Quick Links

Key Takeaways

To access the Boot Options Menu on Windows 8 or 10, Shift+Left click "Restart" in the Start Menu or on the sign-in screen. You can also navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery to access the boot options menu, or run "shutdown /r /o" in an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell window.

Windows 10 (and 8) consolidate various boot options into a single screen named the "Advanced Options" menu. This menu provides access to repair tools and options for changing Windows startup behavior --- such as enabling debugging, booting into safe mode, and launching into a recovery environment.

We're showing screenshots from Windows 10 in this article, but the process is largely the same in Windows 8. We'll point out any differences.

What You Can Do on the Advanced Options Menu

The Advanced Options menu on Windows 10.

The "Advanced Options" menu provides a number of actions you can take to troubleshoot or repair your PC:

You may also see "Uninstall Updates" rather than "Go back to the previous version." It'll roll back Windows and uninstall the most recent update.

After choosing most of these options, Windows restarts and then loads into the mode (or starts the tool) you selected.

And now that you know what you can use the "Advanced Options" menu for, let's take a look at how to get to it.

Option One: Hold Down Shift While Clicking Restart

Holding Shift while clicking Restart in Windows 10

If your PC can start Windows normally, you can get to the "Advanced Options" menu quickly by just holding down the Shift key while clicking the "Restart" option. You can do this either on the sign in screen (shown above) or on the Start menu (shown below).

Hold Shift and click "Restart."

When you do this, your PC doesn't immediately restart. Instead, it shows you a menu that lets you continue in your Windows session, access troubleshooting tools, or turn off your PC. Click the "Troubleshoot" button.

Click "Troubleshoot."

On the "Troubleshoot" screen, click the "Advanced Options" button.

Click "Advanced Options."

And, finally, you'll arrive at the "Advanced Options" menu.

Related: How to Create and Use a Recovery Drive or System Repair Disc in Windows 8 or 10

If your PC can't start Windows normally twice in a row, it should show you the "Advanced Options" menu automatically. If it doesn't, you can try booting your PC with a USB recovery drive.

Option Two: Use the Settings App

If you'd like to jump through a few extra hoops rather than just hitting Shift+Restart, you can also launch the "Advanced Options" menu through the settings app. Press Windows+I to open the Settings app, and then

Click the "Update & Security" option.

Click "Update and Security."

In the left pane, switch to the "Recovery" tab. In the right pane, scroll down a bit, and then click the "Restart Now" button in the "Advanced Startup" section.

Click "Recovery" on the left hand side, then click "Restart Now."

If you're using Windows 8 or 8.1, you'll switch to the "General" tab instead, and then click the "Restart" button in the "Advanced Startup" section.

Select "General," then click "Restart Now" under "Advanced Startup."

Option Three: Issue a Command with PowerShell (or the Command Prompt)

Related: How to Write a Batch Script on Windows

You can also reach the "Advanced Options" menu by issuing a simple command using PowerShell or the Command Prompt. We're going to use PowerShell here, but it's the exact same command either way. You could also create a batch script with this command so that you could access the "Advanced Options" menu in the future more easily.

Start PowerShell as administrator by hitting Windows+X, and then clicking the "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" option on the Power User menu.

Open the Power User Menu by hitting Windows+x, then click "Windows Powershell(Admin)."

At the prompt, type (or copy and paste) the following command, and then hit Enter:

shutdown.exe /r /o

Type "Shutdown.exe /r /o" into the PowerShell window, then hit Enter.

A message pops up, warning you that you are about to be signed off.

A popup warning you that you're about to be signed out.

Windows restarts automatically about a minute later and delivers you to the "Advanced Options" menu.