Power user menu options of Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 already has a Start menu of sorts buried under a right-click on the Start button in the lower left corner. Commonly known as the power user menu, this menu is a popular option to quickly shut down a PC since it’s much simpler than clicking on the Settings charm.

There’s more to the power user menu than just turning off your computer, however. Here are three features from the power user menu that every Windows 8.1 user should know about. 

Deleting programs

At the top of the menu is an option called Programs and Features, which gives you direct access to the Control Panel option for uninstalling programs.

Keep in mind the Control Panel uninstall option only works for desktop apps. If you want to uninstall a modern UI app you have to visit the Start screen or all apps screen, right-click the app, and select Uninstall. 

Managing tasks

The traditional way to get to the Task Manager is to tap Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Over the years, however, Microsoft has changed this option from a keyboard shortcut to a full-blown menu with other options such as shutting down and locking your PC.

So a slightly quicker route to the Task Manager is to access it under the power user menu. From there you can quickly see which app is hogging all your processor power or shut down a non-responsive app. 

Control Panel

Right below the Task Manager is an option to open the Control Panel. It feels like there are a thousand ways to open the Control Panel in Windows 8.1 including through the Settings charm, the desktop view in File Explorer, and the all apps screen.

As far as I’m concerned, however, the fastest and easiest way to get there is to right-click on the Start button (or tap the Windows logo key + “X” if you want to get really fancy).

Share :

Tweet

✚

Related Post