateAppsFolder()
@@ -138,6 +141,34 @@ namespace Utils
                                 else if (prop == NonLocalizable::PackageInstallPathProp || prop == NonLocalizable::InstallPathProp)
                                 {
                                     data.installPath = propVariantString.m_pData;
+
+                                    if (!data.installPath.empty())
+                                    {
+                                        const bool isSteamProtocol = data.installPath.rfind(NonLocalizable::SteamUrlProtocol, 0) == 0;
+
+                                        if (isSteamProtocol)
+                                        {
+                                            Logger::info(L"Found steam game: protocol path: {}", data.installPath);
+                                            data.protocolPath = data.installPath;
+
+                                            try
+                                            {
+                                                auto gameId = Steam::GetGameIdFromUrlProtocolPath(data.installPath);
+                                                auto gameFolder = Steam::GetSteamGameInfoFromAcfFile(gameId);
+
+                                                if (gameFolder)
+                                                {
+                                                    data.installPath = gameFolder->gameInstallationPath;
+                                                    Logger::info(L"Found steam game: physical path: {}", data.installPath);
+                                                }
+                                            }
+                                            catch (std::exception ex)
+                                            {
+                                                Logger::error(L"Failed to get installPath for game {}", data.installPath);
+                                                Logger::error("Error: {}", ex.what());
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                    }
                                 }
                             }
 
@@ -397,5 +428,10 @@ namespace Utils
         {
             return installPath.ends_with(NonLocalizable::ChromeFilename);
         }
+
+        bool AppData::IsSteamGame() const
+        {
+            return protocolPath.rfind(NonLocalizable::SteamUrlProtocol, 0) == 0;
+        }
     }
 }

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib/AppUtils.h

@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ namespace Utils
             std::wstring packageFullName;
             std::wstring appUserModelId;
             std::wstring pwaAppId;
+            std::wstring protocolPath;
             bool canLaunchElevated = false;
 
             bool IsEdge() const;
             bool IsChrome() const;
+            bool IsSteamGame() const;
         };
 
         using AppList = std::vector<AppData>;

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib/SteamGameHelper.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+#include "pch.h"
+#include "SteamHelper.h"
+#include <fstream>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <regex>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace Utils
+{
+
+    static std::wstring Utf8ToWide(const std::string& utf8)
+    {
+        if (utf8.empty())
+            return L"";
+
+        int size = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, utf8.data(), static_cast<int>(utf8.size()), nullptr, 0);
+        if (size <= 0)
+            return L"";
+
+        std::wstring wide(size, L'\0');
+        MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, utf8.data(), static_cast<int>(utf8.size()), wide.data(), size);
+        return wide;
+    }
+
+    namespace Steam
+    {
+        using namespace std;
+        namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+
+        static std::optional<std::wstring> GetSteamExePathFromRegistry()
+        {
+            static std::optional<std::wstring> cachedPath;
+            if (cachedPath.has_value())
+            {
+                return cachedPath;
+            }
+
+            const std::vector<HKEY> roots = { HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS };
+            const std::vector<std::wstring> subKeys = {
+                L"steam\\shell\\open\\command",
+                L"Software\\Classes\\steam\\shell\\open\\command",
+            };
+
+            for (HKEY root : roots)
+            {
+                for (const auto& subKey : subKeys)
+                {
+                    HKEY hKey;
+                    if (RegOpenKeyExW(root, subKey.c_str(), 0, KEY_READ, &hKey) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
+                    {
+                        wchar_t value[512];
+                        DWORD size = sizeof(value);
+                        DWORD type = 0;
+
+                        if (RegQueryValueExW(hKey, nullptr, nullptr, &type, reinterpret_cast<LPBYTE>(value), &size) == ERROR_SUCCESS &&
+                            (type == REG_SZ || type == REG_EXPAND_SZ))
+                        {
+                            std::wregex exeRegex(LR"delim("([^"]+steam\.exe)")delim");
+                            std::wcmatch match;
+                            if (std::regex_search(value, match, exeRegex) && match.size() > 1)
+                            {
+                                RegCloseKey(hKey);
+                                cachedPath = match[1].str();
+                                return cachedPath;
+                            }
+                        }
+
+                        RegCloseKey(hKey);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            cachedPath = std::nullopt;
+            return std::nullopt;
+        }
+
+        static fs::path GetSteamBasePath()
+        {
+            auto steamFolderOpt = GetSteamExePathFromRegistry();
+            if (!steamFolderOpt)
+            {
+                return {};
+            }
+
+            return fs::path(*steamFolderOpt).parent_path() / L"steamapps";
+        }
+
+        static fs::path GetAcfFilePath(const std::wstring& gameId)
+        {
+            auto steamFolderOpt = GetSteamExePathFromRegistry();
+            if (!steamFolderOpt)
+            {
+                return {};
+            }
+
+            return GetSteamBasePath() / (L"appmanifest_" + gameId + L".acf");
+        }
+
+        static fs::path GetGameInstallPath(const std::wstring& gameFolderName)
+        {
+            auto steamFolderOpt = GetSteamExePathFromRegistry();
+            if (!steamFolderOpt)
+            {
+                return {};
+            }
+
+            return GetSteamBasePath() / L"common" / gameFolderName;
+        }
+
+        static unordered_map<wstring, wstring> ParseAcfFile(const fs::path& acfPath)
+        {
+            unordered_map<wstring, wstring> result;
+
+            ifstream file(acfPath);
+            if (!file.is_open())
+                return result;
+
+            string line;
+            while (getline(file, line))
+            {
+                smatch matches;
+                static const regex pattern(R"delim("([^"]+)"\s+"([^"]+)")delim");
+
+                if (regex_search(line, matches, pattern) && matches.size() == 3)
+                {
+                    wstring key = Utf8ToWide(matches[1].str());
+                    wstring value = Utf8ToWide(matches[2].str());
+                    result[key] = value;
+                }
+            }
+
+            return result;
+        }
+
+        std::unique_ptr<Steam::SteamGame> GetSteamGameInfoFromAcfFile(const std::wstring& gameId)
+        {
+            fs::path acfPath = Steam::GetAcfFilePath(gameId);
+
+            if (!fs::exists(acfPath))
+                return nullptr;
+
+            auto kv = ParseAcfFile(acfPath);
+            if (kv.empty() || kv.find(L"installdir") == kv.end())
+                return nullptr;
+
+            fs::path gamePath = Steam::GetGameInstallPath(kv[L"installdir"]);
+            if (!fs::exists(gamePath))
+                return nullptr;
+
+            auto game = std::make_unique<Steam::SteamGame>();
+            game->gameId = gameId;
+            game->gameInstallationPath = gamePath.wstring();
+            return game;
+        }
+
+        std::wstring GetGameIdFromUrlProtocolPath(const std::wstring& urlPath)
+        {
+            const std::wstring steamGamePrefix = L"steam://rungameid/";
+
+            if (urlPath.rfind(steamGamePrefix, 0) == 0)
+            {
+                return urlPath.substr(steamGamePrefix.length());
+            }
+
+            return L"";
+        }
+
+    }
+}

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib/SteamHelper.h

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "pch.h"
+
+namespace Utils
+{
+    namespace NonLocalizable
+    {
+        const std::wstring AcfFileNameTemplate = L"appmanifest_<gameid>.acfs";
+    }
+
+    namespace Steam
+    {
+        struct SteamGame
+        {
+            std::wstring gameId;
+            std::wstring gameInstallationPath;
+        };
+
+        std::unique_ptr<SteamGame> GetSteamGameInfoFromAcfFile(const std::wstring& gameId);
+
+        std::wstring GetGameIdFromUrlProtocolPath(const std::wstring& urlPath);
+    }
+}

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib/WorkspacesLib.vcxproj

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="pch.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="PwaHelper.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Result.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="SteamHelper.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="StringUtils.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="utils.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="WbemHelper.h" />
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@
       <PrecompiledHeader Condition="'$(UsePrecompiledHeaders)' != 'false'">Create</PrecompiledHeader>
     </ClCompile>
     <ClCompile Include="PwaHelper.cpp" />
+    <ClCompile Include="SteamGameHelper.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="two_way_pipe_message_ipc.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="WbemHelper.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="WorkspacesData.cpp" />

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLib/WorkspacesLib.vcxproj.filters

@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@
     <ClInclude Include="StringUtils.h">
       <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
     </ClInclude>
+    <ClInclude Include="SteamHelper.h">
+      <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
+    </ClInclude>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClCompile Include="pch.cpp">
@@ -88,6 +91,9 @@
     <ClCompile Include="WbemHelper.cpp">
       <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
     </ClCompile>
+    <ClCompile Include="SteamGameHelper.cpp">
+      <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
+    </ClCompile>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="packages.config" />

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesSnapshotTool/SnapshotUtils.cpp

@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ namespace SnapshotUtils
                 continue;
             }
 
+            Logger::info("Try to get window app:{}", reinterpret_cast<void*>(window));
+
             DWORD pid{};
             GetWindowThreadProcessId(window, &pid);
 
@@ -118,10 +120,19 @@ namespace SnapshotUtils
             auto data = Utils::Apps::GetApp(processPath, pid, installedApps);
             if (!data.has_value() || data->name.empty())
             {
-                Logger::info(L"Installed app not found: {}", processPath);
+                Logger::info(L"Installed app not found:{},{}", reinterpret_cast<void*>(window), processPath);
                 continue;
             }
 
+            if (!data->IsSteamGame() && !WindowUtils::HasThickFrame(window))
+            {
+                // Only care about steam games if it has no thick frame to remain consistent with
+                // the behavior as before.
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            Logger::info(L"Found app for window:{},{}", reinterpret_cast<void*>(window), processPath);
+
             auto appData = data.value();
 
             bool isEdge = appData.IsEdge();

src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesWindowArranger/WindowArranger.cpp

@@ -200,6 +200,14 @@ std::optional<WindowWithDistance> WindowArranger::GetNearestWindow(const Workspa
         }
 
         auto data = Utils::Apps::GetApp(processPath, pid, m_installedApps);
+
+        if (!data->IsSteamGame() && !WindowUtils::HasThickFrame(window))
+        {
+            // Only care about steam games if it has no thick frame to remain consistent with 
+            // the behavior as before.
+            continue;
+        }
+
         if (!data.has_value())
         {
             continue;

src/modules/Workspaces/workspaces-common/WindowFilter.h

@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ namespace WindowFilter
     {
         auto style = GetWindowLong(window, GWL_STYLE);
         bool isPopup = WindowUtils::HasStyle(style, WS_POPUP);
-        bool hasThickFrame = WindowUtils::HasStyle(style, WS_THICKFRAME);
         bool hasCaption = WindowUtils::HasStyle(style, WS_CAPTION);
         bool hasMinimizeMaximizeButtons = WindowUtils::HasStyle(style, WS_MINIMIZEBOX) || WindowUtils::HasStyle(style, WS_MAXIMIZEBOX);
-        if (isPopup && !(hasThickFrame && (hasCaption || hasMinimizeMaximizeButtons)))
+
+        Logger::info("Style for window: {}, {:#x}", reinterpret_cast<void*>(window), style);
+
+        if (isPopup && !(hasCaption || hasMinimizeMaximizeButtons))
         {
             // popup windows we want to snap: e.g. Calculator, Telegram
             // popup windows we don't want to snap: start menu, notification popup, tray window, etc.

src/modules/Workspaces/workspaces-common/WindowUtils.h

@@ -121,4 +121,11 @@ namespace WindowUtils
 
         return std::wstring(title);
     }
+
+    
+    inline bool HasThickFrame(HWND window)
+    {
+        auto style = GetWindowLong(window, GWL_STYLE);
+        return WindowUtils::HasStyle(style, WS_THICKFRAME);
+    }
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/CmdPalModuleInterface/CmdPalModuleInterface.vcxproj

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 <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')" />
+  <Import Project="..\Microsoft.CmdPal.UI\CmdPal.pre.props" Condition="Exists('..\Microsoft.CmdPal.UI\CmdPal.pre.props')" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Globals">
     <VCProjectVersion>17.0</VCProjectVersion>
     <Keyword>Win32Proj</Keyword>
@@ -49,13 +50,20 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemDefinitionGroup>
     <ClCompile>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>EXAMPLEPOWERTOY_EXPORTS;_WINDOWS;_USRDLL;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>
+        EXAMPLEPOWERTOY_EXPORTS;_WINDOWS;_USRDLL;
+        %(PreprocessorDefinitions);
+      </PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions Condition="'$(CommandPaletteBranding)'=='' or '$(CommandPaletteBranding)'=='Dev'">
+        IS_DEV_BRANDING;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)
+      </PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>..\..\..\common\inc;..\..\..\common\Telemetry;..\..\;..\..\..\;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <OutputFile>$(OutDir)$(TargetName)$(TargetExt)</OutputFile>
     </Link>
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
+
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClInclude Include="pch.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="resource.h" />

src/modules/cmdpal/CmdPalModuleInterface/dllmain.cpp

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include <interface/powertoy_module_interface.h>
 
+#include <atomic>
 #include <common/logger/logger.h>
 #include <common/utils/logger_helper.h>
 #include <common/SettingsAPI/settings_helpers.h>
@@ -10,10 +11,11 @@
 #include <common/utils/resources.h>
 #include <common/utils/package.h>
 #include <common/utils/process_path.h>
+#include <common/utils/winapi_error.h>
 #include <common/interop/shared_constants.h>
 #include <Psapi.h>
 #include <TlHelp32.h>
-#include <common/utils/winapi_error.h>
+#include <thread>
 
 HINSTANCE g_hInst_cmdPal = 0;
 
@@ -37,8 +39,6 @@ BOOL APIENTRY DllMain(HMODULE hInstance,
 class CmdPal : public PowertoyModuleIface
 {
 private:
-    bool m_enabled = false;
-
     std::wstring app_name;
 
     //contains the non localized key of the powertoy
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ private:
 
     HANDLE m_hTerminateEvent;
 
-    void LaunchApp(const std::wstring& appPath, const std::wstring& commandLineArgs, bool elevated)
+    // Track if this is the first call to enable
+    bool firstEnableCall = true;
+
+    static bool LaunchApp(const std::wstring& appPath, const std::wstring& commandLineArgs, bool elevated, bool silentFail)
     {
         std::wstring dir = std::filesystem::path(appPath).parent_path();
 
