Administrative Tools are Windows Tools Now on Windows 11

The Administrative Tools are Windows Tools Now on Windows 11. Let’s check the updated List of New Windows Tools in Windows 11. Microsoft has changed the name of Administrative tools to Windows tools.

Windows Tools help IT administrators manage devices that allow quick access to perform computer-management tasks and manage several operating system parameters for quick troubleshooting.

You can use these tools to manage a local or remote computer, making it easy to view administrative properties and gain access. All devices are placed in a folder that contains shortcuts to Windows, where the tools are located.

To quickly access it, Double-clicking one of these shortcuts will start that tool, as explained below. There are different ways to open Administrative Tools on Windows 11. Let’s explore the option.

Microsoft has renamed the Administrative tools folder in Start to Windows Tools starting with Windows 10 build 21343 release to better organize all the admin and system tools. The tools in the folder might vary depending on which edition of Windows you are using.

What are the Windows Tools in Windows 11?

It is a folder that contains tools for system administrators and advanced users such as developers. There are around 38 Tools available. The devices are located within the folder C:\Windows\System32\ or its subfolders. Here’s the list of commonly used tools.

• Windows Terminal
• Character Map
• Command Prompt
• Component Services
• Computer Management
• Control Panel
• Defragment and Optimize Drives
• Disk Cleanup
• Event Viewer
• iSCSI Initiator
• Local Security Policy

The resource monitor and other tools mentioned in the below list are very helpful in troubleshooting Windows 11 issues. It might not necessarily lead to the solution, but this will guide you in the correct direction.

• ODBC Data Sources
• Performance Monitor
• Power Automate
• Print Management
• Quick Assist
• Recovery Drive
• Registry Editor
• Remote Desktop Connection
• Resource Monitor

Some of the Windows Tools in this section are elephants in the room. Because some of them are the most used admin tools in Windows. For example, Task Manager, Run, etc.

• Run
• Services
• Steps Recorder
• System Configuration
• System Information
• Task Manager
• Task Scheduler
• Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
• Windows Fax and Scan
• Windows Media Player
• Windows Memory Diagnostic
• Windows PowerShell
• Windows PowerShell ISE

How to Open Windows Tools using the Search option on Windows 11

Let’s check how to Open Windows Tools using the Search option on Windows 11. Here’s how you can quickly access Tools from Search.

• In Device, Click on the Search icon located at the taskbar or Press Windows Key + S keyboard shortcut to open Windows search.
• Type Windows Tools into the search box.
• Click on Open to launch.

Open Windows Tools from Control Panel

You can still use the old method to open Windows Tools from Control Panel on Windows 11 device. Let’s follow the steps below to open Tools from Control Panel.

• In Windows 11 device, Open Control Panel, and Make sure you’re viewing the control panel in either the Small or Large Icons view.
• Here, you can see Windows Tools appears at the bottom. Click on to open Tools.

You will be redirected to the folder, and Here you can see the available tools to make IT Admin life easier.

Open Windows Tools from File Explorer

Let’s see how to access Windows Tools from file explorer. Here’s how you can access Tools from file explorer with the steps below.

• In Windows 11 Device, Open File Explorer or Press Windows + E keyboard shortcut to directly jump to this section.
• Click on the address bar of File Explorer. Type or directly Copy and paste the path below into the address bar, and press Enter.

%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Tools.

The Windows 11 File Explorer is the path to open Windows Tools or Administrative Tools from Windows 11 PC.

Here, you will be redirected to the Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ folder with Windows Tools or Administrative Tools shortcuts lists.

Windows 11 Tool ARP

Let’s see what the tool ARP EXE is? ARP Displays and modifies the IP-to-Physical address translation tables used by address resolution protocol (ARP).

Displays current ARP entries by interrogating the current protocol data. If inet_addr is specified, the IP and Physical addresses for only the specified computer are displayed. If more than one network interface uses ARP, entries for each ARP table are displayed.

Displays current ARP entries in verbose mode.

List of Windows 11 EXE Tools Available in Windows/System32 Folder

I have seen many deprecated EXE of Windows in that folder. I think Microsoft will remove these folders later with some of the new versions of Windows OS.

