Every Dynamics 365 or Power Platform admin or customizer is familiar with the “Advanced Settings” page – a key place for many essential configurations.

Recently, Microsoft introduced a new interface called the “Power Platform Environment Settings” app, now the default experience in most new environments. While this updated experience brings a fresh, modernized admin experience, some familiar features—like changing the logo or using Advanced Find—are now a bit more hidden, adding an extra layer of complexity for admins who prefer the old ways of working.

For more information on the Power Platform Environment Settings app, you can visit the official Microsoft documentation here. This new experience replaces the legacy “Advanced Settings” page many of us have been using for years, making it more streamlined but also creating a learning curve for longtime admins.

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Switching Back to the Old Experience

If you find yourself needing to access those legacy settings, there’s a way! The Power Platform Admin Center (PPAC) offers an option to toggle between the modern and legacy settings experience. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Navigate to the PPAC.
2. Select your environment.
3. Click on the “Settings” button in the command bar.
4. Go to “Features” in the Product settings group.
5. Change the “Environment settings behavior” option.

Yes, this works—but for busy admins, it adds extra steps that can feel cumbersome. Wouldn’t it be great to skip this entirely and save some valuable clicks? Keep on reading for a cool hack!

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A Productivity Hack for Busy Admins

There’s a quicker way to access the legacy “Advanced Settings” page that you’re already familiar with. Instead of diving into the PPAC, simply follow these steps:

1. Open your Dynamics 365 or Model-driven app.
2. Click the “Settings” icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Select “Advanced Settings.”

This brings you to the modern “Power Platform Environment Settings” page, but here’s where the trick comes in.

Modify the URL slightly by adding this parameter:

main.aspx?settingsonly=true

This simple hack takes you back to the legacy Advanced Settings interface, allowing you to work as you did before. This small change can save you time and frustration when performing tasks that are still more straightforward in the classic interface.

Try this hack the next time you’re looking for a familiar setting in Dynamics 365. It’s a small productivity boost, but one that makes a difference over time—especially for those of us who live in the admin settings every day!

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Additionally, a small wish for Microsoft. It would be fantastic if a “Search admin settings” feature could be implemented, similar to what we have in the Customer Service Workspace Admin Center . This would allow admins to quickly find the settings they need, saving both time and unnecessary clicks. Isn’t this the kind of efficiency Microsoft promotes and aims to deliver for the users?

Thank you for reading so long 😉 I hope you found it useful.

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