@@ -54,6 +57,10 @@ private:
         sei.cbSize = sizeof(SHELLEXECUTEINFO);
         sei.hwnd = nullptr;
         sei.fMask = SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS | SEE_MASK_NO_CONSOLE;
+        if (silentFail)
+        {
+            sei.fMask = sei.fMask | SEE_MASK_FLAG_NO_UI;
+        }
         sei.lpVerb = elevated ? L"runas" : L"open";
         sei.lpFile = appPath.c_str();
         sei.lpParameters = commandLineArgs.c_str();
@@ -64,7 +71,11 @@ private:
         {
             std::wstring error = get_last_error_or_default(GetLastError());
             Logger::error(L"Failed to launch process. {}", error);
+            return false;
         }
+
+        m_launched.store(true);
+        return true;
     }
 
     std::vector<DWORD> GetProcessesIdByName(const std::wstring& processName)
@@ -122,6 +133,9 @@ private:
     }
 
 public:
+    static std::atomic<bool> m_enabled;
+    static std::atomic<bool> m_launched;
+
     CmdPal()
     {
         app_name = L"CmdPal";
@@ -133,10 +147,7 @@ public:
 
     ~CmdPal()
     {
-        if (m_enabled)
-        {
-        }
-        m_enabled = false;
+        CmdPal::m_enabled.store(false);
     }
 
     // Destroy the powertoy and free memory
@@ -203,15 +214,17 @@ public:
     {
         Logger::trace("CmdPal::enable()");
 
-        m_enabled = true;
+        CmdPal::m_enabled.store(true);
 
-        try
-        {
-            std::wstring packageName = L"Microsoft.CommandPalette";
-#ifdef _DEBUG
-            packageName = L"Microsoft.CommandPalette.Dev";
+        std::wstring packageName = L"Microsoft.CommandPalette";
+        std::wstring launchPath = L"x-cmdpal://background";
+#ifdef IS_DEV_BRANDING
+        packageName = L"Microsoft.CommandPalette.Dev";
 #endif
-            if (!package::GetRegisteredPackage(packageName, false).has_value())
+
+        if (!package::GetRegisteredPackage(packageName, false).has_value())
+        {
+            try
             {
                 Logger::info(L"CmdPal not installed. Installing...");
 
@@ -238,19 +251,34 @@ public:
                     }
                 }
             }
-        }
-        catch (std::exception& e)
-        {
-            std::string errorMessage{ "Exception thrown while trying to install CmdPal package: " };
-            errorMessage += e.what();
-            Logger::error(errorMessage);
+            catch (std::exception& e)
+            {
+                std::string errorMessage{ "Exception thrown while trying to install CmdPal package: " };
+                errorMessage += e.what();
+                Logger::error(errorMessage);
+            }
         }
 
-#if _DEBUG
-        LaunchApp(std::wstring{ L"shell:AppsFolder\\" } + L"Microsoft.CommandPalette.Dev_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App", L"RunFromPT", false);
-#else
-        LaunchApp(std::wstring{ L"shell:AppsFolder\\" } + L"Microsoft.CommandPalette_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App", L"RunFromPT", false);
-#endif
+        if (!package::GetRegisteredPackage(packageName, false).has_value())
+        {
+            Logger::error("Cmdpal is not registered, quit..");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (!firstEnableCall)
+        {
+            Logger::trace("Not first attempt, try to launch");
+            LaunchApp(launchPath, L"", false /*no elevated*/, false /*error pop up*/);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // If first time enable, do retry launch.
+            Logger::trace("First attempt, try to launch");
+            std::thread launchThread(&CmdPal::RetryLaunch, launchPath);
+            launchThread.detach();
+        }
+
+        firstEnableCall = false;
     }
 
     virtual void disable()
@@ -258,7 +286,44 @@ public:
         Logger::trace("CmdPal::disable()");
         TerminateCmdPal();
 
-        m_enabled = false;
+        CmdPal::m_enabled.store(false);
+    }
+
+    static void RetryLaunch(std::wstring path)
+    {
+        const int base_delay_milliseconds = 1000;
+        int max_retry = 9; // 2**9 - 1 seconds. Control total wait time within 10 min.
+        int retry = 0;
+        do
+        {
+            auto launch_result = LaunchApp(path, L"", false, retry < max_retry);
+            if (launch_result)
+            {
+                Logger::info(L"CmdPal launched successfully after {} retries.", retry);
+                return;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                Logger::error(L"Retry {} launch CmdPal launch failed.", retry);
+            }
+
+            // When we got max retry, we don't need to wait for the next retry.
+            if (retry < max_retry)
+            {
+                int delay = base_delay_milliseconds * (1 << (retry));
+                std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(delay));
+            }
+            ++retry;
+        } while (retry <= max_retry && m_enabled.load() && !m_launched.load());
+
+        if (!m_enabled.load() || m_launched.load())
+        {
+            Logger::error(L"Retry cancelled. CmdPal is disabled or already launched.");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            Logger::error(L"CmdPal launch failed after {} attempts.", retry);
+        }
     }
 
     virtual bool on_hotkey(size_t) override
@@ -273,11 +338,14 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool is_enabled() override
     {
-        return m_enabled;
+        return CmdPal::m_enabled.load();
     }
 };
 
+std::atomic<bool> CmdPal::m_enabled{ false };
+std::atomic<bool> CmdPal::m_launched{ false };
+
 extern "C" __declspec(dllexport) PowertoyModuleIface* __cdecl powertoy_create()
 {
     return new CmdPal();
-}
+}

src/modules/cmdpal/ExtensionTemplate/TemplateCmdPalExtension/Directory.Packages.props

@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@
     <ManagePackageVersionsCentrally>true</ManagePackageVersionsCentrally>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions" Version="0.1.0" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions" Version="0.2.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.NetAnalyzers" Version="9.0.0-preview.24508.2" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Web.WebView2" Version="1.0.2903.40" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.CsWin32" Version="0.2.46-beta" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.CsWinRT" Version="2.2.0" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" Version="10.0.22621.2428" />
-    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="1.6.250205002" />
+    <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" Version="1.7.250401001" />
     <PackageVersion Include="Shmuelie.WinRTServer" Version="2.1.1" />
     <PackageVersion Include="StyleCop.Analyzers" Version="1.2.0-beta.556" />
     <PackageVersion Include="System.Text.Json" Version="9.0.3" />

src/modules/cmdpal/ExtensionTemplate/TemplateCmdPalExtension/TemplateCmdPalExtension/Program.cs

@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@ namespace TemplateCmdPalExtension;
 public class Program
 {
     [MTAThread]
-    public static async Task Main(string[] args)
+    public static void Main(string[] args)
     {
         if (args.Length > 0 && args[0] == "-RegisterProcessAsComServer")
         {
-            await using global::Shmuelie.WinRTServer.ComServer server = new();
+            global::Shmuelie.WinRTServer.ComServer server = new();
+
             ManualResetEvent extensionDisposedEvent = new(false);
             
             // We are instantiating an extension instance once above, and returning it every time the callback in RegisterExtension below is called.
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@ public class Program
             // This will make the main thread wait until the event is signalled by the extension class.
             // Since we have single instance of the extension object, we exit as soon as it is disposed.
             extensionDisposedEvent.WaitOne();
+            server.Stop();
+            server.UnsafeDispose();
         }
         else
         {

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Contracts/IFileService.cs

@@ -1,14 +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.
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Contracts;
-
-public interface IFileService
-{
-    T Read<T>(string folderPath, string fileName);
-
-    void Save<T>(string folderPath, string fileName, T content);
-
-    void Delete(string folderPath, string fileName);
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Contracts/ILocalSettingsService.cs

@@ -1,16 +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.Threading.Tasks;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Contracts;
-
-public interface ILocalSettingsService
-{
-    Task<bool> HasSettingAsync(string key);
-
-    Task<T?> ReadSettingAsync<T>(string key);
-
-    Task SaveSettingAsync<T>(string key, T value);
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Extensions/ApplicationExtensions.cs

@@ -1,40 +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 Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Services;
-using Microsoft.UI.Xaml;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Extensions;
-
-/// <summary>
-/// Extension class implementing extension methods for <see cref="Application"/>.
-/// </summary>
-public static class ApplicationExtensions
-{
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Get registered services at the application level from anywhere in the
-    /// application.
-    ///
-    /// Note:
-    /// https://learn.microsoft.com/uwp/api/windows.ui.xaml.application.current?view=winrt-22621#windows-ui-xaml-application-current
-    /// "Application is a singleton that implements the static Current property
-    /// to provide shared access to the Application instance for the current
-    /// application. The singleton pattern ensures that state managed by
-    /// Application, including shared resources and properties, is available
-    /// from a single, shared location."
-    ///
-    /// Example of usage:
-    /// <code>
-    /// Application.Current.GetService<T>()
-    /// </code>
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <typeparam name="T">Service type.</typeparam>
-    /// <param name="application">Current application.</param>
-    /// <returns>Service reference.</returns>
-    public static T GetService<T>(this Application application)
-        where T : class
-    {
-        return (application as IApp)!.GetService<T>();
-    }
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Extensions/IHostExtensions.cs

@@ -1,40 +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;
-using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
-using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Extensions;
-
-public static class IHostExtensions
-{
-    /// <summary>
-    /// <inheritdoc cref="ActivatorUtilities.CreateInstance(IServiceProvider, Type, object[])"/>
-    /// </summary>
-    public static T CreateInstance<T>(this IHost host, params object[] parameters)
-    {
-        return ActivatorUtilities.CreateInstance<T>(host.Services, parameters);
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Gets the service object for the specified type, or throws an exception
-    /// if type was not registered.
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <typeparam name="T">Service type</typeparam>
-    /// <param name="host">Host object</param>
-    /// <returns>Service object</returns>
-    /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Throw an exception if the specified
-    /// type is not registered</exception>
-    public static T GetService<T>(this IHost host)
-        where T : class
-    {
-        if (host.Services.GetService(typeof(T)) is not T service)
-        {
-            throw new ArgumentException($"{typeof(T)} needs to be registered in ConfigureServices.");
-        }
-
-        return service;
-    }
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Helpers/Json.cs

@@ -1,36 +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.IO;
-using System.Text;
-using System.Text.Json;
-using System.Threading.Tasks;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Helpers;
-
-public static class Json
-{
-    public static async Task<T> ToObjectAsync<T>(string value)
-    {
-        if (typeof(T) == typeof(bool))
-        {
-            return (T)(object)bool.Parse(value);
-        }
-
-        await using var stream = new MemoryStream(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(value));
-        return (await JsonSerializer.DeserializeAsync<T>(stream))!;
-    }
-
-    public static async Task<string> StringifyAsync<T>(T value)
-    {
-        if (typeof(T) == typeof(bool))
-        {
-            return value!.ToString()!.ToLowerInvariant();
-        }
-
-        await using var stream = new MemoryStream();
-        await JsonSerializer.SerializeAsync(stream, value);
-        return Encoding.UTF8.GetString(stream.ToArray());
-    }
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Helpers/NativeEventWaiter.cs

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ using Microsoft.UI.Dispatching;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Helpers;
 
-public static class NativeEventWaiter
+public static partial class NativeEventWaiter
 {
     public static void WaitForEventLoop(string eventName, Action callback)
     {

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Helpers/RuntimeHelper.cs

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ using Windows.Win32.Foundation;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Helpers;
 
-public static class RuntimeHelper
+public static partial class RuntimeHelper
 {
     public static bool IsMSIX
     {

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Messages/HideWindowMessage.cs

@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Messages;
 
-public record HideWindowMessage()
+public partial record HideWindowMessage()
 {
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.csproj

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
   <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props" />
+  <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props" />
   <PropertyGroup>
     <RootNamespace>Microsoft.CmdPal.Common</RootNamespace>
     <Nullable>enable</Nullable>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Models/LocalSettingsOptions.cs

@@ -1,18 +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.
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Models;
-
-public class LocalSettingsOptions
-{
-    public string? ApplicationDataFolder
-    {
-        get; set;
-    }
-
-    public string? LocalSettingsFile
-    {
-        get; set;
-    }
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/NativeMethods.txt

@@ -1,16 +1,7 @@
-EnableWindow
-CoCreateInstance
-FileOpenDialog
-FileSaveDialog
-IFileOpenDialog
-IFileSaveDialog
-SHCreateItemFromParsingName
 GetCurrentPackageFullName
 SetWindowLong
 GetWindowLong
 WINDOW_EX_STYLE
-SHLoadIndirectString
-StrFormatByteSizeEx
 SFBS_FLAGS
 MAX_PATH
 GetDpiForWindow

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Services/FileService.cs

@@ -1,48 +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.IO;
-using System.Text;
-using System.Text.Json;
-using Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Contracts;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Services;
-
-public class FileService : IFileService
-{
-    private static readonly Encoding _encoding = new UTF8Encoding(encoderShouldEmitUTF8Identifier: false);
-
-#pragma warning disable CS8603 // Possible null reference return.
-    public T Read<T>(string folderPath, string fileName)
-    {
-        var path = Path.Combine(folderPath, fileName);
-        if (File.Exists(path))
-        {
-            using var fileStream = File.OpenText(path);
-            return JsonSerializer.Deserialize<T>(fileStream.BaseStream);
-        }
-
-        return default;
-    }
-#pragma warning restore CS8603 // Possible null reference return.
-
-    public void Save<T>(string folderPath, string fileName, T content)
-    {
-        if (!Directory.Exists(folderPath))
-        {
-            Directory.CreateDirectory(folderPath);
-        }
-
-        var fileContent = JsonSerializer.Serialize(content);
-        File.WriteAllText(Path.Combine(folderPath, fileName), fileContent, _encoding);
-    }
-
-    public void Delete(string folderPath, string fileName)
-    {
-        if (fileName != null && File.Exists(Path.Combine(folderPath, fileName)))
-        {
-            File.Delete(Path.Combine(folderPath, fileName));
-        }
-    }
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Services/IApp.cs

@@ -1,18 +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.
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Services;
-
-/// <summary>
-/// Interface for the current application singleton object exposing the API
-/// that can be accessed from anywhere in the application.
-/// </summary>
-public interface IApp
-{
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Gets services registered at the application level.
-    /// </summary>
-    public T GetService<T>()
-        where T : class;
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/Services/LocalSettingsService.cs