The AT EXE – The AT command has been deprecated. Please use schtasks exe instead. The request is not supported.

Bcdboot – Bcd boot file creation and repair tool. The bcdboot exe command-line tool is used to copy critical boot files to the system partition and create a new BCD store.

BCDEDIT – Boot Configuration Data Store Editor. The Bcdedit exe command-line tool modifies the boot configuration data store. The boot configuration data store contains boot configuration parameters and
controls how the operating system is booted.

These parameters were previously in the Boot INI file (in BIOS-based operating systems) or in the nonvolatile
RAM entries (in Extensible Firmware Interface-based operating systems). You can use bcdedit exe to add, delete, edit, and append entries in the boot configuration data store.

Windows 11 Bitlocker Change PIN Tool (bdechangepin exe) is also available on Windows 11 PC.

Following is the list of EXEs available on the Windows 11 Windows/System32 folder. You can consider most of these exes as internal Windows tools.

agentactivationruntimestarter

AgentService

AggregatorHost

aitstatic

alg

AppHostRegistrationVerifier

appidcertstorecheck

appidpolicyconverter

appidtel

ApplicationFrameHost

ApplySettingsTemplateCatalog

ApplyTrustOffline

ApproveChildRequest

AppVClient

AppVDllSurrogate

AppVNice

AppVShNotify

ARP

AssignedAccessGuard

at

AtBroker

attrib

audiodg

auditpol

AuthHost

autochk

AxInstUI

baaupdate

backgroundTaskHost

BackgroundTransferHost

bash

bcdboot

bcdedit

bdechangepin

BdeHdCfg

BdeUISrv

bdeunlock

BioIso

BitLockerDeviceEncryption

BitLockerWizard

BitLockerWizardElev

bitsadmin

bootim

bootsect

bridgeunattend

browserexport

browser_broker

bthudtask

ByteCodeGenerator

cacls

calc

CameraSettingsUIHost

CastSrv

CCG

CertEnrollCtrl

certreq

certutil

CExecSvc

change

changepk

charmap

CheckNetIsolation

chglogon

chgport

chgusr

chkdsk

chkntfs

choice

CIDiag

cipher

cleanmgr

cliconfg

clip

ClipDLS

ClipRenew

ClipUp

CloudExperienceHostBroker

CloudNotifications

cmd

cmdiag

cmdkey

cmdl32

cmimageworker

cmmon32

cmproxyd

cmstp

cofire

colorcpl

comp

compact

CompatTelRunner

CompMgmtLauncher

CompPkgSrv

ComputerDefaults

conhost

consent

control

convert

convertvhd

coredpussvr

CredentialEnrollmentManager

CredentialUIBroker

credwiz

cscript

csrss

ctfmon

cttune

cttunesvr

curl

CustomInstallExec

CustomShellHost

dasHost

DataExchangeHost

DataStoreCacheDumpTool

dccw

dcomcnfg

ddodiag

Defrag

deploymentcsphelper

desktopimgdownldr

DeviceCensus

DeviceCredentialDeployment

DeviceEject

DeviceEnroller

DevicePairingWizard

DeviceProperties

DFDWiz

dfrgui

dialer

directxdatabaseupdater

diskpart

diskperf

diskraid

DiskSnapshot

diskusage

Dism

dispdiag

DisplaySwitch

djoin

dllhost

dllhst3g

dmcertinst

dmcfghost

dmclient

DmNotificationBroker

DmOmaCpMo

dnscacheugc

doskey

dpapimig

DpiScaling

dpnsvr

driverquery

drvinst

DsmUserTask

dsregcmd

dstokenclean

dtdump

dusmtask

dvdplay

dwm

DWWIN

dxdiag

