Use Windows Like a Pro With the Power User Menu
Use Windows Like a Pro With the Power User Menu GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows
C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is the hive in the Windows Registry where you'll find the registry keys associated with the Power User Menu shortcuts. The exact location is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\InboxApp However, one of the easiest ways to remove, reorder, rename, or add items to Power User Menu, is to use a graphical program that can do it for you. One example is Win+X Menu Editor, which lets you add your own programs to the menu as well as Control Panel shortcuts, Administrative Tools items, and other shutdown options like hibernation and switch user. It's also just a click away to restore all the defaults and get the regular Power User Menu back. Hashlnk is another Power User Menu editor that you can download to make changes to the menu. However, it's a command line utility that isn't nearly as easy or quick to use as Win+X Menu Editor. You can learn how to use Hashlnk from The Windows Club.
Use Windows Like a Pro With the Power User Menu
Everything you can do with the Power User Menu in Windows 11, 10, and 8
By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 17, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share EmailIn This Article
Expand Jump to a Section How to Open the WIN+X Menu What's on It? Hotkeys How to Customize Windows 7 Power User Menu The Power User Menu is available by default (you don't have to download it) in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8 as a pop-up menu with shortcuts to management, configuration, and other "power user" Windows tools. It's also referred to as the Windows Tools Menu, Power User Task Menu, Power User Hotkey, WinX Menu, or the WIN+X Menu. "Power Users" is also the name of a group that users can be a part of in Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003. It was removed in Windows Vista and newer Windows operating systems due to the introduction of User Account Control.How to Open the WIN+ X Menu
Power User Menu in Windows 11. You can bring up the Power User Menu with your keyboard by pressing the WIN (Windows) key and the X key together. With a mouse, you can show the Power User Menu by right-clicking the Start button. On a touch-only interface, activate the menu by a press-and-hold action on the Start button or whatever right-click action is available with your stylus. Prior to the Windows 8.1 update to Windows 8, bringing up the Power User Menu was only possible using the keyboard shortcut mentioned above, as well as by right-clicking in the bottom-leftmost corner of the screen.What' s on the Power User Menu
The Power User Menu in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8 includes shortcuts to the following tools: Windows 11 Windows 10 Windows 8 Apps and Features (F) • • Programs and Features (F) • Mobility Center1 (B) • • • Power Options (O) • • • Event Viewer (V) • • • System (Y) • • Device Manager (M) • • • Network Connections3 (W) • • • Disk Management (K) • • • Computer Management (G) • • • Command Prompt2 (C) • • Command Prompt (Admin)2 (A) • • Windows Terminal (I) • Windows Terminal (Admin) (A) • Task Manager (T) • • • Settings (N) • • Control Panel (P) • File Explorer (E) • • • Search (S) • • • Run (R) • • • Shut down or sign out3 (U, then I, S, U, R) • • • Desktop (D) • • •Power User Menu Hotkeys
Each Power User Menu shortcut has its own quick access key, or hotkey that, when pressed, opens that particular shortcut without needing to click or tap it. The shortcut key is identified next to the corresponding item above. With the Power User Menu already open, just use one of those keys to immediately open that shortcut. For the Shut down or sign out option, you have to first press U to open the submenu, and then I to sign out, S to sleep, U to shut down, or R to restart the computer. The hotkeys are usable only if you trigger the Power User Menu with the keyboard (WIN+X).How to Customize the WIN+ X Menu
The Power User Menu can be customized by rearranging or removing shortcuts within the various Group folders contained within this directory:C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is the hive in the Windows Registry where you'll find the registry keys associated with the Power User Menu shortcuts. The exact location is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\InboxApp However, one of the easiest ways to remove, reorder, rename, or add items to Power User Menu, is to use a graphical program that can do it for you. One example is Win+X Menu Editor, which lets you add your own programs to the menu as well as Control Panel shortcuts, Administrative Tools items, and other shutdown options like hibernation and switch user. It's also just a click away to restore all the defaults and get the regular Power User Menu back. Hashlnk is another Power User Menu editor that you can download to make changes to the menu. However, it's a command line utility that isn't nearly as easy or quick to use as Win+X Menu Editor. You can learn how to use Hashlnk from The Windows Club.