Simple Ways to Get to Windows Tools — Using Run or Control Panel
Honestly, one of the fastest ways I’ve found to access all the Windows tools I need is through the Run dialog box. It’s a handy little shortcut that often gets overlooked. Usually, I just press Windows key + R, and voilà — a small input box appears in the corner. That’s where I type commands to open system utilities without wading through menus. It’s funny how much time this saves — I’ve gone from clicking around for ages to just typing a couple of commands and hitting Enter.
If you’re not familiar, typing something like control admintools opens a folder with shortcuts to various admin utilities. I’ve used this many times when I needed quick access to tools like Event Viewer, Services, or Computer Management. If you want to jump straight to services, typing services.msc and pressing Enter usually opens the Services console immediately. Same goes for eventvwr.msc for Event Viewer. These quick commands are gold when troubleshooting or managing your system fast.
Here’s where I’ve run into issues before — sometimes these tools wouldn’t open or prompted for admin rights. If that happens, try launching the Run dialog as Administrator. Right-click the Start button or the search icon, then choose Run as administrator — that extra step can make all the difference. Remember, some of these utilities require elevated permissions, so if you see an “Access Denied” message, that’s probably why. Once I started running the Run box with admin rights for those tools, things ran much smoother.
Another Option — The Control Panel
Alternatively, if I want a more visual way or just can’t remember the exact command, I open the Control Panel. You can do this by clicking the Start menu or pressing the Windows key, then typing “Control Panel.” Yep, it’s still there — probably hidden in the search results. Click on it or press Enter, and a window will pop up. On newer Windows versions, it might open in category view, which can be a bit cluttered. I usually switch it to Large icons from the View by drop-down in the top right, so everything’s clearer and easier to click.
Look for an icon labelled Windows Tools — or sometimes called Administrative Tools depending on your version. Double-click it and you’ll see a list of shortcuts to hidden utilities like Disk Cleanup, Firewall, Device Manager, and more. Interestingly, some of these are also pinned in the Start menu, but I prefer the Control Panel for its organisation. Sometimes, tools are tucked under categories or found in “System and Security,” which can be a bit of a hassle, but they’re usually there.
Click any of those icons to open the utility. Keep in mind, some will prompt for admin rights — a User Account Control (UAC) window will pop up. Just click Yes or enter your admin password. I’ve been there. If you’re doing tasks that affect the whole system, expect these prompts.
Honestly, at first, navigating these routes felt a bit convoluted — like, how do people remember all that? But once you get the hang of it, jumping straight into Windows tools from the Run box or Control Panel becomes second nature. It’s a massive time-saver compared to clicking through menus or hunting for specific settings. Just be aware that some tools require admin privileges, so don’t be surprised if you see a UAC prompt or need to run something as administrator. It can be a bit annoying, but it’s for your system’s security.
Pro tip: if you find yourself doing this often, you can pin your favourite shortcuts to the taskbar or Start menu. Right-click the icon, then select Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar. This way, you can access them with just a single click — no hunting needed. Over time, these shortcuts become real lifesavers, especially when troubleshooting issues.
I hope this helps — it took me a while to realise how simple it is once you know these tricks. Anyway, maybe this saves someone else a weekend of frustration. Good luck tinkering with your Windows setup!