How to access Advanced Options quickly on Windows 10 devices

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 27, 2019
Windows, Windows 10
|
13

If you wanted to access the advanced boot options in Windows 7, all you had to do was press F8 on the keyboard during boot to load the boot menu.

Microsoft changed the boot process significantly in Windows 8 and rendered F8 more or less useless as a consequence. While you may still use F8, you have less than a second of time to do so and it usually does not work anymore even if you press the key a dozen or so times during boot.

Tip: check out our guide on shutting down Windows fast.

In Windows 10, administrators need to open the Settings application, e.g. from Start or by using Windows-I, and select Update & Security> Recovery > Restart Now (under Advanced Startup).

Administrators who want to speed up the process may use a shortcut instead to load the Advanced Options.

windows 10 advanced options shortcut

Here is what you need to do to create the shortcut:

  1. Right-click on the desktop (or any other location) and select New > Shortcut.
  2. Paste the following String in the location field: c:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe /r /o /f /t 00
  3. Pick a name (or keep the default) on the next page.

What do the parameters do?

  • /r -- Full shutdown and restart of the computer.
  • /o -- Go to the advanced boot options menu and restart the computer (must be used with /r)
  • /f -- Force applications to close without displaying a warning to users.
  • /t 00 -- Time-out period before shutdown in seconds.

You can adjust the time-out period if you want a bit of time before the PC is restarted when executing the shortcut. The command can also be run from the command prompt directly without creating a shortcut.

A click on the shortcut restarts the system immediately. Make sure to save all work and (better) close all application windows that are open before you execute the shortcut.

The shortcut loads the "choose an option" menu during boot. You may continue to boot Windows 10 or access the Troubleshoot menu. The menu lists options to reset the PC or open the advanced options.

The advanced options lists the following menu items:

  • Startup Repair
  • Startup Settings
  • Command Prompt
  • Uninstall Updates
  • System Restore
  • System Image Recovery

Closing Words

The shortcut is one of the fastest options to restart a Windows 10 device and load the advanced startup options during start of the system.

Now You: Have you loaded the advanced startup options recently on Windows machines?

Summary
How to access Advanced Options quickly on Windows 10 devices
Article Name
How to access Advanced Options quickly on Windows 10 devices
Description
Find out how to open the Advanced Options during start of PCs running Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system quickly.
Author
Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Dick Evans said on November 28, 2019 at 4:36 pm
    Reply
  2. Dick Evans said on November 28, 2019 at 4:32 pm
    Reply

    If you can’t get to a screen that allows Shift+Restart, you can shutdown by holding the power button down until the system turns off. Do this 3 times in succession and Windows will open the Advanced Options window.

  3. Franck said on November 27, 2019 at 6:15 pm
    Reply

    Great article and excellent comments, thanks a lot guys !

  4. Magnoliabloomer said on November 27, 2019 at 3:21 pm
    Reply

    Will have to try it…and use either this shortcut or Shift and Restart (probably both, why not)…as I’ve never bothered to find out how to access Adv. Opt. on Win. 10 if I needed it, except from Settings. But what if you shut down innocently, then unexpectedly it fails to start up next time…I think then if it fails enough times the Adv. Opt. screen will finally open…any shorter way?

  5. hmm said on November 27, 2019 at 2:51 pm
    Reply

    MS has really slowly dumbed down Windows.

  6. stefann said on November 27, 2019 at 12:34 pm
    Reply

    In Windows 8.1, if You did dualboot with an older operatingsystem, You put the legacy operatingsystem to be the default start and You got the legacy boot menu. If this works in 10 i have no clue about (i don’t use toy operatingsystems).

  7. Fuzzi said on November 27, 2019 at 11:12 am
    Reply

    I think shift-clicking “restart” is the most convenient for common tasks.

  8. James Hinkley said on November 27, 2019 at 10:31 am
    Reply

    No, it’s not. The fastest way to get to the advanced options menu is by clicking on restart while keeping “shift” pressed. No annoying shortcut on your desktop needed.

    1. vanklomp said on November 28, 2019 at 2:19 am
      Reply

      And where’s the restart button? :D
      First you have to click on Start, choose what you want to do with the shift and it will work. The shortcut is faster. And it doesn’t have to be on the desktop. You can have it on QuickLaunch, taskbar or launcher QuickCliq = always within reach of the mouse.
      Desktop is not the only place for shortcuts.

      1. Robert G. said on November 30, 2019 at 5:23 pm
        Reply

        @ vanklomp. Thanks for your tip, it’s simple and it works perfectly.

  9. d3x said on November 27, 2019 at 9:39 am
    Reply

    I prefer running this command to enable proper F8 support
    BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY

  10. Gilles said on November 27, 2019 at 9:14 am
    Reply

    You can also hold the Shift key while clicking on restart

    1. Howard A Pearce said on November 27, 2019 at 2:00 pm
      Reply

      I use that and find it just as convenient as other methods

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