@@ -1,120 +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;
-using System.Collections.Generic;
-using System.IO;
-using System.Threading.Tasks;
-using Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Contracts;
-using Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Helpers;
-using Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Models;
-using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
-using Windows.Storage;
-
-namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Common.Services;
-
-public class LocalSettingsService : ILocalSettingsService
-{
-    // TODO! for now, we're hardcoding the path as effectively:
-    // %localappdata%\CmdPal\LocalSettings.json
-    private const string DefaultApplicationDataFolder = "CmdPal";
-    private const string DefaultLocalSettingsFile = "LocalSettings.json";
-
-    private readonly IFileService _fileService;
-    private readonly LocalSettingsOptions _options;
-
-    private readonly string _localApplicationData = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData);
-    private readonly string _applicationDataFolder;
-    private readonly string _localSettingsFile;
-
-    private readonly bool _isMsix;
-
-    private Dictionary<string, object> _settings;
-    private bool _isInitialized;
-
-    public LocalSettingsService(IFileService fileService, IOptions<LocalSettingsOptions> options)
-    {
-        _isMsix = false; // RuntimeHelper.IsMSIX;
-
-        _fileService = fileService;
-        _options = options.Value;
-
-        _applicationDataFolder = Path.Combine(_localApplicationData, _options.ApplicationDataFolder ?? DefaultApplicationDataFolder);
-        _localSettingsFile = _options.LocalSettingsFile ?? DefaultLocalSettingsFile;
-
-        _settings = new Dictionary<string, object>();
-    }
-
-    private async Task InitializeAsync()
-    {
-        if (!_isInitialized)
-        {
-            _settings = await Task.Run(() => _fileService.Read<Dictionary<string, object>>(_applicationDataFolder, _localSettingsFile)) ?? new Dictionary<string, object>();
-
-            _isInitialized = true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    public async Task<bool> HasSettingAsync(string key)
-    {
-        if (_isMsix)
-        {
-            return ApplicationData.Current.LocalSettings.Values.ContainsKey(key);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            await InitializeAsync();
-
-            if (_settings != null)
-            {
-                return _settings.ContainsKey(key);
-            }
-        }
-
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    public async Task<T?> ReadSettingAsync<T>(string key)
-    {
-        if (_isMsix)
-        {
-            if (ApplicationData.Current.LocalSettings.Values.TryGetValue(key, out var obj))
-            {
-                return await Json.ToObjectAsync<T>((string)obj);
-            }
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            await InitializeAsync();
-
-            if (_settings != null && _settings.TryGetValue(key, out var obj))
-            {
-                var s = obj.ToString();
-
-                if (s != null)
-                {
-                    return await Json.ToObjectAsync<T>(s);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        return default;
-    }
-
-    public async Task SaveSettingAsync<T>(string key, T value)
-    {
-        if (_isMsix)
-        {
-            ApplicationData.Current.LocalSettings.Values[key] = await Json.StringifyAsync(value!);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            await InitializeAsync();
-
-            _settings[key] = await Json.StringifyAsync(value!);
-
-            await Task.Run(() => _fileService.Save(_applicationDataFolder, _localSettingsFile, _settings));
-        }
-    }
-}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/AppStateModel.cs

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public partial class AppStateModel : ObservableObject
             // Read the JSON content from the file
             var jsonContent = File.ReadAllText(FilePath);
 
-            var loaded = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<AppStateModel>(jsonContent, _deserializerOptions);
+            var loaded = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<AppStateModel>(jsonContent, JsonSerializationContext.Default.AppStateModel);
 
             Debug.WriteLine(loaded != null ? "Loaded settings file" : "Failed to parse");
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public partial class AppStateModel : ObservableObject
         try
         {
             // Serialize the main dictionary to JSON and save it to the file
-            var settingsJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(model, _serializerOptions);
+            var settingsJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(model, JsonSerializationContext.Default.AppStateModel);
 
             // Is it valid JSON?
             if (JsonNode.Parse(settingsJson) is JsonObject newSettings)
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public partial class AppStateModel : ObservableObject
                         savedSettings[item.Key] = item.Value != null ? item.Value.DeepClone() : null;
                     }
 
-                    var serialized = savedSettings.ToJsonString(_serializerOptions);
+                    var serialized = savedSettings.ToJsonString(JsonSerializationContext.Default.AppStateModel.Options);
                     File.WriteAllText(FilePath, serialized);
 
                     // TODO: Instead of just raising the event here, we should
@@ -122,18 +122,19 @@ public partial class AppStateModel : ObservableObject
         return Path.Combine(directory, "state.json");
     }
 
-    private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _serializerOptions = new()
-    {
-        WriteIndented = true,
-        Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() },
-    };
+    // [UnconditionalSuppressMessage("AOT", "IL3050:Calling members annotated with 'RequiresDynamicCodeAttribute' may break functionality when AOT compiling.", Justification = "<Pending>")]
+    // private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _serializerOptions = new()
+    // {
+    //    WriteIndented = true,
+    //    Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() },
+    // };
 
-    private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _deserializerOptions = new()
-    {
-        PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
-        IncludeFields = true,
-        AllowTrailingCommas = true,
-        PreferredObjectCreationHandling = JsonObjectCreationHandling.Populate,
-        ReadCommentHandling = JsonCommentHandling.Skip,
-    };
+    // private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _deserializerOptions = new()
+    // {
+    //    PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
+    //    IncludeFields = true,
+    //    AllowTrailingCommas = true,
+    //    PreferredObjectCreationHandling = JsonObjectCreationHandling.Populate,
+    //    ReadCommentHandling = JsonCommentHandling.Skip,
+    // };
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/CommandBarViewModel.cs

@@ -4,18 +4,14 @@
 
 using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
-using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Messaging;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Messages;
-using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
-using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit;
 using Windows.System;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels;
 
 public partial class CommandBarViewModel : ObservableObject,
-    IRecipient<UpdateCommandBarMessage>,
-    IRecipient<UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage>
+    IRecipient<UpdateCommandBarMessage>
 {
     public ICommandBarContext? SelectedItem
     {
@@ -29,6 +25,8 @@ public partial class CommandBarViewModel : ObservableObject,
 
             field = value;
             SetSelectedItem(value);
+
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(SelectedItem));
         }
     }
 
@@ -51,20 +49,17 @@ public partial class CommandBarViewModel : ObservableObject,
     public partial PageViewModel? CurrentPage { get; set; }
 
     [ObservableProperty]
-    public partial ObservableCollection<CommandContextItemViewModel> ContextCommands { get; set; } = [];
+    public partial ObservableCollection<ContextMenuStackViewModel> ContextMenuStack { get; set; } = [];
 
-    private Dictionary<KeyChord, CommandContextItemViewModel>? _contextKeybindings;
+    public ContextMenuStackViewModel? ContextMenu => ContextMenuStack.LastOrDefault();
 
     public CommandBarViewModel()
     {
         WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<UpdateCommandBarMessage>(this);
-        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage>(this);
     }
 
     public void Receive(UpdateCommandBarMessage message) => SelectedItem = message.ViewModel;
 
-    public void Receive(UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage message) => _contextKeybindings = message.Keys;
-
     private void SetSelectedItem(ICommandBarContext? value)
     {
         if (value != null)
@@ -109,53 +104,97 @@ public partial class CommandBarViewModel : ObservableObject,
         if (SelectedItem.MoreCommands.Count() > 1)
         {
             ShouldShowContextMenu = true;
-            ContextCommands = [.. SelectedItem.AllCommands];
+
+            ContextMenuStack.Clear();
+            ContextMenuStack.Add(new ContextMenuStackViewModel(SelectedItem));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ContextMenu));
         }
         else
         {
             ShouldShowContextMenu = false;
         }
+
+        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(HasSecondaryCommand));
+        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(SecondaryCommand));
+        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ShouldShowContextMenu));
     }
 
     // InvokeItemCommand is what this will be in Xaml due to source generator
     // this comes in when an item in the list is tapped
-    [RelayCommand]
-    private void InvokeItem(CommandContextItemViewModel item) =>
-       WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<PerformCommandMessage>(new(item.Command.Model, item.Model));
+    // [RelayCommand]
+    public ContextKeybindingResult InvokeItem(CommandContextItemViewModel item) =>
+        PerformCommand(item);
 
     // this comes in when the primary button is tapped
     public void InvokePrimaryCommand()
     {
-        if (PrimaryCommand != null)
-        {
-            WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<PerformCommandMessage>(new(PrimaryCommand.Command.Model, PrimaryCommand.Model));
-        }
+        PerformCommand(SecondaryCommand);
     }
 
     // this comes in when the secondary button is tapped
     public void InvokeSecondaryCommand()
     {
-        if (SecondaryCommand != null)
+        PerformCommand(SecondaryCommand);
+    }
+
+    public ContextKeybindingResult CheckKeybinding(bool ctrl, bool alt, bool shift, bool win, VirtualKey key)
+    {
+        var matchedItem = ContextMenu?.CheckKeybinding(ctrl, alt, shift, win, key);
+        return matchedItem != null ? PerformCommand(matchedItem) : ContextKeybindingResult.Unhandled;
+    }
+
+    private ContextKeybindingResult PerformCommand(CommandItemViewModel? command)
+    {
+        if (command == null)
         {
-            WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<PerformCommandMessage>(new(SecondaryCommand.Command.Model, SecondaryCommand.Model));
+            return ContextKeybindingResult.Unhandled;
+        }
+
+        if (command.HasMoreCommands)
+        {
+            ContextMenuStack.Add(new ContextMenuStackViewModel(command));
+            OnPropertyChanging(nameof(ContextMenu));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ContextMenu));
+            return ContextKeybindingResult.KeepOpen;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<PerformCommandMessage>(new(command.Command.Model, command.Model));
+            return ContextKeybindingResult.Hide;
         }
     }
 
-    public bool CheckKeybinding(bool ctrl, bool alt, bool shift, bool win, VirtualKey key)
+    public bool CanPopContextStack()
     {
-        if (_contextKeybindings != null)
+        return ContextMenuStack.Count > 1;
+    }
+
+    public void PopContextStack()
+    {
+        if (ContextMenuStack.Count > 1)
         {
-            // Does the pressed key match any of the keybindings?
-            var pressedKeyChord = KeyChordHelpers.FromModifiers(ctrl, alt, shift, win, key, 0);
-            if (_contextKeybindings.TryGetValue(pressedKeyChord, out var item))
-            {
-                // TODO GH #245: This is a bit of a hack, but we need to make sure that the keybindings are updated before we send the message
-                // so that the correct item is activated.
-                WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<PerformCommandMessage>(new(item));
-                return true;
-            }
+            ContextMenuStack.RemoveAt(ContextMenuStack.Count - 1);
         }
 
-        return false;
+        OnPropertyChanging(nameof(ContextMenu));
+        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ContextMenu));
+    }
+
+    public void ClearContextStack()
+    {
+        while (ContextMenuStack.Count > 1)
+        {
+            ContextMenuStack.RemoveAt(ContextMenuStack.Count - 1);
+        }
+
+        OnPropertyChanging(nameof(ContextMenu));
+        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ContextMenu));
     }
 }
+
+public enum ContextKeybindingResult
+{
+    Unhandled,
+    Hide,
+    KeepOpen,
+}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/CommandItemViewModel.cs

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public partial class CommandItemViewModel : ExtensionObjectViewModel, ICommandBa
 
     public List<CommandContextItemViewModel> MoreCommands { get; private set; } = [];
 
-    IEnumerable<CommandContextItemViewModel> ICommandBarContext.MoreCommands => MoreCommands;
+    IEnumerable<CommandContextItemViewModel> IContextMenuContext.MoreCommands => MoreCommands;
 
     public bool HasMoreCommands => MoreCommands.Count > 0;
 
@@ -187,23 +187,26 @@ public partial class CommandItemViewModel : ExtensionObjectViewModel, ICommandBa
         // use Initialize straight up
         MoreCommands.ForEach(contextItem =>
         {
-            contextItem.InitializeProperties();
+            contextItem.SlowInitializeProperties();
         });
 
-        _defaultCommandContextItem = new(new CommandContextItem(model.Command!), PageContext)
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(model.Command?.Name))
         {
-            _itemTitle = Name,
-            Subtitle = Subtitle,
-            Command = Command,
+            _defaultCommandContextItem = new(new CommandContextItem(model.Command!), PageContext)
+            {
+                _itemTitle = Name,
+                Subtitle = Subtitle,
+                Command = Command,
 
-            // TODO this probably should just be a CommandContextItemViewModel(CommandItemViewModel) ctor, or a copy ctor or whatever
-        };
+                // TODO this probably should just be a CommandContextItemViewModel(CommandItemViewModel) ctor, or a copy ctor or whatever
+            };
 
-        // Only set the icon on the context item for us if our command didn't
-        // have its own icon
-        if (!Command.HasIcon)
-        {
-            _defaultCommandContextItem._listItemIcon = _listItemIcon;
+            // Only set the icon on the context item for us if our command didn't
+            // have its own icon
+            if (!Command.HasIcon)
+            {
+                _defaultCommandContextItem._listItemIcon = _listItemIcon;
+            }
         }
 
         Initialized |= InitializedState.SelectionInitialized;
@@ -398,23 +401,6 @@ public partial class CommandItemViewModel : ExtensionObjectViewModel, ICommandBa
         base.SafeCleanup();
         Initialized |= InitializedState.CleanedUp;
     }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Generates a mapping of key -> command item for this particular item's
-    /// MoreCommands. (This won't include the primary Command, but it will
-    /// include the secondary one). This map can be used to quickly check if a
-    /// shortcut key was pressed
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <returns>a dictionary of KeyChord -> Context commands, for all commands
-    /// that have a shortcut key set.</returns>
-    internal Dictionary<KeyChord, CommandContextItemViewModel> Keybindings()
-    {
-        return MoreCommands
-            .Where(c => c.HasRequestedShortcut)
-            .ToDictionary(
-            c => c.RequestedShortcut ?? new KeyChord(0, 0, 0),
-            c => c);
-    }
 }
 
 [Flags]

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/CommandProviderWrapper.cs

@@ -66,8 +66,10 @@ public sealed class CommandProviderWrapper
         DisplayName = provider.DisplayName;
         Icon = new(provider.Icon);
         Icon.InitializeProperties();
+
+        // Note: explicitly not InitializeProperties()ing the settings here. If
+        // we do that, then we'd regress GH #38321
         Settings = new(provider.Settings, this, _taskScheduler);
-        Settings.InitializeProperties();
 
         Logger.LogDebug($"Initialized command provider {ProviderId}");
     }
@@ -151,9 +153,11 @@ public sealed class CommandProviderWrapper
             Icon = new(model.Icon);
             Icon.InitializeProperties();
 
+            // Note: explicitly not InitializeProperties()ing the settings here. If
+            // we do that, then we'd regress GH #38321
             Settings = new(model.Settings, this, _taskScheduler);
-            Settings.InitializeProperties();
 
+            // We do need to explicitly initialize commands though
             InitializeCommands(commands, fallbacks, serviceProvider, pageContext);
 
             Logger.LogDebug($"Loaded commands from {DisplayName} ({ProviderId})");
@@ -194,21 +198,6 @@ public sealed class CommandProviderWrapper
         }
     }
 
