What tools are available in Parallels Toolbox for Windows?

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Information

Parallels Toolbox includes the following features:

 

To learn more about any tool, move the pointer over the tool, click the right mouse button and select About.

For more details on Parallels Toolbox features refer to the Parallels Toolbox for Windows User's Guide.

Note: Add any tool to Favorites for easier access by clicking with right mouse button and choosing Add to Favorites. All tools can be launched from Windows Start Menu by typing names in search field.

Archive

Use Archive to create compressed archives from your files, to save space or easily share multiple files. You can create password-protected archives, so only those who know the password can access the archived files. You can create an archive with several files from various locations simply by launching Archive from Toolbox and dragging files and folders to its window — no need to move or copy files to a single folder.

When the password option is enabled the tool asks you to provide a password when creating an archive. You can even specify a default password so subsequent archives you create are automatically set to use that password.

Block Camera

Use this tool to block the build-in camera, making it inaccessible to application. The camera remains inaccessible until you launch the tool again to reenable it. rebooting may be required.

Break Time

Use this tool to remind yourself to take regular breaks from your computer. In the tool's preferences, you can set how often to take a break and how long it should be. When the time comes. you're reminded to take a break. It is counted that you took it if within the specified time period you didn't use the computer - neither typed nor moved the mouse.

Capture Area, Screen or Window

Use this tool to take a screenshot of of a selected area, a window or the entire screen. The image file appears on your Desktop.

Clean Drive

Use this tool to get more free space and optimize your PC. "Clean Drive" scans the system and detects the files that can be safely removed - cache, logs, temporary files, etc. "Clean Drive" doesn't delete files automatically - once the system is scanned, you can choose what to delete and what to keep.

Convert Video

Use this tool to convert videos so they can be played in the Video app on your mobile phone or tablet. Simply drag a video, for example your favorite movie or TV show, to the tool's window and it will be converted. The tool can convert almost any video format and can add converted video to your iTunes Library.

Do Not Disturb

Use this tool when you want to avoid distractions so you can focus on the task at hand. When activated, Windows notifications are disabled.

To turn off this mode, click the tool again. All previous settings are restored.

Do Not Sleep

When activated, this tool prevents your computer from going to sleep and your display from dimming. This is useful when you want to ensure a task won't be interrupted. When activated, all settings that would allow the computer go to sleep are disabled. To deactivate this mode and restore all sleep settings, simply launch the tool again.

Download Audio

Use this tool to download audio filed from the Internet. Copy the link to the audio file you want to download or the URL of the website featuring the playlist you want to download and paste it in the tool's window. By default audio files are saved to the Downloads folder.

Download Video

Use this tool to download videos from the Internet. To download a video, simply copy the URL of a website featuring a video and paste it in the tool's window. Many popular video sharing sites are supported including Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, and more. Video files are saved to the Downloads folder on your computer.

Eject Volume

Use this tool to eject all volumes mounted on your computer including local removable volumes like external hard drives and memory cards, and even mounted disk images. When yo open the tool, the application immediately attempts to unmount all volumes. You can set which type of volumes to unmount in the tool preferences. 

Energy Saver

Use this tool to extend your PC battery life. When the energy-saving mode is enabled, this tool automatically detects when your PC is switched to battery and enables a number of energy-saving options that usually hidden deep inside the operating system. If you don't want the tool to activate automatically, you can turn it off in he tool's preferences.

Find Duplicates

Use this tool to scan you Mac for duplicate files. Launch the tool and select the directory you want to check. Once the scanning is complete, you can preview the detected files and choose which duplicates to keep and which to delete. Deleted files are moved to the Recycle Bin.

Hide Desktop

Use this tool to hide all the files, folders, and other icons on your desktop. To activate it, simply click the Hide Desktop icon in Toolbox.To show the icons again, click the tool again.

Launch

Use this tool to open several items on your computer, such as applications, documents, folders, links, or other files, al at once with just ne click. Open the tool and drag items to the tool's window (or to the tool's icon) to create a sequence of items that will be opened next time you click the tool's icon. To edit the set of items, right- or control-click the tool and choose preferences.

Lock Screen

Activate this tool to immediately lock your screen to prevent unauthorized access to your computer. There’s no need to wait until the password-protected screen saver kicks in - simply click the Lock Screen tool. To unlock the computer and continue, just enter your user account password.

Mute Microphone

Use this tool to mute your computer's microphone to prevent unauthorized listening by other apps. Simply click Mute Microphone in Toolbox. The microphone is muted and no app receives input from the microphone. The tool's icon indicates that it's active and that the microphone is muted. To disable muting, click the icon again.

Presentation Mode

Use this tool to minimize distractions when you need to concentrate or perform the presentation. When "Presentation Mode" is enabled, it blocks any notifications, temporarily disables computer's option for sleep and hides files on your Desktop. You can configure "Presentation Mode" to turn on automatically when an external display or projector is connected and also set the length for how long "Presentation Mode" is enabled.

Record Audio

Use this tool to record audio from your computer's built-in microphone. To start a recording, just click Record Audio in the Toolbox. The blinking icon in the Task Bar lets you know that audio is recording. You can also record from an external microphone or change audio source to capture system audio in tool's preferences.To stop recording, click the tool's icon again in Toolbox. The audio file is saved to the Desktop. Clicking the icon again starts a new recording to be saved as a new file.

Record Area, Screen or Window

Use these tools to record video of a selected area, a window or the entire screen. While recording video, this tool also records audio from the computer's microphone. To stop recording, click the Record Area icon in the Dock. The video file appears on your Desktop.

Resize Image

Use this tool to resize images or convert them to a different format. Drag a source image (or several images at once) to the tool's window or to the tool's icon in the Dock, then specify the output dimensions and format in the tool's preferences. 

Sleep Timer

Use "Sleep Timer" to count down from the specified time to zero and then either send computer to sleep or shut down. To begin the countdown, select an action, set the time and click Start. Even if you close this tool, the countdown will continue and the action will be performed when the timer reaches zero. In 1 minute before the planned action, you will receive an additional notification.

Switch Resolution

Use this tool to change the screen resolution and orientation on all displays connected to your computer.

Take Photo

Use this tool to take a photos with the computer's camera. Simply click the tool's icon in Parallels Toolbox or File Explorer. Image files appear on your Desktop.

Take Video

Use this tool to record videos using the computer's camera. Simply click the tool's icon in Parallels Toolbox or File Explorer. Video files appear on your Desktop. By default, the tool also records audio from the computer microphone. If you enable 'Instant Video" in preferences, tool will take a photo immediately once launched.

Unarchive

Use this tool to unpack archives, including those not supported by the built-in system utility. For example, this tool can unpack archives formatted as 7z, RAR, RPM, XAR, and Z. When Parallels Toolbox is installed, double-clicking any of these types of files opens Unarchive and starts unpacking. You can also use the right-click menu in File Explorer to unpack archives. Unarchive also supports password-protected archives.

 

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