The advanced menu in Windows 11 is a good way to easily access fast and convenient access to major internal tools of the latest operating system from Microsoft. Widely used by advanced and professional users, it is an alternative/complement to the start menu or keyboard shortcuts that come to do the same.
The Windows Power Menu that concerns us was released in Windows 8 and was almost essential since this version did not have the start menu returned again in Windows 8.1. From there, it hasn’t had too many changes until Windows 11, except for the fact that the transfer of functions from the classic Control Panel to the general Configuration tool, has deprived us of some tools that were previously available. In any case, it is still very useful for accessing certain internal system tasks and tools.
Windows 11 advanced menu
Access to this menu is very simple and is done in two ways:
- Clicking with the right mouse button on the start button.
- Or by using the “Windows + X” shortcut.
From there you will see a context menu offering quick access to simple and advanced features that many users tend to use frequently. Compared to the Windows 10 menu, you will see few differences, except for the change in the access to the Windows console, which Microsoft has reunited in the new Terminal.
We review the available functions and their description:
installed applications
Access the page of the same name of the System Configuration tool. Before it was much more powerful, since it accessed the Control Panel that, in addition to adding or removing programs, provided quick access to activate/deactivate Windows features and the installed updates interface. The changes have to do with the transfer of commented functions from a control panel that Microsoft considers legacy and therefore thinks about its elimination or reduction to the minimum expression.
mobility center.
(Only on devices with battery). You will see it on your laptop to manage the screen brightness, volume or synchronization profiles, as well as the battery status and the mode used.
Energy options
Access the Startup/shutdown and sleep tab of the Settings tool. The latest versions of Windows include a slider that easily enables from maximum power saving mode to maximum performance. Within the page there is a direct access to the additional classic energy configurator of the control panel.
Events viewer
A classic suite administrative utility that includes the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), which helps find and fix Windows and application problems, including blue screens and other problems.
System
If you were accessing the classic control panel before, it now points to the “About” page of the modern Settings tool. Provides information about the PC, including the edition of Windows installed and the version Windows Experience Index, the activation status, as well as list some hardware components, the processor or RAM. The same page offers shortcuts to related advanced options such as remote desktop, BitLocker, or upgrading/activating the system.
Device administrator
It is one of the few components of the Windows 11 advanced menu that continues to point to the classic control panel manager. One of the oldest Windows utilities, which identifies each of the PC’s hardware components and shows the status and assigned driver at a glance. It is one of the first places a user should visit after installing Windows to make sure all hardware and peripheral devices are set up correctly.
Network connections
This is another of those transferred from the control panel to the general configuration tool. It reports the status of the connection to the Internet and/or local network, with direct access to manage the connections available on a computer, Ethernet LAN or wireless networks. You can also update the driver here, manage the Windows firewall or fix network problems.
Disk Management
It displays the mass storage drives connected to the computer and provides tools for changing drive letters, formatting, shrinking or growing partitions, and the like. Disk Manager may seem old fashioned but it also offers modern Windows features like the ability to create virtual hard drives VHDs and is a must for managing storage drives and partitions.
Team management
Another old school classic (MMC) tool, a container for various other instruments and could be considered as the spiritual ancestor of the new user menu we are reviewing. It includes access to the task scheduler, event viewer, shared folders, local users and groups, performance, services, and device or disk manager.
Terminal
Once Microsoft defined Windows Terminal as the “definitive” tool to work with the different command line applications active in its operating systems (CMD and Powershell) and has made it the default console of Windows 11, it was logical that it should occupy this position. space in the advanced menu. Like the previous ones, it offers access to the DOS-style command line interface, which allows a user to give instructions to the system using a simple line of text.
Terminal (Admin)
The same command line tool above, but with administrator privileges, which allows to complete any task, order or instruction not only at the user level.
Task Manager
Direct access to one of the oldest internal Windows management applications. Microsoft has not stopped improving it with each version and today it goes far beyond the known function to stop hanging tasks and recover the PC as you can see in this user guide.
Setting
Microsoft is not shy about showing its interest in eliminating the control panel in the future and in the latest versions it has replaced access to it directly replacing the modern manager.
File Browser
Little to comment here. Access to an essential internal application to manage files and folders that Microsoft has improved in Windows 11 is in the process of being improved because it has fallen far short of what third-party solutions offer.
Search
Provides direct access to the Windows search tool. It maintains the Modern UI style implemented in Windows 8 and is really superfluous in this menu because it is included by default next to the start button.
Run
Another of the classic Windows tools, which provides a quick method to open programs, managers, files, folders or Internet resources, facilitating interaction with the computer and saving time and effort when working with Windows and its applications.
Shut down or sign out
It is self-descriptive and is currently the only Windows advanced menu item that offers a sub-menu with different options: log off, suspend, shut down, or restart the system.
Desk
It does the same thing as the little button to the right of the taskbar. Minimize open apps and windows to the bar to show the desktop. If you press again, recover what you had open.
In short: a very useful menu that offers shortcuts to some of the most important tools in Microsoft operating systems. There are fewer functions than there were originally and many of them point to the Settings and not to the Control Panel, but it is still interesting for medium and advanced users.
