Add Administrative Tools to Your Windows Start Menu

Did you just notice that the Administrative Tools folder is missing from your Start Menu, or can you not find crucial tools such as Event Viewer, Performance Monitor, or the Advance Firewall quickly from your start menu search?  Here’s how to add it back in 10 seconds.

[box type="info"]This demo was done on Windows 7 Professional, but it works the exact same in all versions of Vista and Windows 7, and is almost the exact same in Windows XP.

Get your Administrative Tools

Right click on your start menu, and select Properties.

Alternately, you can click any empty area of the start menu itself, and select Properties.

Now, select the Start Menu tab, and click Customize.

Scroll down to the System administrative tools section, and choose whether you want to display it on the All Programs menu or on the front of the Start Menu as well.  I personally keep it in the All Programs menu, but the choice is yours!  Click Ok to save your settings.

Now, when you open the All Programs part of your Start Menu, you’ll see the Administrative Tools folder you were looking for, with all of your missing tools!  You can also now quickly find anything in this folder from the Start Menu search.

Alternately, if you chose to add it to your Start Menu directly, here’s how it will look.

Now you’ve got quick access to your administrative tools back in your Start Menu where it belongs.  This should be the default setting in Windows, especially in the Professional and Ultimate editions, but for some reason, it’s hidden by default.  At any rate, it’s easy to get it back the way it should be.  Enjoy!

Thoughts? @reply me on Twitter.