How-To

How to Create a Shortcut to the Windows Tools Folder

By Brian Burgess

Published June 14, 2021

Windows Tools is a new folder that contains system and admin tools for Windows 10. Here’s how to create an easy to access shortcut to it.

As Windows 10 continues to evolve, a lot of the traditional tools and Control Panel utilities, you’ve been used to being moved to the Settings app. We’ve shown you how to find the classic administrative tools and other accessories and system tools on Windows 10 previously. But starting with Windows 10 build 21354, the company is creating a new folder for some of the admin tools you need. It will be called the “Windows Tools” folder. Here’s how to create a shortcut to it for easier access.

Windows Tools Folder

The Windows Tools folder contains various classic admin and system tools for Windows 10. The folder is available on Windows 10 build 21354 and above.

Create a Shortcut to the Windows Tools Folder on Windows 10

To get started hit the Windows key and click on the Windows Tools icon on the left-hand side. You can find it quicker by opening W directly. Then drag and drop it over to the desktop.

That creates the shortcut on the desktop. And you need to double-click on it to open the Windows Tools folder.

Create a Shortcut to Windows Tools Manually

While dragging and dropping it on the desktop is the easiest way to create a shortcut, you can do it manually, too. Start by right-clicking an empty spot on the desktop and go to New > Shortcut.

That opens the “Create Shortcut” wizard. Copy and paste the following into the “location of item” field:

Click the Next button on the Shortcut Wizard after entering the path above.

Next, type in a name for the shortcut that you would like to use. Something like “Windows Tools” would be an obvious choice as it allows you to remember what the shortcut is for. But you can name it whatever you want.  When you are done, click the Finish button.

Now, if you want to change the shortcut icon, you can. First, right-click it and select Properties from the menu. Then make sure the Shortcut tab is open and click on the Change Icon button.

Then choose from the default shortcut icons or add a custom icon. Note: System icons are located in: c:\windows\system32\imageres.dll

That’s all there is to it. Now you have a shortcut to the Windows Tools folder. It’s also worth noting that you can add it to the Taskbar or the Start Menu as a tile on the right-hand side. To add it, right-click the shortcut you created and select either Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start.

And for more on Windows 10 shortcuts, check out our article on creating a desktop shortcut to the Favorites folder. Or take a look at our article on how to create a shortcut to Device Manager.