Last Updated on February 22, 2026
Everyone likes to manage their computer and configure it exactly the way they want it to be. You might not know about all the hidden settings you can manage or even where to go to find them. Fortunately, Microsoft took care of that problem. They put many of the most common administrative tools all in one centralized place.
Windows comes with a handy built-in utility called Computer Management. It is a powerful console that allows you to perform many Windows maintenance functions directly from one central location. This comes in extremely handy when you need to get to a certain tool quickly. You avoid hunting around your operating system trying to figure out how to access advanced settings. To open this utility, right-click on the This PC icon and pick Manage or search for it directly in the Windows taskbar search box.
You will have slightly different tools depending on exactly what version of Windows you are currently running. Server versions of Windows include different snap-ins compared to standard desktop versions like Windows 11 Pro. Here is a look at a typical Windows 11 management console and what each section actually does.
System Tools Overview
1. Task Scheduler
This tool allows you to create custom tasks that your computer will run automatically. It triggers these scripts according to the exact schedule you determine. You can also use the Task Scheduler to manage background tasks that were created by other third-party programs installed on your computer.
2. Event Viewer
The Event Viewer allows you to view highly detailed logs relating to your operating system. It tracks critical information such as application crashes, security audits, and core system events. If you are having any random freezing problems, you will likely find the exact error codes hiding right here.
3. Shared Folders
This section shows detailed information about exactly what folders you currently have shared on your local system. It displays active network connections. You can instantly see any open shared files or active user sessions connected to your machine.
4. Local Users and Groups
This menu displays all the local user accounts that currently have access to your computer. It also shows any configured security groups and exactly what users belong to those specific groups. You can easily add, modify, and permanently remove administrative users directly from this area.
5. Performance
Here you can use advanced performance monitoring tools to track your system hardware usage. It generates detailed performance reports regarding your CPU, memory, and disk utilization over time. You can easily set up custom data collector sets so you are warned when a specific hardware event occurs.
6. Device Manager
This utility shows exactly what physical hardware devices you have installed on your system. It will clearly show you if there are any missing drivers or hardware conflicts causing problems. You can quickly update device drivers and completely remove failing devices directly from this area.
Storage and Application Management
1. Disk Management
The Storage section lets you manage your internal hard drives and removable USB disks using the Disk Management snap-in. You can format raw drives, shrink existing volumes, and assign new drive letters here. It completely replaces older third-party partitioning tools for basic disk configuration tasks.
2. Services
This area allows you to view and control core system services running quietly in the background. You can manually start, stop, or completely disable services that are eating up your system RAM. It is a critical tool for optimizing your Windows boot times and stopping unnecessary bloatware.
3. WMI Control
Windows Management Instrumentation Control is an advanced tool used primarily by system administrators. It configures management permissions and sets up event logging for the WMI infrastructure. Most home users will never need to touch these specific backend routing settings.
For additional training resources, check out our online IT training courses.
Check out our extensive IT book series.
