How to Customize the Windows 10 Power User Menu

Right-click on the Start button in Windows 10, and a menu pops up with commands for Power Options, Device Manager, Task Manager, File Explorer, and more. It's known as the Power User Menu because it offers one-click access to some of the more powerful features in Windows.

But what if commands you never use are taking up space in the menu? Or what if your favorite commands aren't there? For example, the April 2017 Windows Creators Update removed Control Panel and replaced it with the Settings command. Maybe you want Control Panel back.

You can tweak the Power User Menu in File Explorer, but there's a limit to how much you can control, and Microsoft doesn't make it easy. Instead, you're better off tapping into a third-party utility called Win+X Menu Editor.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.

Check Out Your Power User Menu

First, right-click on the Start button to see the Power User Menu. Depending on which version of Windows 10 you're running, the commands you see in the menu differ slightly. Also, the changes you make to the Power User Menu won't appear in the menu unless you sign out and then sign back into Windows (or use a special command in the Win+X Menu Editor). And you can use the Win+X Menu Editor to tweak the Power User menu in Windows 8.1 as well.

Download Win+X Menu Editor

You can grab the Win+X Menu Editor from its page at the Winaero website. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the link for "Download Win+X Menu Editor allows you to add or remove Win+X menu items."

Power Menu Shortcuts

Download and then extract the WinXMenuEditorRelease.zip file. From the extracted folder, double-click on the WinXEditor.exe file to launch the program. You'll see three groups of shortcuts listed — Group1, Group2, and Group3. These three groups correspond to the three sections displayed on the Power User menu, going from bottom to top. Each folder contains shortcuts to the various commands.

Delete a Command

Let's try deleting a command first. Maybe you don't use Event Viewer and want to delete that command. In the Group3 folder, Right-click the Event Viewer shortcut and select Remove from the pop-up menu.

Change the Order

Now, maybe you want to change the order of some of the commands. Right-click on a specific command that you want to move. From the pop-up menu, click on "Move to Top" to move it to the top of the menu, "Move to Bottom" to move it to the bottom of the menu, "Move Up" to move it up one spot, or "Move Down" to move it down one spot.

Move to Another Group

You can also move a command to a different group. Perhaps you want to move a command from Group 3 to Group 1 to place it further down in the overall menu. Right-click on a command from Group 3, hover your mouse over "Move to group," and then select "Group 1."

Add a Command

Now let's say you want to add a command. Perhaps you miss the shortcut for Control Panel, which was given the heave-ho in the April Creators Update. Right-click on Group2 and hover your mouse over "Add," and then select "Add a Control Panel Item."

All Control Panel Items

At the window to Add a Control Panel Item, click on the entry for "All Control Panel Items" and click on the Select button.

Customize to Your Liking

You can continue modifying the menu by deleting, moving, and adding items. When you're done and you want to see your new creation, either sign out and then sign back into Windows or simply click on the "Restart Explorer" button in the Win+X Menu Editor. Right-click on the Start button, and you'll see your new and hopefully improved Power User menu.

If you don't like the changes you made, you can revert the menu back to its default condition by clicking on the "Restore defaults" button in the Win+X Menu Editor.

About Our Expert

Lance Whitney

Contributor

My Experience

I've been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I've written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I've also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.

My Areas of Expertise

I've used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I'm well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I'm always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that's become another key area for me.

The Tech I Use

My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it's time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.

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