To open the advanced system settings in Windows 10 and Windows 11, press Windows + R, type SystemPropertiesAdvanced and press Enter. This takes you straight to the Advanced tab in System Properties, where you will find performance controls, user profiles, startup and recovery options, and environment variables.
That is the most direct shortcut, although you can also get there from search, from Settings in Windows 11, or through a console. The key is to distinguish this window from other settings with similar names: Windows still keeps some of its classic corners, no matter how much the shopfront changes.
How to open advanced system settings
If you prefer not to remember commands, use the taskbar search and type View advanced system settings. Select the matching result or press Enter when it is highlighted; System Properties will open directly on the tab you need, without making you go through several menus.
The Run method is especially convenient because it works in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. After pressing Windows + R, you can enter SystemPropertiesAdvanced or, alternatively, sysdm.cpl ,3. Both shortcuts lead to the advanced options, so you do not need to try them all if the first one already works.
In Windows 11, you can also use the graphical route: open Settings with Windows + I, select System and go to the About section, located at the bottom of the list. There, look for the Advanced system settings link among the related links shown alongside the device information.
Do you already have a console open and prefer not to switch tools? Search for Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell, right-click the result and select Run as administrator. Then enter SystemPropertiesAdvanced and press Enter.
It is worth sticking with that command if you use PowerShell: the alternative sysdm.cpl ,3 described for Run also works in Command Prompt, but it does not behave the same way in PowerShell. There is no functional advantage to arriving from the console; all these routes lead to the same window and the same controls.
What you can change in these advanced options
The Performance section contains many of the settings you are probably looking for. Its Settings button opens another window with controls for visual effects, processor resource allocation, the paging file and Data Execution Prevention. They are grouped together, but each one addresses a different need.
Under Visual effects, Windows can automatically choose the right combination for the computer, although it also lets you prioritise appearance, select best performance, or customise the effects individually. It is a choice between visual presentation and performance, not a hidden turbo button inside the system.
Within the advanced performance options, you can choose whether processor resources should prioritise programs or background services, as well as change the paging file. These controls are more specific than visual effects, and they should be treated as such rather than changed simply because they are available.
Data Execution Prevention, or DEP, helps protect against damage caused by viruses. By default, it is enabled for essential Windows programs and services, and its section lets you manage which programs are excluded from that protection.
The User Profiles block lets you view the profiles on the computer and offers options to delete or copy them, but it is not used to create new accounts or to change the username. Startup and Recovery, meanwhile, brings together the default operating system selection, certain startup parameters and the behaviour in the event of a system failure.
Finally, Environment Variables lets you add or edit user and system variables. One example is adding a program’s location to PATH, as happens when installing FFmpeg on Windows, so it can be run from the command line.
If the link does not appear or you cannot access it
If the link does not appear in Windows 11 Settings, that does not mean you should keep digging through that app. Cases have been reported where it is missing, without a clear explanation or a specific fix; to access the window, use search or the Run command mentioned at the beginning.
A different situation is when access is restricted by administrator permissions. If you use a work or school computer, check with the IT department; if it is a shared device, ask the person with the administrator account for help. Changing the access route does not replace those permissions.
It is also worth avoiding one point of confusion: the System section and its advanced options in Windows 11 Settings is not necessarily this classic window. There you may find controls related to the taskbar, File Explorer, the virtual workspace and the terminal, while System Properties contains the settings described above.
Once inside, open the block you need and avoid changing anything you do not understand. If the problem started right after a patch, it may make more sense to uninstall a Windows update than to adjust these advanced options. If the computer is working correctly or you have not identified the problem, these controls are not the place to start experimenting: many Windows issues can be resolved from the Settings app or with a troubleshooter, without touching more delicate parameters.