-    /* This is a View/ExtensionHost piece
-     * public void AllowSetForeground(bool allow)
-    {
-        if (!IsExtension)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        var iextn = extensionWrapper?.GetExtensionObject();
-        unsafe
-        {
-            PInvoke.CoAllowSetForegroundWindow(iextn);
-        }
-    }*/
-
     public override bool Equals(object? obj) => obj is CommandProviderWrapper wrapper && isValid == wrapper.isValid;
 
     public override int GetHashCode() => _commandProvider.GetHashCode();

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/CommandSettingsViewModel.cs

@@ -2,18 +2,25 @@
 // The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
 
+using ManagedCommon;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Models;
 using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels;
 
-public partial class CommandSettingsViewModel(ICommandSettings _unsafeSettings, CommandProviderWrapper provider, TaskScheduler mainThread)
+public partial class CommandSettingsViewModel(ICommandSettings? _unsafeSettings, CommandProviderWrapper provider, TaskScheduler mainThread)
 {
     private readonly ExtensionObject<ICommandSettings> _model = new(_unsafeSettings);
 
     public ContentPageViewModel? SettingsPage { get; private set; }
 
-    public void InitializeProperties()
+    public bool Initialized { get; private set; }
+
+    public bool HasSettings =>
+        _model.Unsafe != null && // We have a settings model AND
+        (!Initialized || SettingsPage != null); // we weren't initialized, OR we were, and we do have a settings page
+
+    private void UnsafeInitializeProperties()
     {
         var model = _model.Unsafe;
         if (model == null)
@@ -27,4 +34,27 @@ public partial class CommandSettingsViewModel(ICommandSettings _unsafeSettings,
             SettingsPage.InitializeProperties();
         }
     }
+
+    public void SafeInitializeProperties()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            UnsafeInitializeProperties();
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Logger.LogError($"Failed to load settings page", ex: ex);
+        }
+
+        Initialized = true;
+    }
+
+    public void DoOnUiThread(Action action)
+    {
+        Task.Factory.StartNew(
+            action,
+            CancellationToken.None,
+            TaskCreationOptions.None,
+            mainThread);
+    }
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Commands/CreatedExtensionForm.cs

@@ -13,12 +13,13 @@ internal sealed partial class CreatedExtensionForm : NewExtensionFormBase
 {
     public CreatedExtensionForm(string name, string displayName, string path)
     {
+        var serializeString = (string? s) => JsonSerializer.Serialize(s, JsonSerializationContext.Default.String);
         TemplateJson = CardTemplate;
         DataJson = $$"""
 {
-    "name": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(name)}},
-    "directory": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(path)}},
-    "displayName": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(displayName)}}
+    "name": {{serializeString(name)}},
+    "directory": {{serializeString(path)}},
+    "displayName": {{serializeString(displayName)}}
 }
 """;
         _name = name;
@@ -28,13 +29,13 @@ internal sealed partial class CreatedExtensionForm : NewExtensionFormBase
 
     public override ICommandResult SubmitForm(string inputs, string data)
     {
-        JsonObject? dataInput = JsonNode.Parse(data)?.AsObject();
+        var dataInput = JsonNode.Parse(data)?.AsObject();
         if (dataInput == null)
         {
             return CommandResult.KeepOpen();
         }
 
-        string verb = dataInput["x"]?.AsValue()?.ToString() ?? string.Empty;
+        var verb = dataInput["x"]?.AsValue()?.ToString() ?? string.Empty;
         return verb switch
         {
             "sln" => OpenSolution(),
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ internal sealed partial class CreatedExtensionForm : NewExtensionFormBase
     private ICommandResult OpenSolution()
     {
         string[] parts = [_path, _name, $"{_name}.sln"];
-        string pathToSolution = Path.Combine(parts);
+        var pathToSolution = Path.Combine(parts);
         ShellHelpers.OpenInShell(pathToSolution);
         return CommandResult.Hide();
     }
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ internal sealed partial class CreatedExtensionForm : NewExtensionFormBase
     private ICommandResult OpenDirectory()
     {
         string[] parts = [_path, _name];
-        string pathToDir = Path.Combine(parts);
+        var pathToDir = Path.Combine(parts);
         ShellHelpers.OpenInShell(pathToDir);
         return CommandResult.Hide();
     }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Commands/NewExtensionForm.cs

@@ -194,9 +194,8 @@ internal sealed partial class NewExtensionForm : NewExtensionFormBase
         Directory.Delete(tempDir, true);
     }
 
-    private string FormatJsonString(string str)
-    {
+    private string FormatJsonString(string str) =>
+
         // Escape the string for JSON
-        return JsonSerializer.Serialize(str);
-    }
+        JsonSerializer.Serialize(str, JsonSerializationContext.Default.String);
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/ContentFormViewModel.cs

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ using System.Text.Json;
 using AdaptiveCards.ObjectModel.WinUI3;
 using AdaptiveCards.Templating;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Messaging;
+using ManagedCommon;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Messages;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Models;
 using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
@@ -28,42 +29,67 @@ public partial class ContentFormViewModel(IFormContent _form, WeakReference<IPag
 
     public AdaptiveCardParseResult? Card { get; private set; }
 
+    private static string Serialize(string? s) =>
+        JsonSerializer.Serialize(s, JsonSerializationContext.Default.String);
+
+    private static bool TryBuildCard(
+        string templateJson,
+        string dataJson,
+        out AdaptiveCardParseResult? card,
+        out Exception? error)
+    {
+        card = null;
+        error = null;
+
+        try
+        {
+            var template = new AdaptiveCardTemplate(templateJson);
+            var cardJson = template.Expand(dataJson);
+            card = AdaptiveCard.FromJsonString(cardJson);
+            return true;
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Logger.LogError("Error building card from template: {Message}", ex.Message);
+            error = ex;
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     public override void InitializeProperties()
     {
         var model = _formModel.Unsafe;
-        if (model == null)
+        if (model is null)
         {
             return;
         }
 
-        try
-        {
-            TemplateJson = model.TemplateJson;
-            StateJson = model.StateJson;
-            DataJson = model.DataJson;
+        TemplateJson = model.TemplateJson;
+        StateJson = model.StateJson;
+        DataJson = model.DataJson;
 
-            AdaptiveCardTemplate template = new(TemplateJson);
-            var cardJson = template.Expand(DataJson);
-            Card = AdaptiveCard.FromJsonString(cardJson);
+        if (TryBuildCard(TemplateJson, DataJson, out var builtCard, out var renderingError))
+        {
+            Card = builtCard;
+            UpdateProperty(nameof(Card));
+            return;
         }
-        catch (Exception e)
-        {
-            // If we fail to parse the card JSON, then display _our own card_
-            // with the exception
-            AdaptiveCardTemplate template = new(ErrorCardJson);
 
-            // todo: we could probably stick Card.Errors in there too
-            var dataJson = $$"""
-{
-    "error_message": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(e.Message)}},
-    "error_stack": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(e.StackTrace)}},
-    "inner_exception": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(e.InnerException?.Message)}},
-    "template_json": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(TemplateJson)}},
-    "data_json": {{JsonSerializer.Serialize(DataJson)}}
-}
-""";
-            var cardJson = template.Expand(dataJson);
-            Card = AdaptiveCard.FromJsonString(cardJson);
+        var errorPayload = $$"""
+    {
+        "error_message": {{Serialize(renderingError!.Message)}},
+        "error_stack":   {{Serialize(renderingError.StackTrace)}},
+        "inner_exception": {{Serialize(renderingError.InnerException?.Message)}},
+        "template_json": {{Serialize(TemplateJson)}},
+        "data_json":     {{Serialize(DataJson)}}
+    }
+    """;
+
+        if (TryBuildCard(ErrorCardJson, errorPayload, out var errorCard, out var _))
+        {
+            Card = errorCard;
+            UpdateProperty(nameof(Card));
+            return;
         }
 
         UpdateProperty(nameof(Card));

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/ContentPageViewModel.cs

@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ public partial class ContentPageViewModel : PageViewModel, ICommandBarContext
 
                     Commands.ForEach(contextItem =>
                     {
-                        contextItem.InitializeProperties();
+                        contextItem.SlowInitializeProperties();
                     });
                 }
                 else

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/ContextMenuStackViewModel.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+// 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.ObjectModel;
+using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
+using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Messages;
+using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit;
+using Windows.System;
+
+namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels;
+
+public partial class ContextMenuStackViewModel : ObservableObject
+{
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    public partial ObservableCollection<CommandContextItemViewModel> FilteredItems { get; set; }
+
+    private readonly IContextMenuContext _context;
+    private string _lastSearchText = string.Empty;
+
+    // private Dictionary<KeyChord, CommandContextItemViewModel>? _contextKeybindings;
+    public ContextMenuStackViewModel(IContextMenuContext context)
+    {
+        _context = context;
+        FilteredItems = [.. context.AllCommands];
+    }
+
+    public void SetSearchText(string searchText)
+    {
+        if (searchText == _lastSearchText)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        _lastSearchText = searchText;
+
+        var commands = _context.AllCommands.Where(c => c.ShouldBeVisible);
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(searchText))
+        {
+            ListHelpers.InPlaceUpdateList(FilteredItems, commands);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var newResults = ListHelpers.FilterList<CommandContextItemViewModel>(commands, searchText, ScoreContextCommand);
+        ListHelpers.InPlaceUpdateList(FilteredItems, newResults);
+    }
+
+    private static int ScoreContextCommand(string query, CommandContextItemViewModel item)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(query) || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(query))
+        {
+            return 1;
+        }
+
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(item.Title))
+        {
+            return 0;
+        }
+
+        var nameMatch = StringMatcher.FuzzySearch(query, item.Title);
+
+        var descriptionMatch = StringMatcher.FuzzySearch(query, item.Subtitle);
+
+        return new[] { nameMatch.Score, (descriptionMatch.Score - 4) / 2, 0 }.Max();
+    }
+
+    public CommandContextItemViewModel? CheckKeybinding(bool ctrl, bool alt, bool shift, bool win, VirtualKey key)
+    {
+        var keybindings = _context.Keybindings();
+        if (keybindings != null)
+        {
+            // Does the pressed key match any of the keybindings?
+            var pressedKeyChord = KeyChordHelpers.FromModifiers(ctrl, alt, shift, win, key, 0);
+            if (keybindings.TryGetValue(pressedKeyChord, out var item))
+            {
+                return item;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/ListViewModel.cs

@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ public partial class ListViewModel : PageViewModel, IDisposable
     private Task? _initializeItemsTask;
     private CancellationTokenSource? _cancellationTokenSource;
 
+    private ListItemViewModel? _lastSelectedItem;
+
     public override bool IsInitialized
     {
         get => base.IsInitialized; protected set
@@ -328,7 +330,24 @@ public partial class ListViewModel : PageViewModel, IDisposable
     }
 
     [RelayCommand]
-    private void UpdateSelectedItem(ListItemViewModel item)
+    private void UpdateSelectedItem(ListItemViewModel? item)
+    {
+        if (_lastSelectedItem != null)
+        {
+            _lastSelectedItem.PropertyChanged -= SelectedItemPropertyChanged;
+        }
+
+        if (item != null)
+        {
+            SetSelectedItem(item);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            ClearSelectedItem();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void SetSelectedItem(ListItemViewModel item)
     {
         if (!item.SafeSlowInit())
         {
@@ -344,8 +363,6 @@ public partial class ListViewModel : PageViewModel, IDisposable
            {
                WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<UpdateCommandBarMessage>(new(item));
 
-               WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage>(new(item.Keybindings()));
-
                if (ShowDetails && item.HasDetails)
                {
                    WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<ShowDetailsMessage>(new(item.Details));
@@ -357,6 +374,60 @@ public partial class ListViewModel : PageViewModel, IDisposable
 
                TextToSuggest = item.TextToSuggest;
            });
+
+        _lastSelectedItem = item;
+        _lastSelectedItem.PropertyChanged += SelectedItemPropertyChanged;
+    }
+
+    private void SelectedItemPropertyChanged(object? sender, System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
+    {
+        var item = _lastSelectedItem;
+        if (item == null)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // already on the UI thread here
+        switch (e.PropertyName)
+        {
+            case nameof(item.Command):
+            case nameof(item.SecondaryCommand):
+            case nameof(item.AllCommands):
+            case nameof(item.Name):
+                WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<UpdateCommandBarMessage>(new(item));
+                break;
+            case nameof(item.Details):
+                if (ShowDetails && item.HasDetails)
+                {
+                    WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<ShowDetailsMessage>(new(item.Details));
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<HideDetailsMessage>();
+                }
+
+                break;
+            case nameof(item.TextToSuggest):
+                TextToSuggest = item.TextToSuggest;
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void ClearSelectedItem()
+    {
+        // GH #322:
+        // For inexplicable reasons, if you try updating the command bar and
+        // the details on the same UI thread tick as updating the list, we'll
+        // explode
+        DoOnUiThread(
+           () =>
+           {
+               WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<UpdateCommandBarMessage>(new(null));
+
+               WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<HideDetailsMessage>();
+
+               TextToSuggest = string.Empty;
+           });
     }
 
     public override void InitializeProperties()
@@ -436,7 +507,7 @@ public partial class ListViewModel : PageViewModel, IDisposable
                 break;
             case nameof(EmptyContent):
                 EmptyContent = new(new(model.EmptyContent), PageContext);
-                EmptyContent.InitializeProperties();
+                EmptyContent.SlowInitializeProperties();
                 break;
             case nameof(IsLoading):
                 UpdateEmptyContent();
@@ -454,6 +525,8 @@ public partial class ListViewModel : PageViewModel, IDisposable
             return;
         }
 
+        UpdateProperty(nameof(EmptyContent));
+
         DoOnUiThread(
            () =>
            {

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Messages/TryCommandKeybindingMessage.cs

@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 // The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
 
-using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
+using Windows.System;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Messages;
 
-public record UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage(Dictionary<KeyChord, CommandContextItemViewModel>? Keys);
+public record TryCommandKeybindingMessage(bool Ctrl, bool Alt, bool Shift, bool Win, VirtualKey Key)
+{
+    public bool Handled { get; set; }
+}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Messages/UpdateCommandBarMessage.cs

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
 
 using System.ComponentModel;
+using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Messages;
 
@@ -13,22 +14,42 @@ public record UpdateCommandBarMessage(ICommandBarContext? ViewModel)
 {
 }
 
