15 Ways to Open Device Manager in Windows 10

Device Manager is a useful tool that allows you to do things like: find unknown hardware devices, update drivers, disable hardware components from within your computer, etc.

To use it, you must first know how to open this tool. Here are 14 methods that you can use to open Device Manager in Windows 10 , including using commands, shortcuts, and search.

Table of Contents of the Article

• 1. Open Device Manager using Windows 10 Search
• 2. Start Device Manager using Command Prompt (CMD) or PowerShell
• 3. Launch Device Manager using the Run command
• 4. Open Device Manager using the WinX menu
• 5. Run Device Manager from the Devices and Printers section of Control Panel
• 6. Open Device Manager from Control Panel using icon view
• 7. Open Device Manager from Computer Management
• 8. Launch Device Manager using Cortana
• 9. Open Device Manager from This PC
• 10. Using the Quick Access Menu
• 11. Use File Explorer's address bar
• 12. Using Task Manager
• 13. Using System Settings
• 14. Through the System32 folder
• 15. Create a desktop shortcut for Device Manager

1. Open Device Manager using Windows 10 Search

One of the quickest ways to run Device Manager in Windows 10 is to use the search box near the Start button. In it, type "device" or "device manager" and click or tap the appropriate search result.

2. Start Device Manager using Command Prompt (CMD) or PowerShell

If you prefer a command line environment, first open Command Prompt (also known as CMD) or PowerShell . Then, in the PowerShell or Command Prompt window, type one of these three commands and press Enter Enter: devmgmt.msc , mmc devmgmt.msc , or control hdwwiz.cpl .

All of these Device Manager commands work the same.

3. Launch Device Manager using the Run command

Open the Run window (press Win+ on the keyboard simultaneously R), then type one of the following three commands in the Open field : devmgmt.msc, mmc devmgmt.msc , or control hdwwiz.cpl .

Click Enteror tap OK , and Device Manager will open immediately.

4. Open Device Manager using the WinX menu

Open the WinX menu by pressing the Win+ keys Xon your keyboard at the same time. You can also right-click the Start button for the same result. Then, click or tap the Device Manager shortcut.

5. Run Device Manager from the Devices and Printers section of Control Panel

If you prefer the old-fashioned Control Panel, open it and navigate to the Hardware and Sound settings category . Then, click the Device Manager link found under Devices and Printers .

6. Open Device Manager from Control Panel using icon view

There is also another method to access Device Manager using Control Panel. After you open Control Panel , click View by Category in the upper right corner.

In the menu that opens, select Large icons or Small icons, depending on what you prefer.

You will be shown a list of shortcuts and one of them is Device Manager . Click on it.

7. Open Device Manager from Computer Management

You can access Device Manager from within another Windows 10 tool, called Computer Management . Open Computer Management and in the navigation pane on the left, select Computer Management > System Tools > Device Manager .

8. Launch Device Manager using Cortana

If you have Cortana enabled, you can ask your virtual assistant to open Device Manager directly for you. Click its button from the taskbar or say " Hey Cortana ," then use your voice to make the request " Open Device Manager ."

9. Open Device Manager from This PC

The final method is to use This PC. Open File Explorer and on the left navigation panel, right-click (or press and hold) on This PC . Then, click Manage in the context menu that appears.

That action will open Computer Management. All you have to do next is select Device Manager on the left side of the window.

10. Using the Quick Access Menu

The Quick Access Menu can also help you access Device Manager easily. Here's how you can use this feature:

• Press Win + X or right-click the Windows icon to open the Quick Access Menu .
• Select Device Manager from the menu items.

11. Use File Explorer's address bar

You can access a variety of Windows apps via the File Explorer address bar. Here's how you can use this feature to open Device Manager:

• Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
• Type devmgmt.msc into the address bar and press Enter to open Device Manager.

12. Using Task Manager

Task Manager helps you analyze your processes and system performance. It also helps you terminate applications that slow down your PC. Interestingly, this tool can also help you access some Windows applications easily.

Here's how you can access Device Manager using Task Manager:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Click the File tab in the upper left corner and select Run new task .
• Type devmgmt.msc in the search box and press OK to open Device Manager.

13. Using System Settings

System Settings isn't just useful when you want to troubleshoot problems on your Windows device. You can also use the settings window to launch various software programs.

Here's how you can open Device Manager with system settings:

• Press Win + I to open system settings.
• Type Device Manager in the search box and click on the relevant option that appears.

14. Through the System32 folder

You can also access Device Manager by navigating to a relevant path in Local Disk (C:) . Let's see how you can do this:

• Type This PC into the search bar in the Start menu and select the best match.
• Click Local Disk (C:) on the right side and navigate to Windows > System32 > en-US .
• Scroll down and click on the devmgmt option to launch Device Manager.

15. Create a desktop shortcut for Device Manager

You can always access most Windows applications using desktop shortcuts. All you need to do is create these application shortcuts and pin them to the taskbar for easy access.

Let's see how you can create a desktop shortcut for Device Manager:

Step 1 : Press Win + D to access the desktop .

Step 2 : Right-click on an empty space on the desktop and navigate to New > Shortcut .

Step 3 : Type %windir%\system32\devmgmt into the location box and click Next to continue.

In the next window, type Device Manager or choose any other suitable name for the shortcut you just created, then click Finish.

You can now pin the Device Manager shortcut to your taskbar for easy access. To do this, right-click the shortcut and select Pin to taskbar . From now on, you will be able to quickly access the Device Manager tool by clicking its shortcut on the taskbar.

Device Manager comes in handy when you are facing various hardware related issues. It provides an easy way to manage Bluetooth devices, keyboards, USB devices, etc. If you want to easily access this feature, just check out the tips mentioned in the article.