Control Panel

A section in Microsoft Windows that enables a user to modify the computer's settings. Changing the mouse settings, display settings, sound settings, and keyboard settings are just a few of the examples of what can be modified in the Control Panel. Below is an example of what the Microsoft Windows Control Panel may look like.

How to get into the Control panel

Windows 8 users
Windows Vista and 7 users
Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, and XP users
Control panel from MS-DOS
Windows 3.x users

Windows 8 users

1. Move the mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen and right-click.
2. In the power user menu click Control Panel.

Tip: If you're having trouble finding an icon in Control Panel in the top-right corner of the Control Panel is a search that can help you to find what you are looking for.

Windows Vista and 7 users

1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel. If opened successfully you should have a window that resembles the below picture.

Microsoft Windows 7 Control Panel

Tip: If you're having trouble finding an icon in Control Panel in the top-right corner of the Control Panel is a search that can help you to find what you are looking for.

• Adding or removing icons in Windows Control Panel.

Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, XP users

In Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, or XP open the Control Panel by following the below steps.

1. Click Start
2. Click Settings
3. Clicking the Control Panel.  If opened successfully you should have a window that resembles one of the below pictures.

Microsoft Windows XP Control Panel

Microsoft Windows 98 Control Panel

Windows Classic View vs. Windows Category View

Windows XP introduced two different views of the Control panel the "Classic View" and "Category View" that are switched to by clicking the link in the top left section of the Control Panel window. By Default Windows will display the Control Panel in Category view, which displays the main categories of the Control Panel and when one of these categories is clicked display related Control Panel icons. For example, when clicking on the "Appearance and Themes" category you'll be able to adjust the theme, background, screen saver, and screen resolution.

When switching to the "Classic View" this will display the Control Panel this will display Control Panel like previous versions of Windows and give you quick access to all the main categories of Windows.

Related information

Tip: Open Control Panel icons from Internet Explorer by typing Control Panel\<name of Control Panel item>. For example, if you wanted to open the system properties from Control Panel you could type Control Panel\System.

• Unable to find icons in Windows Control Panel.
• Adding or removing icons in Windows Control Panel.

Accessing Control Panel from the Windows command line (MS-DOS)

Use the control command to open the Control Panel as well as many of the Control Panel icons from the command line.

Windows 3.x users

In Microsoft Windows 3.x open the Control Panel window through the Main folder within Program Manager.

Also see: Add/Remove programs, Control, cPanel, Operating System definitions