-// Represents everything the command bar needs to know about to show command
-// buttons at the bottom.
-//
-// This is implemented by both ListItemViewModel and ContentPageViewModel,
-// the two things with sub-commands.
-public interface ICommandBarContext : INotifyPropertyChanged
+public interface IContextMenuContext : INotifyPropertyChanged
 {
     public IEnumerable<CommandContextItemViewModel> MoreCommands { get; }
 
     public bool HasMoreCommands { get; }
 
+    public List<CommandContextItemViewModel> AllCommands { get; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Generates a mapping of key -> command item for this particular item's
+    /// MoreCommands. (This won't include the primary Command, but it will
+    /// include the secondary one). This map can be used to quickly check if a
+    /// shortcut key was pressed
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>a dictionary of KeyChord -> Context commands, for all commands
+    /// that have a shortcut key set.</returns>
+    public Dictionary<KeyChord, CommandContextItemViewModel> Keybindings()
+    {
+        return MoreCommands
+            .Where(c => c.HasRequestedShortcut)
+            .ToDictionary(
+            c => c.RequestedShortcut ?? new KeyChord(0, 0, 0),
+            c => c);
+    }
+}
+
+// Represents everything the command bar needs to know about to show command
+// buttons at the bottom.
+//
+// This is implemented by both ListItemViewModel and ContentPageViewModel,
+// the two things with sub-commands.
+public interface ICommandBarContext : IContextMenuContext
+{
     public string SecondaryCommandName { get; }
 
     public CommandItemViewModel? PrimaryCommand { get; }
 
     public CommandItemViewModel? SecondaryCommand { get; }
-
-    public List<CommandContextItemViewModel> AllCommands { get; }
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.csproj

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
   <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.CsWinRT.props" />
+  <Import Project="..\..\..\Common.Dotnet.AotCompatibility.props" />
+
   <PropertyGroup>
     <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
     <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
@@ -67,4 +69,15 @@
     </Content>
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <!-- Just mark it as AOT compatible. Do not publish with AOT now. We need fully test before we really publish it as AOT enabled-->
+  <!--<PropertyGroup>
+    <SelfContained>true</SelfContained>
+    <WindowsAppSDKSelfContained>true</WindowsAppSDKSelfContained>
+    <PublishTrimmed>true</PublishTrimmed>
+    <PublishSingleFile>true</PublishSingleFile>
+    --><!-- <DisableRuntimeMarshalling>true</DisableRuntimeMarshalling> --><!--
+    <PublishAot>true</PublishAot>
+	<EnableMsixTooling>true</EnableMsixTooling>
+  </PropertyGroup>-->
+
 </Project>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Models/ExtensionService.cs

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ using Windows.Foundation.Collections;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Models;
 
-public class ExtensionService : IExtensionService, IDisposable
+public partial class ExtensionService : IExtensionService, IDisposable
 {
     public event TypedEventHandler<IExtensionService, IEnumerable<IExtensionWrapper>>? OnExtensionAdded;
 

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/Models/ExtensionWrapper.cs

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ using Windows.Win32;
 using Windows.Win32.System.Com;
 using WinRT;
 
+// [assembly: System.Runtime.CompilerServices.DisableRuntimeMarshalling]
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Models;
 
 public class ExtensionWrapper : IExtensionWrapper
@@ -113,25 +114,36 @@ public class ExtensionWrapper : IExtensionWrapper
                         // -2147467262: E_NOINTERFACE
                         // -2147024893: E_PATH_NOT_FOUND
                         var guid = typeof(IExtension).GUID;
-                        var hr = PInvoke.CoCreateInstance(Guid.Parse(ExtensionClassId), null, CLSCTX.CLSCTX_LOCAL_SERVER, guid, out var extensionObj);
 
-                        if (hr.Value == -2147024893)
+                        unsafe
                         {
-                            Logger.LogDebug($"Failed to find {ExtensionDisplayName}: {hr}. It may have been uninstalled or deleted.");
+                            var hr = PInvoke.CoCreateInstance(Guid.Parse(ExtensionClassId), null, CLSCTX.CLSCTX_LOCAL_SERVER, guid, out var extensionObj);
 
-                            // We don't really need to throw this exception.
-                            // We'll just return out nothing.
-                            return;
+                            if (hr.Value == -2147024893)
+                            {
+                                Logger.LogDebug($"Failed to find {ExtensionDisplayName}: {hr}. It may have been uninstalled or deleted.");
+
+                                // We don't really need to throw this exception.
+                                // We'll just return out nothing.
+                                return;
+                            }
+
+                            extensionPtr = Marshal.GetIUnknownForObject((nint)extensionObj);
+                            if (hr < 0)
+                            {
+                                Logger.LogDebug($"Failed to instantiate {ExtensionDisplayName}: {hr}");
+                                Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(hr);
+                            }
+
+                            // extensionPtr = Marshal.GetIUnknownForObject(extensionObj);
+                            extensionPtr = (nint)extensionObj;
+                            if (hr < 0)
+                            {
+                                Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(hr);
+                            }
+
+                            _extensionObject = MarshalInterface<IExtension>.FromAbi(extensionPtr);
                         }
-
-                        extensionPtr = Marshal.GetIUnknownForObject(extensionObj);
-                        if (hr < 0)
-                        {
-                            Logger.LogDebug($"Failed to instantiate {ExtensionDisplayName}: {hr}");
-                            Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(hr);
-                        }
-
-                        _extensionObject = MarshalInterface<IExtension>.FromAbi(extensionPtr);
                     }
                     finally
                     {

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/NativeMethods.json

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://aka.ms/CsWin32.schema.json",
+  "allowMarshaling": false
+}

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

@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public partial class PageViewModel : ExtensionObjectViewModel, IPageContext
 
     //// Run on background thread from ListPage.xaml.cs
     [RelayCommand]
-    private Task<bool> InitializeAsync()
+    internal Task<bool> InitializeAsync()
     {
         // TODO: We may want a SemaphoreSlim lock here.
 
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ public partial class PageViewModel : ExtensionObjectViewModel, IPageContext
             return; // throw?
         }
 
+        var updateProperty = true;
         switch (propertyName)
         {
             case nameof(Name):
@@ -198,9 +199,21 @@ public partial class PageViewModel : ExtensionObjectViewModel, IPageContext
             case nameof(Icon):
                 this.Icon = new(model.Icon);
                 break;
+            default:
+                updateProperty = false;
+                break;
         }
 
-        UpdateProperty(propertyName);
+        // GH #38829: If we always UpdateProperty here, then there's a possible
+        // race condition, where we raise the PropertyChanged(SearchText)
+        // before the subclass actually retrieves the new SearchText from the
+        // model. In that race situation, if the UI thread handles the
+        // PropertyChanged before ListViewModel fetches the SearchText, it'll
+        // think that the old search text is the _new_ value.
+        if (updateProperty)
+        {
+            UpdateProperty(propertyName);
+        }
     }
 
     public new void ShowException(Exception ex, string? extensionHint = null)

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/ProviderSettingsViewModel.cs

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ public partial class ProviderSettingsViewModel(
     IServiceProvider _serviceProvider) : ObservableObject
 {
     private readonly SettingsModel _settings = _serviceProvider.GetService<SettingsModel>()!;
+    private readonly Lock _initializeSettingsLock = new();
+    private Task? _initializeSettingsTask;
 
     public string DisplayName => _provider.DisplayName;
 
@@ -34,6 +36,9 @@ public partial class ProviderSettingsViewModel(
 
     public IconInfoViewModel Icon => _provider.Icon;
 
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    public partial bool LoadingSettings { get; set; } = _provider.Settings?.HasSettings ?? false;
+
     public bool IsEnabled
     {
         get => _providerSettings.IsEnabled;
@@ -56,15 +61,60 @@ public partial class ProviderSettingsViewModel(
         }
     }
 
-    private void Provider_CommandsChanged(CommandProviderWrapper sender, CommandPalette.Extensions.IItemsChangedEventArgs args)
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets a value indicating whether returns true if we have a settings page
+    /// that's initialized, or we are still working on initializing that
+    /// settings page. If we don't have a settings object, or that settings
+    /// object doesn't have a settings page, then we'll return false.
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool HasSettings
     {
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ExtensionSubtext));
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(TopLevelCommands));
+        get
+        {
+            if (_provider.Settings == null)
+            {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            if (_provider.Settings.Initialized)
+            {
+                return _provider.Settings.HasSettings;
+            }
+
+            // settings still need to be loaded.
+            return LoadingSettings;
+        }
     }
 
-    public bool HasSettings => _provider.Settings != null && _provider.Settings.SettingsPage != null;
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets will return the settings page, if we have one, and have initialized it.
+    /// If we haven't initialized it, this will kick off a thread to start
+    /// initializing it.
+    /// </summary>
+    public ContentPageViewModel? SettingsPage
+    {
+        get
+        {
+            if (_provider.Settings == null)
+            {
+                return null;
+            }
 
-    public ContentPageViewModel? SettingsPage => HasSettings ? _provider?.Settings?.SettingsPage : null;
+            if (_provider.Settings.Initialized)
+            {
+                LoadingSettings = false;
+                return _provider.Settings.SettingsPage;
+            }
+
+            // Don't load the settings if we're already working on it
+            lock (_initializeSettingsLock)
+            {
+                _initializeSettingsTask ??= Task.Run(InitializeSettingsPage);
+            }
+
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
 
     [field: AllowNull]
     public List<TopLevelViewModel> TopLevelCommands
@@ -90,4 +140,30 @@ public partial class ProviderSettingsViewModel(
     }
 
     private void Save() => SettingsModel.SaveSettings(_settings);
+
+    private void InitializeSettingsPage()
+    {
+        if (_provider.Settings == null)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        _provider.Settings.SafeInitializeProperties();
+        _provider.Settings.DoOnUiThread(() =>
+        {
+            // Changing these properties will try to update XAML, and that has
+            // to be handled on the UI thread, so we need to raise them on the
+            // UI thread
+            LoadingSettings = false;
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(HasSettings));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(LoadingSettings));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(SettingsPage));
+        });
+    }
+
+    private void Provider_CommandsChanged(CommandProviderWrapper sender, CommandPalette.Extensions.IItemsChangedEventArgs args)
+    {
+        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ExtensionSubtext));
+        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(TopLevelCommands));
+    }
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/RecentCommandsManager.cs

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels;
 public partial class RecentCommandsManager : ObservableObject
 {
     [JsonInclude]
-    private List<HistoryItem> History { get; set; } = [];
+    internal List<HistoryItem> History { get; set; } = [];
 
     public RecentCommandsManager()
     {

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/SettingsModel.cs

@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ public partial class SettingsModel : ObservableObject
 
     public bool ShowSystemTrayIcon { get; set; } = true;
 
+    public bool IgnoreShortcutWhenFullscreen { get; set; } = true;
+
     public Dictionary<string, ProviderSettings> ProviderSettings { get; set; } = [];
 
     public Dictionary<string, CommandAlias> Aliases { get; set; } = [];
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ public partial class SettingsModel : ObservableObject
             // Read the JSON content from the file
             var jsonContent = File.ReadAllText(FilePath);
 
-            var loaded = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<SettingsModel>(jsonContent, _deserializerOptions);
+            var loaded = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<SettingsModel>(jsonContent, JsonSerializationContext.Default.SettingsModel);
 
             Debug.WriteLine(loaded != null ? "Loaded settings file" : "Failed to parse");
 
@@ -115,7 +117,7 @@ public partial class SettingsModel : ObservableObject
         try
         {
             // Serialize the main dictionary to JSON and save it to the file
-            var settingsJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(model, _serializerOptions);
+            var settingsJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(model, JsonSerializationContext.Default.SettingsModel);
 
             // Is it valid JSON?
             if (JsonNode.Parse(settingsJson) is JsonObject newSettings)
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ public partial class SettingsModel : ObservableObject
                         savedSettings[item.Key] = item.Value != null ? item.Value.DeepClone() : null;
                     }
 
-                    var serialized = savedSettings.ToJsonString(_serializerOptions);
+                    var serialized = savedSettings.ToJsonString(JsonSerializationContext.Default.Options);
                     File.WriteAllText(FilePath, serialized);
 
                     // TODO: Instead of just raising the event here, we should
@@ -164,19 +166,34 @@ public partial class SettingsModel : ObservableObject
         return Path.Combine(directory, "settings.json");
     }
 
-    private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _serializerOptions = new()
-    {
-        WriteIndented = true,
-        Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() },
-    };
+    // [UnconditionalSuppressMessage("AOT", "IL3050:Calling members annotated with 'RequiresDynamicCodeAttribute' may break functionality when AOT compiling.", Justification = "<Pending>")]
+    // private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _serializerOptions = new()
+    // {
+    //    WriteIndented = true,
+    //    Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() },
+    // };
+    // private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _deserializerOptions = new()
+    // {
+    //    PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
+    //    IncludeFields = true,
+    //    Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() },
+    //    AllowTrailingCommas = true,
+    // };
+}
 
-    private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions _deserializerOptions = new()
-    {
-        PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
-        IncludeFields = true,
-        Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() },
-        AllowTrailingCommas = true,
-    };
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(float))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(int))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(string))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(bool))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(HistoryItem))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(SettingsModel))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(AppStateModel))]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(List<HistoryItem>), TypeInfoPropertyName = "HistoryList")]
+[JsonSerializable(typeof(Dictionary<string, object>), TypeInfoPropertyName = "Dictionary")]
+[JsonSourceGenerationOptions(UseStringEnumConverter = true, WriteIndented = true, IncludeFields = true, PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true, AllowTrailingCommas = true)]
+[System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessage("StyleCop.CSharp.MaintainabilityRules", "SA1402:File may only contain a single type", Justification = "Just used here")]
+internal sealed partial class JsonSerializationContext : JsonSerializerContext
+{
 }
 
 public enum MonitorBehavior

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/SettingsViewModel.cs

@@ -108,6 +108,16 @@ public partial class SettingsViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
         }
     }
 
+    public bool IgnoreShortcutWhenFullscreen
+    {
+        get => _settings.IgnoreShortcutWhenFullscreen;
+        set
+        {
+            _settings.IgnoreShortcutWhenFullscreen = value;
+            Save();
+        }
+    }
+
     public ObservableCollection<ProviderSettingsViewModel> CommandProviders { get; } = [];
 
     public SettingsViewModel(SettingsModel settings, IServiceProvider serviceProvider, TaskScheduler scheduler)

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/ShellViewModel.cs

@@ -109,9 +109,12 @@ public partial class ShellViewModel(IServiceProvider _serviceProvider, TaskSched
                     // TODO GH #239 switch back when using the new MD text block
                     // _ = _queue.EnqueueAsync(() =>
                     _ = Task.Factory.StartNew(
-                        () =>
+                        async () =>
                         {
-                            var result = (bool)viewModel.InitializeCommand.ExecutionTask.GetResultOrDefault()!;
+                            // bool f = await viewModel.InitializeCommand.ExecutionTask.;
+                            // var result = viewModel.InitializeCommand.ExecutionTask.GetResultOrDefault()!;
+                            // var result = viewModel.InitializeCommand.ExecutionTask.GetResultOrDefault<bool?>()!;
+                            var result = await viewModel.InitializeAsync();
 
