Windows 11 has a sneaky menu that connects you with key tools.
Windows 11 is full of little menus that allow you to manage your computer’s processes, optimize its systems and troubleshoot any potential errors. However, it can be a nuisance to know all the right hotkeys and where to look for some of the more obscure areas of your device. Luckily, one of the easiest ways to debloat and manage Windows 11 is with a hidden menu you may not have heard of.
This hidden menu goes by a few names, including both the Quick Link Menu and the Windows-X Menu. The latter name is in reference to how you find this secret area, which is by hitting the Win+X keys. Hitting those buttons and opening that menu will allow you to parse a curated selection of other menus and options — granting you access to a myriad of management options in one place.
How to access the Quick Link Menu
If you want to take a glance at this Quick Link Menu, just hit those aforementioned Win+X keys. The menu will then pop up on the left side of your screen, right above where the Windows logo resides on the taskbar. This will reveal a few of the standard features you’ll usually find in the Start menu or pinned to the taskbar — such as Settings, File Explorer, Search, Shutdown options and so on. However, you’ll also find a number of features usually buried in your Settings (including Installed Apps, System, Power Options and Network Connections) or behind other hotkeys (such as Mobility Center, Event Viewer, Disk Management, Computer Management and Task Manager).
You can also customize this Quick Link layout by heading to File Explorer and type %LOCALAPPDATA%MicrosoftWindowsWinX into the address bar. The three folders kept in this area store the shortcuts found in the menu, and you can move the shortcuts around them. You can also rename the apps by renaming these shortcuts, and can add new shortcuts by dragging apps from elsewhere in the File Explorer and into one of these folders.
The best troubleshooting tools in the Quick Link Menu
Those non-Settings options are especially important, as using Windows-X here allows you to forgo memorizing many hotkeys and access some excellent menu features. Task manager is an obvious one, as it’s an important tool in monitoring Windows’ background processes. Task Manager can close non-responsive programs, use its Processes tab to monitor activity, the Startup tab to review processes and disable any inessential resource hogs, and much more.
Similarly, Event Viewer can also help you troubleshoot elusive PC issues, chiefly by running its aptly-named Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. If you’re experiencing random crashes, file corruption, or suspect hardware problems, you can open Event Viewer from the Win+X menu and navigate Window Logs > System > Filter Current Log and select MemoryDiagnostics-Results in the Event Sources section, all of which will give you a readout on any extant issues with your system. Disk Management (which lets you read the status of different disk partitions active on your machine) and the Mobility Center (which, for laptop users, allows you to configure display, keyboard and wireless settings) can help you keep tabs on your computer in similar ways.
