Add Control Panel Shortcut to Win + X Start Button Right-Click Menu in Windows 11
If you have been using Windows for years, you might be accustomed to accessing the Control Panel from the Win + X Start button right-click menu in Windows 10. However, in Windows 11, you won't find the Control Panel in the same menu. This article will show you how to add the Control Panel shortcut back to the Win + X Start button right-click menu in Windows 11.
What is the Win + X Start Button Right-Click Menu?
The Win + X Start button right-click menu, also known as the Power User menu, is a quick way to access several advanced features and settings in Windows. It can be accessed by pressing the Windows key + X on your keyboard or right-clicking the Start button on the taskbar. By default, it includes options such as Device Manager, Control Panel (on Windows 10), Power Options, and Command Prompt, among others.
Where is the Control Panel in Windows 11?
In Windows 11, the Control Panel can still be accessed from the Start menu, but it is no longer included in the Win + X Start button right-click menu by default. This change might confuse users who are used to accessing the Control Panel from the same menu in previous versions of Windows.
How to Add Control Panel Shortcut to Win + X Start Button Right-Click Menu in Windows 11
To add the Control Panel shortcut back to the Win + X Start button right-click menu in Windows 11, follow these steps:
- Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard or right-click the Start button on the taskbar to open the Power User menu.
- Select "Settings" from the menu.
- In the Settings window, click "Personalization" on the left sidebar.
- Click "Taskbar" on the right sidebar.
- Scroll down and click "Turn system icons on or off" under the "Notification area" section.
- Toggle on "Windows Explorer" if it is off.
- Right-click on the taskbar and select "Taskbar settings" from the context menu.
- Scroll down and click "Select which icons appear on the taskbar" under the "Notification area" section.
- Toggle on "File Explorer" if it is off.
// You can also use the following PowerShell script to add the Control Panel shortcut back to the Win + X Start button right-click menu in Windows 11.
$WinXMenu = [Microsoft.Win32.Taskbar.TaskbarManager]::GetTaskbar()
$ControlPanelItem = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application
$ControlPanelItem.Name = "Control Panel"`r`nControl Panel
$ControlPanelItem.Verb = "runas"`r`nOpen
$ControlPanelShortcut = $WinXMenu.GetJumpListItem($ControlPanelItem)
$WinXMenu.UpdateJumpList($ControlPanelShortcut, "Add")
In this article, we have learned about the Win + X Start button right-click menu and how to add the Control Panel shortcut back to it in Windows 11. Although the Control Panel is no longer included in the same menu by default in Windows 11, we can still access it from the Start menu or add it back to the Power User menu using the methods mentioned in this article. We have also included references to books, articles, and online resources for further reading.