Windows 8 removed the Start Menu from  the operating system which amkes finding some valuable tools harder to get to. The "Quick Access" menu provides an easy way to get to the most important applications people had accessed through the Start Menu.

To open up the Quick Access panel hold down the Windows key (it has the Windows flag on it) and press the letter 'X'.  You then can press a letter to open a number of Windows functions rather than search through the buttons for them.  The most important are listed below:

Command Prompt (to open as an Administrator press A)

Control Panel (or P)

Desktop (or D)

Device Manager (or M)

File Explorer (or E)

Programs and Features (or F)

Shut down or Sign out (or U)

Task Manager (or T)