                             CurrentPage = viewModel; // result ? viewModel : null;
                             ////LoadedState = result ? ViewModelLoadedState.Loaded : ViewModelLoadedState.Error;

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels/TopLevelCommandManager.cs

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 using System.Collections.Immutable;
 using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Messaging;
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ public partial class TopLevelCommandManager : ObservableObject,
 
     public async Task<bool> LoadBuiltinsAsync()
     {
+        var s = new Stopwatch();
+        s.Start();
+
         _builtInCommands.Clear();
 
         // Load built-In commands first. These are all in-proc, and
@@ -53,53 +57,48 @@ public partial class TopLevelCommandManager : ObservableObject,
         {
             CommandProviderWrapper wrapper = new(provider, _taskScheduler);
             _builtInCommands.Add(wrapper);
-            await LoadTopLevelCommandsFromProvider(wrapper);
+            var commands = await LoadTopLevelCommandsFromProvider(wrapper);
+            lock (TopLevelCommands)
+            {
+                foreach (var c in commands)
+                {
+                    TopLevelCommands.Add(c);
+                }
+            }
         }
 
+        s.Stop();
+
+        Logger.LogDebug($"Loading built-ins took {s.ElapsedMilliseconds}ms");
+
         return true;
     }
 
     // May be called from a background thread
-    private async Task LoadTopLevelCommandsFromProvider(CommandProviderWrapper commandProvider)
+    private async Task<IEnumerable<TopLevelViewModel>> LoadTopLevelCommandsFromProvider(CommandProviderWrapper commandProvider)
     {
         WeakReference<IPageContext> weakSelf = new(this);
 
         await commandProvider.LoadTopLevelCommands(_serviceProvider, weakSelf);
 
         var settings = _serviceProvider.GetService<SettingsModel>()!;
-        var makeAndAdd = (ICommandItem? i, bool fallback) =>
+
+        List<TopLevelViewModel> commands = [];
+
+        foreach (var item in commandProvider.TopLevelItems)
         {
-            var commandItemViewModel = new CommandItemViewModel(new(i), weakSelf);
-            var topLevelViewModel = new TopLevelViewModel(commandItemViewModel, fallback, commandProvider.ExtensionHost, commandProvider.ProviderId, settings, _serviceProvider);
+            commands.Add(item);
+        }
 
-            lock (TopLevelCommands)
-            {
-                TopLevelCommands.Add(topLevelViewModel);
-            }
-        };
-
-        await Task.Factory.StartNew(
-            () =>
-            {
-                lock (TopLevelCommands)
-                {
-                    foreach (var item in commandProvider.TopLevelItems)
-                    {
-                        TopLevelCommands.Add(item);
-                    }
-
-                    foreach (var item in commandProvider.FallbackItems)
-                    {
-                        TopLevelCommands.Add(item);
-                    }
-                }
-            },
-            CancellationToken.None,
-            TaskCreationOptions.None,
-            _taskScheduler);
+        foreach (var item in commandProvider.FallbackItems)
+        {
+            commands.Add(item);
+        }
 
         commandProvider.CommandsChanged -= CommandProvider_CommandsChanged;
         commandProvider.CommandsChanged += CommandProvider_CommandsChanged;
+
+        return commands;
     }
 
     // By all accounts, we're already on a background thread (the COM call
@@ -239,25 +238,71 @@ public partial class TopLevelCommandManager : ObservableObject,
 
     private async Task StartExtensionsAndGetCommands(IEnumerable<IExtensionWrapper> extensions)
     {
-        // TODO This most definitely needs a lock
-        foreach (var extension in extensions)
-        {
-            Logger.LogDebug($"Starting {extension.PackageFullName}");
-            try
-            {
-                // start it ...
-                await extension.StartExtensionAsync();
+        var timer = new Stopwatch();
+        timer.Start();
 
-                // ... and fetch the command provider from it.
-                CommandProviderWrapper wrapper = new(extension, _taskScheduler);
-                _extensionCommandProviders.Add(wrapper);
-                await LoadTopLevelCommandsFromProvider(wrapper);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex)
+        // Start all extensions in parallel
+        var startTasks = extensions.Select(StartExtensionWithTimeoutAsync);
+
+        // Wait for all extensions to start
+        var wrappers = (await Task.WhenAll(startTasks)).Where(wrapper => wrapper != null).Select(w => w!).ToList();
+
+        foreach (var wrapper in wrappers)
+        {
+            _extensionCommandProviders.Add(wrapper!);
+        }
+
+        // Load the commands from the providers in parallel
+        var loadTasks = wrappers.Select(LoadCommandsWithTimeoutAsync);
+
+        var commandSets = (await Task.WhenAll(loadTasks)).Where(results => results != null).Select(r => r!).ToList();
+
+        lock (TopLevelCommands)
+        {
+            foreach (var commands in commandSets)
             {
-                Logger.LogError(ex.ToString());
+                foreach (var c in commands)
+                {
+                    TopLevelCommands.Add(c);
+                }
             }
         }
+
+        timer.Stop();
+        Logger.LogDebug($"Loading extensions took {timer.ElapsedMilliseconds} ms");
+    }
+
+    private async Task<CommandProviderWrapper?> StartExtensionWithTimeoutAsync(IExtensionWrapper extension)
+    {
+        Logger.LogDebug($"Starting {extension.PackageFullName}");
+        try
+        {
+            await extension.StartExtensionAsync().WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));
+            return new CommandProviderWrapper(extension, _taskScheduler);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Logger.LogError($"Failed to start extension {extension.PackageFullName}: {ex}");
+            return null; // Return null for failed extensions
+        }
+    }
+
+    private async Task<IEnumerable<TopLevelViewModel>?> LoadCommandsWithTimeoutAsync(CommandProviderWrapper wrapper)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            return await LoadTopLevelCommandsFromProvider(wrapper!).WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));
+        }
+        catch (TimeoutException)
+        {
+            Logger.LogError($"Loading commands from {wrapper!.ExtensionHost?.Extension?.PackageFullName} timed out");
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Logger.LogError($"Failed to load commands for extension {wrapper!.ExtensionHost?.Extension?.PackageFullName}: {ex}");
+        }
+
+        return null;
     }
 
     private void ExtensionService_OnExtensionRemoved(IExtensionService sender, IEnumerable<IExtensionWrapper> extensions)

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/App.xaml.cs

@@ -73,26 +73,12 @@ public partial class App : Application
     /// Invoked when the application is launched.
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="args">Details about the launch request and process.</param>
-    protected override void OnLaunched(LaunchActivatedEventArgs args)
+    protected override void OnLaunched(Microsoft.UI.Xaml.LaunchActivatedEventArgs args)
     {
         AppWindow = new MainWindow();
 
-        var cmdArgs = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs();
-
-        var runFromPT = false;
-        foreach (var arg in cmdArgs)
-        {
-            if (arg == "RunFromPT")
-            {
-                runFromPT = true;
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (!runFromPT)
-        {
-            AppWindow.Activate();
-        }
+        var activatedEventArgs = Microsoft.Windows.AppLifecycle.AppInstance.GetCurrent().GetActivatedEventArgs();
+        ((MainWindow)AppWindow).HandleLaunch(activatedEventArgs);
     }
 
     /// <summary>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/CommandBar.xaml

@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@
         Padding="4"
         ColumnSpacing="8">
         <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
-            <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
             <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
             <ColumnDefinition Width="*" />
+            <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
         </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
 
         <Grid
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@
             VerticalAlignment="Center"
             Style="{StaticResource CaptionTextBlockStyle}"
             Text="{x:Bind CurrentPageViewModel.Title, Mode=OneWay}"
+            TextTrimming="CharacterEllipsis"
+            TextWrapping="NoWrap"
             Visibility="{x:Bind CurrentPageViewModel.IsNested, Mode=OneWay}" />
         <StackPanel
             Grid.Column="2"
@@ -223,27 +225,42 @@
                 ToolTipService.ToolTip="Ctrl+K"
                 Visibility="{x:Bind ViewModel.ShouldShowContextMenu, Mode=OneWay}">
                 <Button.Flyout>
-                    <Flyout Placement="TopEdgeAlignedRight">
-                        <ListView
-                            x:Name="CommandsDropdown"
-                            MinWidth="248"
-                            Margin="-16,-12,-16,-12"
-                            IsItemClickEnabled="True"
-                            ItemClick="CommandsDropdown_ItemClick"
-                            ItemTemplate="{StaticResource ContextMenuViewModelTemplate}"
-                            ItemsSource="{x:Bind ViewModel.ContextCommands, Mode=OneWay}"
-                            KeyDown="CommandsDropdown_KeyDown"
-                            SelectionMode="None">
-                            <ListView.ItemContainerStyle>
-                                <Style BasedOn="{StaticResource DefaultListViewItemStyle}" TargetType="ListViewItem">
-                                    <Setter Property="MinHeight" Value="0" />
-                                    <Setter Property="Padding" Value="12,7,12,7" />
-                                </Style>
-                            </ListView.ItemContainerStyle>
-                            <ListView.ItemContainerTransitions>
-                                <TransitionCollection />
-                            </ListView.ItemContainerTransitions>
-                        </ListView>
+                    <Flyout
+                        Closing="Flyout_Closing"
+                        Opened="Flyout_Opened"
+                        Placement="TopEdgeAlignedRight">
+                        <StackPanel>
+
+                            <ListView
+                                x:Name="CommandsDropdown"
+                                MinWidth="248"
+                                Margin="-16,-12,-16,-12"
+                                IsItemClickEnabled="True"
+                                ItemClick="CommandsDropdown_ItemClick"
+                                ItemTemplate="{StaticResource ContextMenuViewModelTemplate}"
+                                ItemsSource="{x:Bind ViewModel.ContextMenu.FilteredItems, Mode=OneWay}"
+                                KeyDown="CommandsDropdown_KeyDown"
+                                SelectionMode="Single">
+                                <ListView.ItemContainerStyle>
+                                    <Style BasedOn="{StaticResource DefaultListViewItemStyle}" TargetType="ListViewItem">
+                                        <Setter Property="MinHeight" Value="0" />
+                                        <Setter Property="Padding" Value="12,7,12,7" />
+                                    </Style>
+                                </ListView.ItemContainerStyle>
+                                <ListView.ItemContainerTransitions>
+                                    <TransitionCollection />
+                                </ListView.ItemContainerTransitions>
+                            </ListView>
+
+                            <TextBox
+                                x:Name="ContextFilterBox"
+                                x:Uid="ContextFilterBox"
+                                Margin="-12,12,-12,-12"
+                                KeyDown="ContextFilterBox_KeyDown"
+                                PreviewKeyDown="ContextFilterBox_PreviewKeyDown"
+                                TextChanged="ContextFilterBox_TextChanged" />
+
+                        </StackPanel>
                     </Flyout>
                 </Button.Flyout>
             </Button>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/CommandBar.xaml.cs

@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@ namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Controls;
 
 public sealed partial class CommandBar : UserControl,
     IRecipient<OpenContextMenuMessage>,
+    IRecipient<TryCommandKeybindingMessage>,
     ICurrentPageAware
 {
-    public CommandBarViewModel ViewModel { get; set; } = new();
+    public CommandBarViewModel ViewModel { get; } = new();
 
     public PageViewModel? CurrentPageViewModel
     {
@@ -38,6 +39,9 @@ public sealed partial class CommandBar : UserControl,
 
         // RegisterAll isn't AOT compatible
         WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<OpenContextMenuMessage>(this);
+        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<TryCommandKeybindingMessage>(this);
+
+        ViewModel.PropertyChanged += ViewModel_PropertyChanged;
     }
 
     public void Receive(OpenContextMenuMessage message)
@@ -52,8 +56,41 @@ public sealed partial class CommandBar : UserControl,
             ShowMode = FlyoutShowMode.Standard,
         };
         MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.ShowAt(MoreCommandsButton, options);
-        CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex = 0;
-        CommandsDropdown.Focus(FocusState.Programmatic);
+        UpdateUiForStackChange();
+    }
+
+    public void Receive(TryCommandKeybindingMessage msg)
+    {
+        if (!ViewModel.ShouldShowContextMenu)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var result = ViewModel?.CheckKeybinding(msg.Ctrl, msg.Alt, msg.Shift, msg.Win, msg.Key);
+
+        if (result == ContextKeybindingResult.Hide)
+        {
+            msg.Handled = true;
+        }
+        else if (result == ContextKeybindingResult.KeepOpen)
+        {
+            if (!MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.IsOpen)
+            {
+                var options = new FlyoutShowOptions
+                {
+                    ShowMode = FlyoutShowMode.Standard,
+                };
+                MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.ShowAt(MoreCommandsButton, options);
+            }
+
+            UpdateUiForStackChange();
+
+            msg.Handled = true;
+        }
+        else if (result == ContextKeybindingResult.Unhandled)
+        {
+            msg.Handled = false;
+        }
     }
 
     [System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessage("CodeQuality", "IDE0051:Remove unused private members", Justification = "VS has a tendency to delete XAML bound methods over-aggressively")]
@@ -88,8 +125,14 @@ public sealed partial class CommandBar : UserControl,
     {
         if (e.ClickedItem is CommandContextItemViewModel item)
         {
-            ViewModel?.InvokeItemCommand.Execute(item);
-            MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.Hide();
+            if (ViewModel?.InvokeItem(item) == ContextKeybindingResult.Hide)
+            {
+                MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.Hide();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                UpdateUiForStackChange();
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -106,9 +149,136 @@ public sealed partial class CommandBar : UserControl,
         var winPressed = InputKeyboardSource.GetKeyStateForCurrentThread(VirtualKey.LeftWindows).HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down) ||
             InputKeyboardSource.GetKeyStateForCurrentThread(VirtualKey.RightWindows).HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down);
 
