The Power User Menu Shift
Windows 10 introduced a highly useful shortcut menu known as the “Power User Menu,” accessed by right-clicking the Start button or pressing Win + X. Historically, this menu prominently featured links to the traditional “Command Prompt” and “Command Prompt (Admin).” However, in an effort to modernize the administrative experience and push users toward their more advanced scripting environment, Microsoft updated Windows 10 to automatically replace these Command Prompt shortcuts with links to “Windows PowerShell” and “Windows PowerShell (Admin).”
While PowerShell is undeniably vastly more powerful and capable than the legacy Command Prompt (cmd.exe), it is also significantly more complex. Many standard users, IT support technicians writing quick batch scripts, or developers following simple command-line tutorials rely heavily on the straightforward syntax of the traditional Command Prompt. If you rarely write complex PowerShell scripts and find yourself constantly typing cmd inside the PowerShell window just to get back to a familiar environment, you should revert this menu behavior to restore the old shortcuts.
How to Restore the Command Prompt Shortcuts
You can switch the Win + X menu back to the classic Command Prompt via the Taskbar settings.
- Click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon (or press
Win + I). - In the Windows Settings menu, click on Personalization.
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on Taskbar.
- Look in the right-hand pane for the section labelled exactly: Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell in the menu when I right-click the start button or press Windows key+X.
- Click the toggle switch below it to turn it Off.
- Close the Settings window.
The change is instantaneous. If you right-click your Start button right now, you will see that the familiar “Command Prompt” options have returned, allowing you to quickly launch standard cmd.exe windows without navigating through the Start menu search.