6 Best Ways to Access Windows Tools on Windows 11

Windows Tools carries useful utilities like Event Viewer, Task Scheduler, and System Configuration Tool, organized into a folder for easy access. You can use this folder to use important utilities that help configure vital system settings or troubleshoot issues on Windows.

In Window 10, Microsoft labels them as Administrative Tools. However, the same folder name changes to Windows Tools in Windows 11. It packs several useful utilities and programs, but accessing all of them is a bit tricky. To make it easy for you, we have compiled the best ways to access Windows Tools folder on Windows 11.

1. Access Windows Tools Using Run

The Run Tool in Windows comes in handy to quickly access the Registry Editor, the Group Policy Editor, Command Prompt, or run specific commands. Besides that, you can also use it to access Windows Tools on Windows 11.

Here’s how you can do that:

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys together to access the Run Tool.

Step 2: In the Run dialog that appears, type control admintools. Click OK or press Enter.

Note: Though Microsoft changed the name of Administrative Tools in Windows 10 to Windows Tool in Windows 11, the command to open the latter continues to be the same.

Step 3: When a Windows Tools folder opens, double-click on the tool you want to use.

2. Access Windows Tools Using the File Explorer

File Explorer makes it pretty easy to manage files and folders on your computer. However, its function isn’t only limited to managing files and folders. You can also use it to quickly launch useful utilities such as the Windows Tools on your PC.

Here’s how you can access Windows Tools using File Explorer on your computer:

Step 1: Press the Windows + E keys on your keyboard to open the File Explorer.

Step 2: In the File Explorer window that opens, click on the Address bar, paste the path mentioned below, and press Enter:

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Windows Tools

That’ll open the Windows Tools window.

3. Access Windows Tools From the Control Panel

Yet another handy place you can easily find and access the Windows Tools is through the classic Control Panel. Just follow the steps mentioned below to open the Control Panel and easily access the Windows Tools on your Windows 11 computer.

Step 1: Press the Windows + S keys to open Windows Search and type Control Panel. Then, from the results for the Control Panel, click on Open.

Step 2: On the Control Panel window that opens, click on the Category drop-down and select Large icons.

Step 3: Scroll down and click on the Windows Tools option.

Double-click on any tool you want to access from the Window Tools window that appears.

4. Access Windows Tools by Creating a Desktop Shortcut

If you need to access the Windows Tools frequently, you can easily pin it to the desktop as a shortcut.

Here’s how you can create a custom desktop shortcut on Windows 11 that opens the Windows Tools folder:

Step 1: Right-click anywhere on the desktop to open the context menu. Then click on New, followed by Shortcut. 

Step 2: Copy and paste the following path into the text field. Then click on Next.

explorer.exe shell:::{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524153}

Step 3: Click on the text field and name the shortcut Windows Tools or Admin Tools. Click Finish to create the shortcut.

When that shortcut appears on the desktop, you can double-click it to open the Windows Tools folder directly.

5. Access Windows Tools Using Command Prompt

Whether you need to process batch files, format USB drives, access certain tools and utilities, or perform any other important tasks on your Windows computer, Command Prompt can do it all.

Here’s how you can use the Command Prompt to access Windows Tools on your computer:

Step 1: Press the Windows + S keys to launch Windows Search and type Command Prompt. From the results for the Command Prompt, click on Run as administrator.

Step 2: When a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, click on Yes.

Step 3: Type the following command and press Enter to access the Windows Tools:

control admintools

As soon as you press Enter on your keyboard, the Windows Tools window will appear on your computer’s screen.

6. Access Windows Tools Using Windows PowerShell

Apart from Command Prompt, you can also use Windows PowerShell to execute almost all administrative tasks on your PC or launch important system utilities.

Here’s how you can use Windows PowerShell to access the Administrative Tools on your Windows 11 PC:

Step 1: Press the Windows + S keys to open Windows Search and type Windows PowerShell. Then, from the results for the Windows PowerShell, click on Run as administrator.

Step 2: When a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, click on Yes.

Step 3: Type the following command and press Enter to access the Windows Tools:

control admintools

That’ll open the Windows Tools window.

Quickly Access Windows Tools on Windows 11

You can easily follow any of the methods listed above to quickly access Windows Tools on any Windows 11 PC and launch other useful utilities using it. Let us know which method you think was the easiest or if there’s any faster and better way to access Windows Tools on Windows 11.