-        if (ViewModel?.CheckKeybinding(ctrlPressed, altPressed, shiftPressed, winPressed, e.Key) ?? false)
+        var result = ViewModel?.CheckKeybinding(ctrlPressed, altPressed, shiftPressed, winPressed, e.Key);
+
+        if (result == ContextKeybindingResult.Hide)
+        {
+            e.Handled = true;
+            MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.Hide();
+            WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<FocusSearchBoxMessage>();
+        }
+        else if (result == ContextKeybindingResult.KeepOpen)
         {
             e.Handled = true;
         }
+        else if (result == ContextKeybindingResult.Unhandled)
+        {
+            e.Handled = false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void Flyout_Opened(object sender, object e)
+    {
+        UpdateUiForStackChange();
+    }
+
+    private void Flyout_Closing(FlyoutBase sender, FlyoutBaseClosingEventArgs args)
+    {
+        ViewModel?.ClearContextStack();
+        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<FocusSearchBoxMessage>();
+    }
+
+    private void ViewModel_PropertyChanged(object? sender, System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
+    {
+        var prop = e.PropertyName;
+        if (prop == nameof(ViewModel.ContextMenu))
+        {
+            UpdateUiForStackChange();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void ContextFilterBox_TextChanged(object sender, TextChangedEventArgs e)
+    {
+        ViewModel.ContextMenu?.SetSearchText(ContextFilterBox.Text);
+
+        if (CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex == -1)
+        {
+            CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex = 0;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void ContextFilterBox_KeyDown(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
+    {
+        var ctrlPressed = InputKeyboardSource.GetKeyStateForCurrentThread(VirtualKey.Control).HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down);
+        var altPressed = InputKeyboardSource.GetKeyStateForCurrentThread(VirtualKey.Menu).HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down);
+        var shiftPressed = InputKeyboardSource.GetKeyStateForCurrentThread(VirtualKey.Shift).HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down);
+        var winPressed = InputKeyboardSource.GetKeyStateForCurrentThread(VirtualKey.LeftWindows).HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down) ||
+            InputKeyboardSource.GetKeyStateForCurrentThread(VirtualKey.RightWindows).HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down);
+
+        if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Enter)
+        {
+            if (CommandsDropdown.SelectedItem is CommandContextItemViewModel item)
+            {
+                if (ViewModel?.InvokeItem(item) == ContextKeybindingResult.Hide)
+                {
+                    MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.Hide();
+                    WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<FocusSearchBoxMessage>();
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    UpdateUiForStackChange();
+                }
+
+                e.Handled = true;
+            }
+        }
+        else if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Escape ||
+            (e.Key == VirtualKey.Left && altPressed))
+        {
+            if (ViewModel.CanPopContextStack())
+            {
+                ViewModel.PopContextStack();
+                UpdateUiForStackChange();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                MoreCommandsButton.Flyout.Hide();
+                WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<FocusSearchBoxMessage>();
+            }
+
+            e.Handled = true;
+        }
+
+        CommandsDropdown_KeyDown(sender, e);
+    }
+
+    private void ContextFilterBox_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
+    {
+        if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Up)
+        {
+            // navigate previous
+            if (CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex > 0)
+            {
+                CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex--;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex = CommandsDropdown.Items.Count - 1;
+            }
+
+            e.Handled = true;
+        }
+        else if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Down)
+        {
+            // navigate next
+            if (CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex < CommandsDropdown.Items.Count - 1)
+            {
+                CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex++;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex = 0;
+            }
+
+            e.Handled = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void UpdateUiForStackChange()
+    {
+        ContextFilterBox.Text = string.Empty;
+        ViewModel.ContextMenu?.SetSearchText(string.Empty);
+        CommandsDropdown.SelectedIndex = 0;
+        ContextFilterBox.Focus(FocusState.Programmatic);
     }
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Controls/SearchBar.xaml.cs

@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ using CommunityToolkit.WinUI;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels.Messages;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Views;
-using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
-using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions.Toolkit;
 using Microsoft.UI.Dispatching;
 using Microsoft.UI.Input;
 using Microsoft.UI.Xaml;
@@ -23,7 +21,6 @@ namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Controls;
 public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,
     IRecipient<GoHomeMessage>,
     IRecipient<FocusSearchBoxMessage>,
-    IRecipient<UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage>,
     ICurrentPageAware
 {
     private readonly DispatcherQueue _queue = DispatcherQueue.GetForCurrentThread();
@@ -34,8 +31,6 @@ public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,
     private readonly DispatcherQueueTimer _debounceTimer = DispatcherQueue.GetForCurrentThread().CreateTimer();
     private bool _isBackspaceHeld;
 
-    private Dictionary<KeyChord, CommandContextItemViewModel>? _keyBindings;
-
     public PageViewModel? CurrentPageViewModel
     {
         get => (PageViewModel?)GetValue(CurrentPageViewModelProperty);
@@ -74,7 +69,6 @@ public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,
         this.InitializeComponent();
         WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<GoHomeMessage>(this);
         WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<FocusSearchBoxMessage>(this);
-        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Register<UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage>(this);
     }
 
     public void ClearSearch()
@@ -173,17 +167,14 @@ public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,
             WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<NavigateBackMessage>(new());
         }
 
-        if (_keyBindings != null)
+        if (!e.Handled)
         {
-            // Does the pressed key match any of the keybindings?
-            var pressedKeyChord = KeyChordHelpers.FromModifiers(ctrlPressed, altPressed, shiftPressed, winPressed, (int)e.Key, 0);
-            if (_keyBindings.TryGetValue(pressedKeyChord, out var item))
-            {
-                // TODO GH #245: This is a bit of a hack, but we need to make sure that the keybindings are updated before we send the message
-                // so that the correct item is activated.
-                WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<PerformCommandMessage>(new(item));
-                e.Handled = true;
-            }
+            // The CommandBar is responsible for handling all the item keybindings,
+            // since the bound context item may need to then show another
+            // context menu
+            TryCommandKeybindingMessage msg = new(ctrlPressed, altPressed, shiftPressed, winPressed, e.Key);
+            WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send(msg);
+            e.Handled = msg.Handled;
         }
     }
 
@@ -302,10 +293,5 @@ public sealed partial class SearchBar : UserControl,
 
     public void Receive(GoHomeMessage message) => ClearSearch();
 
-    public void Receive(FocusSearchBoxMessage message) => this.Focus(Microsoft.UI.Xaml.FocusState.Programmatic);
-
-    public void Receive(UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage message)
-    {
-        _keyBindings = message.Keys;
-    }
+    public void Receive(FocusSearchBoxMessage message) => FilterBox.Focus(Microsoft.UI.Xaml.FocusState.Programmatic);
 }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ListPage.xaml

@@ -138,14 +138,15 @@
             </controls:Case>
             <controls:Case Value="True">
                 <StackPanel
+                    Margin="24"
                     HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                     VerticalAlignment="Center"
                     Orientation="Vertical"
                     Spacing="4">
                     <cpcontrols:IconBox
                         x:Name="IconBorder"
-                        Width="56"
-                        Height="56"
+                        Width="48"
+                        Height="48"
                         Margin="8"
                         Foreground="{ThemeResource TextFillColorSecondaryBrush}"
                         SourceKey="{x:Bind ViewModel.EmptyContent.Icon, Mode=OneWay}"
@@ -154,11 +155,15 @@
                         Margin="0,4,0,0"
                         HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                         FontWeight="SemiBold"
-                        Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.EmptyContent.Title, Mode=OneWay}" />
+                        Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.EmptyContent.Title, Mode=OneWay}"
+                        TextAlignment="Center"
+                        TextWrapping="Wrap" />
                     <TextBlock
                         HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                         Foreground="{ThemeResource TextFillColorSecondaryBrush}"
-                        Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.EmptyContent.Subtitle, Mode=OneWay}" />
+                        Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.EmptyContent.Subtitle, Mode=OneWay}"
+                        TextAlignment="Center"
+                        TextWrapping="Wrap" />
                 </StackPanel>
             </controls:Case>
         </controls:SwitchPresenter>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/ExtViews/ListPage.xaml.cs

@@ -124,14 +124,12 @@ public sealed partial class ListPage : Page,
     [System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessage("CodeQuality", "IDE0051:Remove unused private members", Justification = "VS is too aggressive at pruning methods bound in XAML")]
     private void ItemsList_SelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
     {
-        if (ItemsList.SelectedItem is ListItemViewModel item)
+        var vm = ViewModel;
+        var li = ItemsList.SelectedItem as ListItemViewModel;
+        _ = Task.Run(() =>
         {
-            var vm = ViewModel;
-            _ = Task.Run(() =>
-            {
-                vm?.UpdateSelectedItemCommand.Execute(item);
-            });
-        }
+            vm?.UpdateSelectedItemCommand.Execute(li);
+        });
 
         // There's mysterious behavior here, where the selection seemingly
         // changes to _nothing_ when we're backspacing to a single character.

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Helpers/NativeMethods.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// 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.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using System.Security;
+
+namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Helpers;
+
+[SuppressUnmanagedCodeSecurity]
+internal static class NativeMethods
+{
+    [DllImport("shell32.dll")]
+    public static extern int SHQueryUserNotificationState(out UserNotificationState state);
+}
+
+internal enum UserNotificationState : int
+{
+    QUNS_NOT_PRESENT = 1,
+    QUNS_BUSY,
+    QUNS_RUNNING_D3D_FULL_SCREEN,
+    QUNS_PRESENTATION_MODE,
+    QUNS_ACCEPTS_NOTIFICATIONS,
+    QUNS_QUIET_TIME,
+    QUNS_APP,
+}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Helpers/WindowHelper.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// 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.Runtime.InteropServices;
+
+namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Helpers;
+
+internal sealed partial class WindowHelper
+{
+    public static bool IsWindowFullscreen()
+    {
+        UserNotificationState state;
+
+        // https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/shellapi/ne-shellapi-query_user_notification_state
+        if (Marshal.GetExceptionForHR(NativeMethods.SHQueryUserNotificationState(out state)) == null)
+        {
+            if (state == UserNotificationState.QUNS_RUNNING_D3D_FULL_SCREEN ||
+                state == UserNotificationState.QUNS_BUSY ||
+                state == UserNotificationState.QUNS_PRESENTATION_MODE)
+            {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+}

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/MainWindow.xaml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<Window
+<winuiex:WindowEx
     x:Class="Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.MainWindow"
     xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
     xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
@@ -6,8 +6,13 @@
     xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
     xmlns:pages="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Pages"
     xmlns:viewmodels="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.ViewModels"
+    xmlns:winuiex="using:WinUIEx"
+    Width="800"
+    Height="480"
+    MinWidth="320"
+    MinHeight="240"
     Activated="MainWindow_Activated"
     Closed="MainWindow_Closed"
     mc:Ignorable="d">
     <pages:ShellPage x:Name="RootShellPage" />
-</Window>
+</winuiex:WindowEx>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/MainWindow.xaml.cs

@@ -19,21 +19,25 @@ using Microsoft.UI.Composition.SystemBackdrops;
 using Microsoft.UI.Input;
 using Microsoft.UI.Windowing;
 using Microsoft.UI.Xaml;
+using Microsoft.Windows.AppLifecycle;
+using Windows.ApplicationModel.Activation;
 using Windows.Foundation;
 using Windows.Graphics;
 using Windows.UI;
 using Windows.UI.WindowManagement;
 using Windows.Win32;
 using Windows.Win32.Foundation;
+using Windows.Win32.Graphics.Dwm;
 using Windows.Win32.UI.Input.KeyboardAndMouse;
 using Windows.Win32.UI.Shell;
 using Windows.Win32.UI.WindowsAndMessaging;
 using WinRT;
+using WinUIEx;
 using RS_ = Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Helpers.ResourceLoaderInstance;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI;
 
-public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
+public sealed partial class MainWindow : WindowEx,
     IRecipient<DismissMessage>,
     IRecipient<ShowWindowMessage>,
     IRecipient<HideWindowMessage>,
@@ -43,6 +47,7 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
     private readonly WNDPROC? _hotkeyWndProc;
     private readonly WNDPROC? _originalWndProc;
     private readonly List<TopLevelHotkey> _hotkeys = [];
+    private bool _ignoreHotKeyWhenFullScreen = true;
 
     // Stylistically, window messages are WM_*
 #pragma warning disable SA1310 // Field names should not contain underscore
@@ -81,7 +86,6 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
 
         this.SetIcon();
         AppWindow.Title = RS_.GetString("AppName");
-        AppWindow.Resize(new SizeInt32 { Width = 1000, Height = 620 });
         PositionCentered();
         SetAcrylic();
 
@@ -157,6 +161,8 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         SetupHotkey(settings);
         SetupTrayIcon(settings.ShowSystemTrayIcon);
 
+        _ignoreHotKeyWhenFullScreen = settings.IgnoreShortcutWhenFullscreen;
+
         // This will prevent our window from appearing in alt+tab or the taskbar.
         // You'll _need_ to use the hotkey to summon it.
         AppWindow.IsShownInSwitchers = System.Diagnostics.Debugger.IsAttached;
@@ -229,6 +235,16 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         PositionCentered(display);
 
         PInvoke.ShowWindow(hwnd, SHOW_WINDOW_CMD.SW_SHOW);
+
+        // instead of showing the window, uncloak it from DWM
+        // This will make it visible to the user, without the animation or frames for
+        // loading XAML with composition
+        unsafe
+        {
+            BOOL value = false;
+            PInvoke.DwmSetWindowAttribute(_hwnd, DWMWINDOWATTRIBUTE.DWMWA_CLOAK, &value, (uint)sizeof(BOOL));
+        }
+
         PInvoke.SetForegroundWindow(hwnd);
         PInvoke.SetActiveWindow(hwnd);
     }
@@ -286,7 +302,7 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         ShowHwnd(message.Hwnd, settings.SummonOn);
     }
 
-    public void Receive(HideWindowMessage message) => PInvoke.ShowWindow(_hwnd, SHOW_WINDOW_CMD.SW_HIDE);
+    public void Receive(HideWindowMessage message) => HideWindow();
 
     public void Receive(QuitMessage message) =>
 
@@ -294,7 +310,21 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         DispatcherQueue.TryEnqueue(() => Close());
 
     public void Receive(DismissMessage message) =>
-        PInvoke.ShowWindow(_hwnd, SHOW_WINDOW_CMD.SW_HIDE);
+        HideWindow();
+
+    private void HideWindow()
+    {
+        // Hide our window
+
+        // Instead of hiding the window, cloak it from DWM
+        // This will make it invisible to the user, such that we can show it again
+        // by uncloaking it, which avoids an unnecessary "flicker in" that XAML does
+        unsafe
+        {
+            BOOL value = true;
+            PInvoke.DwmSetWindowAttribute(_hwnd, DWMWINDOWATTRIBUTE.DWMWA_CLOAK, &value, (uint)sizeof(BOOL));
+        }
+    }
 
     internal void MainWindow_Closed(object sender, WindowEventArgs args)
     {
@@ -383,7 +413,9 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
                 return;
             }
 
-            PInvoke.ShowWindow(_hwnd, SHOW_WINDOW_CMD.SW_HIDE);
+            // This will DWM cloak our window:
+            HideWindow();
+
             PowerToysTelemetry.Log.WriteEvent(new CmdPalDismissedOnLostFocus());
         }
 
