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The quickest route to the traditional Advanced System Settings window is to press Windows key + R, type SystemPropertiesAdvanced, and press Enter.
Open Advanced System Settings with Run
Use this method when you need the legacy System Properties dialog.
- Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
SystemPropertiesAdvanced. - Press Enter.
Windows opens the Advanced tab of System Properties directly. The corresponding executable path is:
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%windir%\system32\SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe
You normally only need to enter SystemPropertiesAdvanced; Windows resolves the command for you.
Find it with Start search
Start search is another direct, supported route:
- Select Start, or press the Windows key.
- Type advanced system settings.
- Select View advanced system settings or Advanced system settings, depending on your Windows 11 build.
This opens the same System Properties window. If search displays several similarly named results, choose the result referring to View advanced system settings, not the newer Settings page simply named Advanced.
Open System Properties first with sysdm.cpl
You can also open the broader System Properties dialog and select the tab yourself:
- Press Windows key + R.
- Enter
sysdm.cpl. - Press Enter.
- Select the Advanced tab.
Use SystemPropertiesAdvanced when you specifically want the Advanced tab. Use sysdm.cpl when you also need the Computer Name, Hardware, or System Protection tabs.
What you can change on System Properties > Advanced
The legacy Advanced tab has four main areas:
| Section | Button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Settings… | Visual effects, processor scheduling, virtual memory, and Data Execution Prevention |
| User Profiles | Settings… | Manage locally stored user profiles |
| Startup and Recovery | Settings… | Automatic restart, startup behavior, and debugging information |
| Environment Variables | Environment Variables… | Edit user and system variables such as Path |
Change visual effects
From System Properties > Advanced, select Performance > Settings…. The Performance Options window opens on the Visual Effects tab.
For a faster-looking interface, select Adjust for best performance, then select Apply and OK. This disables many animations and visual effects. You can instead select Custom and keep individual effects, such as smooth edges of screen fonts.
A direct alternative is to search Start for Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows, open the result, and select Visual Effects.
Change virtual memory
Virtual-memory settings are several clicks inside the Performance Options window:
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- Open the Advanced tab in System Properties.
- Select Performance > Settings….
- In Performance Options, select the Advanced tab.
- Under Virtual memory, select Change….
- Clear Automatically manage paging file size for all drives if you need to enter manual settings.
Changing the paging file without a specific reason can create new performance or stability problems. Leave automatic management enabled unless you know why a different configuration is required.
Edit environment variables
Open System Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables….
The window has two separate lists:
- User variables for [account] apply to your user account.
- System variables apply across the computer and generally require administrator permission to change.
For example, adding a folder to Path can allow commands to run from Command Prompt or PowerShell without typing their full location. After changing a variable, close and reopen applications that need the new value. Applications inherit environment variables from the process that launched them, so an already-open terminal may continue using the old value.
Change startup and recovery behavior
Go to System Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings…. This window includes settings related to system startup, automatic restart after a system failure, and debugging information.
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Open the other Advanced page in Windows 11 Settings
If you want Windows 11’s newer developer and power-user controls, open Settings > System > Advanced.
This page is separate from the Advanced tab in System Properties. Depending on your Windows version, it may include options for:
- End Task on the taskbar
- File Explorer options such as Show file extensions, Show hidden and system files, and Show full path in title bar
- Windows Terminal and PowerShell script settings
- Enable sudo
- Developer Mode and Device Portal
- Dev Drive
- Remote Desktop-related options
In Windows 11 version 25H2 and later, Microsoft moved the former For developers settings into Settings > System > Advanced. Sudo for Windows is available beginning with Windows 11 version 24H2.
Which Advanced page should you use?
| If you want to… | Open… |
|---|---|
| Adjust animations and other visual effects | SystemPropertiesAdvanced > Performance > Settings… |
| Edit PATH or another environment variable | System Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables… |
| Change virtual-memory settings | System Properties > Advanced > Performance > Settings… > Advanced > Virtual memory > Change… |
| Configure automatic restart or crash-dump behavior | System Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings… |
| Enable Developer Mode, Sudo, or Device Portal | Settings > System > Advanced |
| Show file extensions or hidden files | Settings > System > Advanced |
| View your PC’s model, RAM, Windows version, or system type | Settings > System > About |
Use the About page for device information
The current general route to hardware and Windows-version information is Settings > System > About.
Here you can view the device name and model, Windows edition and version, processor, installed RAM, and whether the system is 32-bit or 64-bit.
Some Windows 11 builds show an Advanced system settings link on or near the About page. That link is not present in every build, so Start search or the Run command is more dependable when you specifically need System Properties.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common problems
“Advanced” opens the wrong page
If you selected Settings > System > Advanced and saw developer or File Explorer options, Windows opened the newer Settings page. That is expected. To open performance, profiles, environment variables, or startup and recovery, press Windows key + R and run SystemPropertiesAdvanced.
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A work, school, or otherwise organization-managed PC may use policy settings that hide or disable controls on the newer Advanced page. Developer Mode also requires local administrator privileges. A standard user may be able to open System Properties but still be unable to save system-wide changes.
Windows cannot find the command
First try the command without a path: SystemPropertiesAdvanced.
If that fails, try the documented full path:
%windir%\system32\SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe
If the full path does not work either, a damaged or missing system executable may be involved. An incorrectly configured or missing %windir% environment variable can also prevent the path from expanding correctly. Avoid downloading a replacement executable from an untrusted website; repair Windows system files using Microsoft’s standard repair procedures instead.
A change does not affect an open program
Environment-variable changes are inherited when an application starts. Close and reopen Command Prompt, PowerShell, Windows Terminal, or the affected application after changing a variable. In some cases, signing out and back in is necessary before every process sees the updated value.
FAQ
What is the fastest way to open Advanced System Settings in Windows 11?
Press Windows key + R, type SystemPropertiesAdvanced, and press Enter. This opens the Advanced tab of the legacy System Properties dialog directly.
Is Settings > System > Advanced the same as Advanced System Settings?
No. Settings > System > Advanced is a newer page for developer and power-user options. Performance settings, environment variables, user profiles, and startup and recovery remain under the Advanced tab in System Properties.
How do I open environment variables in Windows 11?
Run SystemPropertiesAdvanced, select the Advanced tab, and select Environment Variables…. User variables apply to your account; system variables apply to the computer and usually require administrator permission.
Where are visual-effects settings in Windows 11?
Search Start for Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows, open the result, and use the Visual Effects tab. You can also open System Properties > Advanced > Performance > Settings… > Visual Effects.
Where can I find my Windows version and installed RAM?
Open Settings > System > About. The About page shows device details including the model, Windows edition and version, processor, installed RAM, and system type.
The Bottom Line
For the traditional Windows 11 Advanced System Settings dialog, use Windows key + R and run SystemPropertiesAdvanced. Use Settings > System > Advanced only when you need the newer developer and power-user controls. The two pages have different purposes, even though both use the word “Advanced.”
Quick Recap
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