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Windows 8 has got a new handy context menu which is invoked by pressing Windows + X or by right-clicking the lower-left corner of the desktop:

Win8 context menu

Strangely enough, it's practically impossible to find any official documentation about it or even what it's called. A couple of third-party sites mention this menu as Win + X menu or Windows Tool Menu, but googling these terms leads to nothing.

What's this menu called? Is there any official info on this feature?

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    Scott Hanselman calls it "Power User or Administrative Tools": hanselman.com/blog/…
    – user3463
    Oct 28, 2012 at 18:35
  • I think Microsoft intentionally did not name it since they want to wipe out all references to the old "start menu" Win+X was not available in early pre-release versions of W8, I think they added it to RC/RTM versions to quell the complaints of W8 not having a start menu or an option to enable one.
    – Moab
    Oct 28, 2012 at 21:09

2 Answers 2

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It's called "Quick Access Menu(QAM)" however I have not any official source for this but on the Social Technet someone put the question with this name.

Also I have seen this name in Tweak with Viahal's blog.

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    Yes, I saw that too, but he actually explains why he calls it that: "I personally prefer to call it "Quick Access Menu" similar to Quick Access Toolbar present in Ribbon UI of Windows 8 Explorer or Microsoft Office 2010." link
    – Vladimir Sinenko
    Oct 28, 2012 at 19:02
  • QAT official link. However you can call it that too.
    – avirk
    Oct 28, 2012 at 19:05
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    @avirk How can you call it QAM, there is Nothing officially released by Microsoft to name this Win+X context menu, other than it is a context menu called by the combo keystroke. It is just some name coined by a internet blogger. The question specifically asks for "official" Name and Documentation, and there is None.
    – Moab
    Oct 28, 2012 at 21:18
  • @Moab I have given link of Technet where the user called it the same that's why I put it as an answer, also I have cleared in my answer that there is no official source I had.
    – avirk
    Oct 29, 2012 at 1:39
  • @avirk "New Windows 8 context menu: official name and documentation?" you did not answer the question, a user on technet or a blogger is not official, nor is there any official documentation. Normally you give great answers, this is not one of them.
    – Moab
    Oct 29, 2012 at 2:56
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Nothing yet, and personally I don't think it's necessary to give this a name, since it's nothing special

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  • I disagree that it's nothing special, since it is a shortcut to many power user tools in one place.
    – user3463
    Oct 28, 2012 at 18:36
  • is there any other context menu that gets its own name?
    – Chin
    Oct 28, 2012 at 18:45
  • I'm disagreeing with the second part of your answer, not the first. That's what got you the downvote.
    – user3463
    Oct 28, 2012 at 18:46
  • Nah I don't care about the downvote. My point is, if something gets a name other than an app or a window, it should be an important or special feature by itself. No context menu ever get a name because of that.
    – Chin
    Oct 28, 2012 at 18:54
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    @Chin +1, there is no "official" name given by Microsoft for Win+X, so yours is the best answer, I agree it is "nothing special" and is called a context menu, a context menu is a context menu, Microsoft has never given names to different context menus.
    – Moab
    Oct 28, 2012 at 21:14

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