@@ -393,6 +425,40 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         }
     }
 
+    public void HandleLaunch(AppActivationArguments? activatedEventArgs)
+    {
+        if (activatedEventArgs == null)
+        {
+            Summon(string.Empty);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (activatedEventArgs.Kind == Microsoft.Windows.AppLifecycle.ExtendedActivationKind.Protocol)
+        {
+            if (activatedEventArgs.Data is IProtocolActivatedEventArgs protocolArgs)
+            {
+                if (protocolArgs.Uri.ToString() is string uri)
+                {
+                    // was the URI "x-cmdpal://background" ?
+                    if (uri.StartsWith("x-cmdpal://background", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                    {
+                        // we're running, we don't want to activate our window. bail
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    else if (uri.StartsWith("x-cmdpal://settings", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                    {
+                        WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<OpenSettingsMessage>(new());
+                        return;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        Activate();
+    }
+
     public void Summon(string commandId) =>
 
         // The actual showing and hiding of the window will be done by the
@@ -401,11 +467,6 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         // know till the message is being handled.
         WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<HotkeySummonMessage>(new(commandId, _hwnd));
 
-#pragma warning disable SA1310 // Field names should not contain underscore
-    private const uint DOT_KEY = 0xBE;
-    private const uint WM_HOTKEY = 0x0312;
-#pragma warning restore SA1310 // Field names should not contain underscore
-
     private void UnregisterHotkeys()
     {
         _keyboardListener.ClearHotkeys();
@@ -476,10 +537,24 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         var isRootHotkey = string.IsNullOrEmpty(commandId);
         PowerToysTelemetry.Log.WriteEvent(new CmdPalHotkeySummoned(isRootHotkey));
 
+        var isVisible = this.Visible;
+        unsafe
+        {
+            // We need to check if our window is cloaked or not. A cloaked window is still
+            // technically visible, because SHOW/HIDE != iconic (minimized) != cloaked
+            // (these are all separate states)
+            long attr = 0;
+            PInvoke.DwmGetWindowAttribute(_hwnd, DWMWINDOWATTRIBUTE.DWMWA_CLOAKED, &attr, sizeof(long));
+            if (attr == 1 /* DWM_CLOAKED_APP */)
+            {
+                isVisible = false;
+            }
+        }
+
         // Note to future us: the wParam will have the index of the hotkey we registered.
         // We can use that in the future to differentiate the hotkeys we've pressed
         // so that we can bind hotkeys to individual commands
-        if (!this.Visible || !isRootHotkey)
+        if (!isVisible || !isRootHotkey)
         {
             Activate();
 
@@ -487,7 +562,16 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
         }
         else if (isRootHotkey)
         {
-            PInvoke.ShowWindow(_hwnd, SHOW_WINDOW_CMD.SW_HIDE);
+            // If there's a debugger attached...
+            if (System.Diagnostics.Debugger.IsAttached)
+            {
+                // ... then manually hide our window. When debugged, we won't get the cool cloaking,
+                // but that's the price to pay for having the HWND not light-dismiss while we're debugging.
+                PInvoke.ShowWindow(_hwnd, SHOW_WINDOW_CMD.SW_HIDE);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            HideWindow();
         }
     }
 
@@ -499,29 +583,25 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window,
     {
         switch (uMsg)
         {
-            case WM_HOTKEY:
+            // Prevent the window from maximizing when double-clicking the title bar area
+            case PInvoke.WM_NCLBUTTONDBLCLK:
+                return (LRESULT)IntPtr.Zero;
+            case PInvoke.WM_HOTKEY:
                 {
                     var hotkeyIndex = (int)wParam.Value;
                     if (hotkeyIndex < _hotkeys.Count)
                     {
+                        if (_ignoreHotKeyWhenFullScreen)
+                        {
+                            // If we're in full screen mode, ignore the hotkey
+                            if (WindowHelper.IsWindowFullscreen())
+                            {
+                                return (LRESULT)IntPtr.Zero;
+                            }
+                        }
+
                         var hotkey = _hotkeys[hotkeyIndex];
                         HandleSummon(hotkey.CommandId);
-
-                        // var isRootHotkey = string.IsNullOrEmpty(hotkey.CommandId);
-
-                        // // Note to future us: the wParam will have the index of the hotkey we registered.
-                        // // We can use that in the future to differentiate the hotkeys we've pressed
-                        // // so that we can bind hotkeys to individual commands
-                        // if (!this.Visible || !isRootHotkey)
-                        // {
-                        //     Activate();
-
-                        // Summon(hotkey.CommandId);
-                        // }
-                        // else if (isRootHotkey)
-                        // {
-                        //     PInvoke.ShowWindow(hwnd, SHOW_WINDOW_CMD.SW_HIDE);
-                        // }
                     }
 
                     return (LRESULT)IntPtr.Zero;

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.csproj

@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.WinUI.Managed" />
-
+	<PackageReference Include="WinUIEx" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Windows.CsWin32">
       <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
       <IncludeAssets>runtime; build; native; contentfiles; analyzers</IncludeAssets>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/NativeMethods.txt

@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ SHCreateStreamOnFileEx
 CoAllowSetForegroundWindow
 SHCreateStreamOnFileEx
 SHLoadIndirectString
+WM_HOTKEY
+WM_NCLBUTTONDBLCLK
 
 Shell_NotifyIcon
 LoadIcon
@@ -36,3 +38,8 @@ ExtractIconEx
 WM_RBUTTONUP
 WM_LBUTTONUP
 WM_LBUTTONDBLCLK
+
+MessageBox
+DwmGetWindowAttribute
+DwmSetWindowAttribute
+DWM_CLOAKED_APP

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Package-Dev.appxmanifest

@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@
             DisplayName="ms-resource:StartupTaskNameDev" />
         </uap5:Extension>
 
+        <uap:Extension Category="windows.protocol">
+          <uap:Protocol Name="x-cmdpal">
+            <uap:Logo>Assets\StoreLogo.png</uap:Logo>
+            <uap:DisplayName>Command Palette Dev URI scheme</uap:DisplayName>
+          </uap:Protocol>
+        </uap:Extension>
+
       </Extensions>
 
     </Application>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Package.appxmanifest

@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@
             DisplayName="ms-resource:StartupTaskName" />
         </uap5:Extension>
 
+
+        <uap:Extension Category="windows.protocol">
+          <uap:Protocol Name="x-cmdpal">
+            <uap:Logo>Assets\StoreLogo.png</uap:Logo>
+            <uap:DisplayName>Command Palette URI scheme</uap:DisplayName>
+          </uap:Protocol>
+        </uap:Extension>
+
       </Extensions>
 
     </Application>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Pages/ShellPage.xaml

@@ -356,9 +356,8 @@
 
                         <cpcontrols:IconBox
                             x:Name="HeroImageBorder"
-                            MinWidth="64"
-                            MinHeight="64"
-                            MaxHeight="96"
+                            Width="64"
+                            Margin="16,8,16,16"
                             HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                             AutomationProperties.AccessibilityView="Raw"
                             SourceKey="{x:Bind ViewModel.Details.HeroImage, Mode=OneWay}"
@@ -368,8 +367,10 @@
                         <TextBlock
                             Grid.Row="1"
                             HorizontalAlignment="Center"
-                            Style="{StaticResource SubtitleTextBlockStyle}"
+                            FontSize="18"
+                            FontWeight="SemiBold"
                             Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.Details.Title, Mode=OneWay}"
+                            TextAlignment="Center"
                             TextWrapping="WrapWholeWords"
                             Visibility="{x:Bind ViewModel.Details.Title, Converter={StaticResource StringNotEmptyToVisibilityConverter}, Mode=OneWay}" />
 

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Pages/ShellPage.xaml.cs

@@ -187,8 +187,6 @@ public sealed partial class ShellPage : Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.Page,
 
                     WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<UpdateCommandBarMessage>(new(null));
 
-                    WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send<UpdateItemKeybindingsMessage>(new(null));
-
                     var isMainPage = command is MainListPage;
 
                     // Construct our ViewModel of the appropriate type and pass it the UI Thread context.
@@ -420,18 +418,20 @@ public sealed partial class ShellPage : Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.Page,
     {
         _ = DispatcherQueue.TryEnqueue(() =>
         {
-            // Also hide our details pane about here, if we had one
-            HideDetails();
-
-            if (_settingsWindow == null)
-            {
-                _settingsWindow = new SettingsWindow();
-            }
-
-            _settingsWindow.Activate();
+            OpenSettings();
         });
     }
 
+    public void OpenSettings()
+    {
+        if (_settingsWindow == null)
+        {
+            _settingsWindow = new SettingsWindow();
+        }
+
+        _settingsWindow.Activate();
+    }
+
     public void Receive(ShowDetailsMessage message)
     {
         // TERRIBLE HACK TODO GH #245

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Program.cs

@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@
 // 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.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using ManagedCommon;
 using Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Events;
 using Microsoft.PowerToys.Telemetry;
 using Microsoft.Windows.AppLifecycle;
+using Windows.Win32;
+using Windows.Win32.Foundation;
+using Windows.Win32.UI.WindowsAndMessaging;
 
 namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.UI;
 
@@ -30,7 +34,33 @@ internal sealed class Program
             return 0;
         }
 
-        Logger.InitializeLogger("\\CmdPal\\Logs\\");
+        try
+        {
+            Logger.InitializeLogger("\\CmdPal\\Logs\\");
+        }
+        catch (COMException e)
+        {
+            // This is unexpected. For the sake of debugging:
+            // pop a message box
+            PInvoke.MessageBox(
+                (HWND)IntPtr.Zero,
+                $"Failed to initialize the logger. COMException: \r{e.Message}",
+                "Command Palette",
+                MESSAGEBOX_STYLE.MB_OK | MESSAGEBOX_STYLE.MB_ICONERROR);
+            return 0;
+        }
+        catch (Exception e2)
+        {
+            // This is unexpected. For the sake of debugging:
+            // pop a message box
+            PInvoke.MessageBox(
+                (HWND)IntPtr.Zero,
+                $"Failed to initialize the logger. Unknown Exception: \r{e2.Message}",
+                "Command Palette",
+                MESSAGEBOX_STYLE.MB_OK | MESSAGEBOX_STYLE.MB_ICONERROR);
+            return 0;
+        }
+
         Logger.LogDebug($"Starting at {DateTime.UtcNow}");
         PowerToysTelemetry.Log.WriteEvent(new CmdPalProcessStarted());
 
@@ -79,7 +109,9 @@ internal sealed class Program
             if (thisApp.AppWindow is not null and
                 MainWindow mainWindow)
             {
-                mainWindow.Summon(string.Empty);
+                mainWindow.HandleLaunch(args);
+
+                // mainWindow.Summon(string.Empty);
             }
         }
     }

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Properties/launchSettings.json

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
   "profiles": {
     "Microsoft.CmdPal.UI (Package)": {
       "commandName": "MsixPackage",
-      "nativeDebugging": false
+      "nativeDebugging": false,
+      "doNotLaunchApp": false
     },
     "Microsoft.CmdPal.UI (Unpackaged)": {
       "commandName": "Project"

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Settings/ExtensionPage.xaml

@@ -113,7 +113,24 @@
                                     Visibility="{x:Bind ViewModel.HasSettings}" />
 
                                 <Frame x:Name="SettingsFrame" Visibility="{x:Bind ViewModel.HasSettings}">
-                                    <cmdpalUI:ContentPage ViewModel="{x:Bind ViewModel.SettingsPage, Mode=OneWay}" />
+
+                                    <controls:SwitchPresenter
+                                        HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
+                                        TargetType="x:Boolean"
+                                        Value="{x:Bind ViewModel.LoadingSettings, Mode=OneWay}">
+                                        <controls:Case Value="True">
+                                            <ProgressRing
+                                                Width="36"
+                                                Height="36"
+                                                HorizontalAlignment="Center"
+                                                VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                                                IsIndeterminate="True" />
+                                        </controls:Case>
+                                        <controls:Case Value="False">
+                                            <cmdpalUI:ContentPage ViewModel="{x:Bind ViewModel.SettingsPage, Mode=OneWay}" />
+                                        </controls:Case>
+                                    </controls:SwitchPresenter>
+
                                 </Frame>
 
                                 <TextBlock

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Settings/GeneralPage.xaml

@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@
                             </controls:SettingsCard>
                         </controls:SettingsExpander.Items>
                     </controls:SettingsExpander>
+                    <controls:SettingsCard x:Uid="Settings_GeneralPage_IgnoreShortcutWhenFullscreen_SettingsCard" HeaderIcon="{ui:FontIcon Glyph=&#xE7FC;}">
+                        <ToggleSwitch IsOn="{x:Bind viewModel.IgnoreShortcutWhenFullscreen, Mode=TwoWay}" />
+                    </controls:SettingsCard>
                     <controls:SettingsCard x:Uid="Settings_GeneralPage_GoHome_SettingsCard" HeaderIcon="{ui:FontIcon Glyph=&#xE80F;}">
                         <ToggleSwitch IsOn="{x:Bind viewModel.HotkeyGoesHome, Mode=TwoWay}" />
                     </controls:SettingsCard>

src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.UI/Settings/SettingsWindow.xaml

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
-<Window
+<winuiex:WindowEx
     x:Class="Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Settings.SettingsWindow"
     xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
     xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
@@ -7,13 +7,18 @@
     xmlns:local="using:Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.Settings"
     xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
     xmlns:ui="using:CommunityToolkit.WinUI"
+    xmlns:winuiex="using:WinUIEx"
     Title="SettingsWindow"
+    Width="1280"
+    Height="720"
+    MinWidth="480"
+    MinHeight="480"
     Activated="Window_Activated"
     Closed="Window_Closed"
     mc:Ignorable="d">
-    <Window.SystemBackdrop>
+    <winuiex:WindowEx.SystemBackdrop>
         <MicaBackdrop />
-    </Window.SystemBackdrop>
+    </winuiex:WindowEx.SystemBackdrop>
     <Grid>
         <Grid.RowDefinitions>
             <RowDefinition Height="Auto" />
@@ -37,10 +42,10 @@
                 Height="16"
                 Source="ms-appx:///Assets/icon.svg" />
             <TextBlock
+                x:Uid="CmdPalSettingsHeader"
                 Margin="12,0,0,0"
                 VerticalAlignment="Center"
-                Style="{StaticResource CaptionTextBlockStyle}"
-                Text="Command Palette Settings" />
+                Style="{StaticResource CaptionTextBlockStyle}" />
         </StackPanel>
         <NavigationView
             x:Name="NavView"
@@ -100,4 +105,4 @@
             </Grid>
         </NavigationView>
     </Grid>
-</Window>
+</winuiex:WindowEx>