dxgiadaptercache

Dxpserver

Eap3Host

EaseOfAccessDialog

easinvoker

EASPolicyManagerBrokerHost

EDPCleanup

edpnotify

EduPrintProv

efsui

EhStorAuthn

EM

EoAExperiences

esentutl

eudcedit

eventcreate

eventvwr

expand

extrac32

fc

fhmanagew

FileHistory

find

findstr

finger

fixmapi

fltMC

fodhelper

Fondue

fontdrvhost

fontview

forfiles

fsavailux

FsIso

fsquirt

fsutil

ftp

fvenotify

fveprompt

FXSCOVER

FXSSVC

FXSUNATD

GameBarPresenceWriter

GamePanel

GenValObj

getmac

gpresult

gpscript

gpupdate

grpconv

hcsdiag

hdwwiz

help

hnsdiag

HOSTNAME

hvax64

hvc

hvix64

hvsievaluator

hvsiproxyapp

HvsiSettingsWorker

icacls

IcsEntitlementHost

icsunattend

ie4uinit

ie4ushowIE

IESettingSync

ieUnatt

iexpress

immersivetpmvscmgrsvr

InfDefaultInstall

InputSwitchToastHandler

iotstartup

ipconfig

iscsicli

iscsicpl

ISM

isoburn

klist

ksetup

ktmutil

la57setup

label

LanguageComponentsInstallerComHandler

LaunchTM

LaunchWinApp

LegacyNetUXHost

LicenseManagerShellext

licensingdiag

LicensingUI

LocationNotificationWindows

Locator

LockAppHost

LockScreenContentServer

lodctr

logagent

logman

logoff

LogonUI

lpkinstall

lpksetup

lpremove

LsaIso

lsass

Magnify

makecab

manage-bde

mavinject

mblctr

MBR2GPT

mcbuilder

MDEServer

MDMAgent

MDMAppInstaller

MdmDiagnosticsTool

MdRes

MdSched

mfpmp

Microsoft

Microsoft

MicrosoftEdgeBCHost

MicrosoftEdgeCP

MicrosoftEdgeDevTools

MicrosoftEdgeSH

mmc

mmgaserver

mobsync

MoNotificationUx

mountvol

mpnotify

MpSigStub

MRINFO

MRT

MSchedExe

msconfig

msdt

msdtc

msfeedssync

msg

mshta

msiexec

msinfo32

msra

MsSpellCheckingHost

mstsc

mtstocom

MuiUnattend

MultiDigiMon

MusNotification

MusNotificationUx

MusNotifyIcon

Narrator

nbtstat

ndadmin

NDKPerfCmd

NDKPing

net

net1

netbtugc

netcfg

NetCfgNotifyObjectHost

NetEvtFwdr

NetHost

netiougc

Netplwiz

netsh

NETSTAT

newdev

NgcIso

nltest

nmbind

nmscrub

notepad

nslookup

ntkrla57

ntoskrnl

ntprint

nvspinfo

odbcad32

odbcconf

ofdeploy

omadmclient

omadmprc

openfiles

OpenWith

OptionalFeatures

osk

pacjsworker

PackagedCWALauncher

PackageInspector

PasswordOnWakeSettingFlyout

PATHPING

pcalua

pcaui

pcwrun

perfmon

phoneactivate

PickerHost

PinEnrollmentBroker

PING

PkgMgr

PktMon

plasrv

PnPUnattend

pnputil

poqexec

pospaymentsworker

powercfg

PresentationHost

PresentationSettings

prevhost

print

PrintBrmUi

printfilterpipelinesvc

PrintIsolationHost

printui

proquota

provlaunch

provtool

ProximityUxHost

prproc

psr

pwlauncher

qappsrv

qprocess

query

quickassist

quser

qwinsta

rasautou

rasdial

raserver

rasphone

rdpclip

rdpinit

rdpinput

RdpSa

RdpSaProxy

RdpSaUacHelper

rdpshell

rdpsign

rdrleakdiag

ReAgentc

recdisc

recover

RecoveryDrive

refsutil

reg

regedt32

regini

Register-CimProvider

regsvr32

rekeywiz

relog

RelPost

RemoteAppLifetimeManager

RemotePosWorker

repair-bde

replace

reset

ResetEngine

resmon

RMActivate

RMActivate_isv

RMActivate_ssp

RMActivate_ssp_isv

RmClient

rmttpmvscmgrsvr

