Windows 8 is considered one of the fiascos in Microsoft’s operating systems, but it released some interesting features that have been preserved in subsequent versions. He was one of them Windows power menu which became known as the Windows Extended Menu.

This interface feature was absolutely necessary in Windows 8 because, if you remember, someone at Microsoft decided not to include the Start menu, which caused a lot of controversy. The company brought it back in Windows 8.1 and later, but kept the advanced menu, and it’s also available in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Rightly so, in our opinion, as it’s very useful for Quick access to the main internal tools.

The advanced menu, like many other elements of the Windows interface, cannot be customized. In addition, the strategy of moving functions from the classic Control Panel to the general Settings tool deprived us of some tools that were previously available. In any case, what has been said is very useful, as you will see below.

Advanced Windows menu

Accessing this feature couldn’t be easier as it is simply activated by right-clicking the Start button. And if you use keyboard shortcuts, just as simple, press the “Windows + X” keys.

From there you will see a context menu offering quick access to various functions which many users use frequently. The current Windows 10 is the one you see in the picture:

The Windows 11 version is very similar, except for some changes in the name and a change in access to the Windows console, which, as you know, Microsoft has re-unified in the new Terminal:

Let’s review the available features and their description:

Installed applications

Go to the page with the same name of the System Configuration tool. It used to be much more powerful because it accessed the Control Panel, which, in addition to adding or removing programs, provided quick access to enable/disable Windows features and the Installed Updates interface. The changes have to do with the transfer of the mentioned functions from the control panel, which Microsoft considers obsolete, and therefore its removal or reduction to a minimum.

Mobility Center.

(Battery powered devices only). You’ll see it on your laptop to manage screen brightness, volume or sync profiles, in addition to battery status and mode used.

Energy options

Open the Start/Sleep/Sleep tab of Settings. The latest versions of Windows include a slider that easily allows you to go from maximum power saving mode to maximum performance. Within the page, there is direct access to the additional classic control panel energy configurator.

Event Viewer

A classic administrative tool from the suite that includes Microsoft Management Console (MMC), which helps find and fix Windows and application problems, including blue screens and other problems.

System

If you previously accessed the classic dashboard, it now points to the “About” page of the Modern Settings tool. Provides information about the computer, including the edition of Windows installed and the version Windows Experience Index, activation status as well as a list of some hardware components, processor or RAM. The same page contains shortcuts to related advanced options such as Remote Desktop, BitLocker, or System Version Change/Activation.

Device Manager

It’s one of the few parts of Windows 11’s advanced menu that continues to point to the classic Control Panel manager. One of the oldest Windows utilities that identifies every computer hardware component 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 ensure that all hardware devices and peripherals are properly configured.

Network connections

This is another move from the control panel to the general configuration tool. It reports the status of Internet and/or local network connections with direct access to manage connections available on a computer, Ethernet LAN, or wireless networks. You can also update your driver, manage Windows Firewall, or troubleshoot network issues here.

Disk management

It shows the mass storage drives connected to the computer and provides tools for changing drive letters, formatting, shrinking or expanding partitions, and more. Disk Manager may seem old-fashioned, but it also offers modern Windows features such as the ability to create VHD virtual hard drives and is essential for managing storage drives and partitions.

Team management

Another old-school classic (MMC), a container for several other tools that could be considered a spiritual predecessor to the new user menu we’re reviewing. Includes access to 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 for working with the various command line applications active in its operating systems (CMD and Powershell) and made it the default console of Windows 11, it was logical that it occupies this place in the advanced menu. Like the previous one, it offers access to a DOS-style command line interface that allows the user to enter system instructions using a simple line of text.

Terminal (Admin)

The same command line tool as above, but with administrator rights, allowing you to complete any task, order or instruction, not just 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 well-known feature of stopping tasks from hanging and restarting the computer, as you can see in this user guide.

Settings

Microsoft is not shy about showing interest in eliminating the control panel in the future and in recent versions has replaced access to it with a direct replacement for the modern manager.

File browser

Not much to comment on here. Access to the core internal file and folder management app that Microsoft improved in Windows 11 is in the process of being improved as it has fallen far below what third-party solutions offer.

Search

Provides a shortcut to Windows Search. It retains the modern UI style implemented in Windows 8 and is really redundant in this menu as it is included by default next to the start button.

Execute

Another of the classic Windows tools that provides a quick way to open programs, managers, files, folders or Internet resources, facilitates interaction with the computer and saves time and effort when working with Windows and its applications.

Turn off or log out

It is self-explanatory and is currently the only Windows advanced menu item that offers a submenu with different options: log off, suspend, shut down, or restart the system.

Bench

It works just like the small button on the right side of the taskbar. Minimizes open applications and windows to the bar to display the desktop. If you press again, it restores everything you had open.

In short: a very useful menu that offers shortcuts to some of the most important tools of Microsoft operating systems. There are fewer features than there were originally, and many now point to Settings rather than Control Panel, but it’s still interesting for intermediate and advanced users.