How to Open Administrative Tools in Windows 10


Administrative Tools is a folder in Control Panel that contains tools for system administrators and advanced users. The tools in the folder might vary depending on which edition of Windows you are using.

Starting in Windows 10 build 21343, Microsoft changed the name of the Windows Administrative Tools folder in Start to Windows Tools as part of an effort to better organize all the admin and system tools in Windows 10.

Starting in Windows 10 build 21354, the Windows Accessories, Windows Administrative Tools, Windows PowerShell, and Windows System folders have now been removed from Start and the apps within these folders can now be accessed via the Windows Tools entry point that directs to the full apps list in File Explorer. All these apps will still appear in via search, launch via any method, can be pinned to Start or taskbar, and any customized shortcuts in the folder paths will remain intact. Also, File Explorer has been moved into its own place in the Start menu as part of this work.

This tutorial will show you different ways for how to open Administrative Tools in Windows 10.

Some common administrative tools in this folder include:

Administrative Tool	Description
Component Services	Configure and administer Component Object Model (COM) components. Component Services is designed for use by developers and administrators.
Computer Management	Manage local or remote computers by using a single, consolidated desktop tool. Using Computer Management, you can perform many tasks, such as monitoring system events, configuring hard disks, and managing system performance.
Defragment and Optimize Drives	Use Defragment and Optimize drives to help your computer run more efficiently. Windows automatically defragments and optimizes drives as part of regular maintenance.
Disk Cleanup	Reduce the number of unnecessary files on your computer's drives. It deletes temporary files, empties the Recycle Bin, and removes many other items that you might no longer need. Windows automatically runs Disk Cleanup as part of regular maintenance.
Event Viewer	View information about significant events, such as a program starting or stopping, or a security error, which are recorded in event logs.
Hyper-V Manager	Provides management access to your virtualization platform.
iSCSI Initiator	Configure advanced connections between storage devices on a network.
Local Security Policy	View and edit Group Policy security settings.
ODBC Data Sources	Use Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) to move data from one type of database (a data source) to another.
Performance Monitor	View advanced system information about the central processing unit (CPU), memory, hard disk, and network performance.
Print Management	Manage printers and print servers on a network and perform other administrative tasks.
Resource Monitor	See how your system resources are being used by processes and services. Resource Monitor can help you analyze unresponsive processes, identify which apps are using files, and manage processes and services.
Services	Manage the different services that run in the background on your computer.
System Configuration	Identify problems that might be preventing Windows from running correctly.
System Information	View details about your computer, operating system, hardware, and software, including drivers—also known as msinfo32.exe.
Task Scheduler	Schedule programs or other tasks to run automatically.
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security	Configure advanced firewall settings on both this computer and remote computers on your network.
Windows Memory Diagnostic	Check your computer's memory to see if it's functioning properly.

Contents

• Option One: Open Administrative Tools from All Apps
• Option Two: Open Administrative Tools from Control Panel
• Option Three: Open Administrative Tools in File Explorer

EXAMPLE: Administrative Tools


EXAMPLE: Windows Tools

OPTION ONE

Open Administrative Tools from All Apps

1 Open All apps in your Start menu .

2 Scroll down and click/tap on Windows Tools (build 21343 and later) OR expand open Windows Administrative Tools (before build 21343), and click/tap on the administrative tool you want to open. (see screenshot below)

OPTION TWO

Open Administrative Tools from Control Panel

1 Open the Control Panel (icons view).

2 Click/tap on the Administrative Tools (before build 21343) or Windows Tools (build 21343 and later) icon. (see screenshot below)

OPTION THREE

Open Administrative Tools in File Explorer

1 Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2 Copy and paste the path below into the address bar in File Explorer, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)

Windows Administrative Tools (before build 21343)
%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Administrative Tools

OR

Windows Tools (build 21343 and later)
%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Tools

That's it,
Shawn

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