Robocopy

ROUTE

RpcPing

rrinstaller

rstrui

runas

rundll32

runexehelper

RunLegacyCPLElevated

runonce

RuntimeBroker

rwinsta

sacsess

sc

schtasks

ScriptRunner

sdbinst

sdchange

sdclt

sdiagnhost

SearchFilterHost

SearchIndexer

SearchProtocolHost

SecEdit

secinit

securekernel

securekernella57

SecurityHealthHost

SecurityHealthService

SecurityHealthSystray

SensorDataService

services

sessionmsg

sethc

setspn

setupcl

setupugc

setx

sfc

SgrmBroker

SgrmLpac

ShellAppRuntime

shrpubw

shutdown

sigverif

SIHClient

sihost

SlideToShutDown

slui

smartscreen

smss

SndVol

snmptrap

sort

SpaceAgent

spaceman

spaceutil

SpatialAudioLicenseSrv

Spectrum

spoolsv

SppExtComObj

sppsvc

srdelayed

SrTasks

stordiag

subst

svchost

sxstrace

SyncAppvPublishingServer

SyncHost

SysResetErr

systeminfo

SystemPropertiesAdvanced

SystemPropertiesComputerName

SystemPropertiesDataExecutionPrevention

SystemPropertiesHardware

SystemPropertiesPerformance

SystemPropertiesProtection

SystemPropertiesRemote

systemreset

SystemSettingsAdminFlows

SystemSettingsBroker

SystemSettingsRemoveDevice

SystemUWPLauncher

systray

tabcal

takeown

TapiUnattend

tar

taskhostw

taskkill

tasklist

Taskmgr

tcblaunch

tcmsetup

TCPSVCS

ThumbnailExtractionHost

TieringEngineService

timeout

TokenBrokerCookies

TpmInit

TpmTool

tpmvscmgr

tpmvscmgrsvr

tracerpt

TRACERT

tscon

tsdiscon

tskill

TSTheme

TSWbPrxy

ttdinject

tttracer

typeperf

tzsync

tzutil

ucsvc

UevAgentPolicyGenerator

UevAppMonitor

UevTemplateBaselineGenerator

UevTemplateConfigItemGenerator

UIMgrBroker

unlodctr

unregmp2

upfc

UpgradeResultsUI

upnpcont

UPPrinterInstaller

UserAccountBroker

UserAccountControlSettings

UserDataSource

userinit

UsoClient

UtcDecoderHost

Utilman

VaultCmd

vds

vdsldr

verclsid

verifier

verifiergui

vmcompute

VmComputeAgent

vmconnect

vmms

vmplatformca

vmsp

vmwp

vssadmin

VSSVC

w32tm

WaaSMedicAgent

waitfor

WallpaperHost

wbadmin

wbengine

wcsetupagent

wecutil

WerFault

WerFaultSecure

wermgr

wevtutil

wextract

WFS

where

whoami

wiaacmgr

wiawow64

wifitask

wimserv

WinBioDataModelOOBE

Windows

Windows

WindowsActionDialog

WindowsSandbox

WindowsSandboxClient

WindowsUpdateElevatedInstaller

wininit

winload

winlogon

winresume

winrs

winrshost

WinRTNetMUAHostServer

WinSAT

winver

wkspbroker

wksprt

wlanext

wlrmdr

WMPDMC

WorkFolders

wowreg32

WpcMon

WpcTok

WPDShextAutoplay

wpnpinst

wpr

write

WSCollect

wscript

wsl

wslconfig

wslg

WSManHTTPConfig

wsmprovhost

wsqmcons

WSReset

wuapihost

wuauclt

WUDFCompanionHost

WUDFHost

wusa

WWAHost

XblGameSaveTask

xcopy

xwizard

Author

About Author – Jitesh, Microsoft MVP, has over five years of working experience in the IT Industry. He writes and shares his experiences related to Microsoft device management technologies and IT Infrastructure management. His primary focus is Windows 10 Deployment solution with Configuration Manager, Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT), and Microsoft Intune.