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home  /  Advice/ Quick access to Windows Control Panel applets. What is control panel: important Windows information where is the control panel located

Quick access to Windows Control Panel applets. What is control panel: important Windows information where is the control panel located

Security and maintenance are important to any computer, and Windows 7 has a number of enhancements that make these tasks easier.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use Action Center, User Account Control settings, and troubleshooting to keep your computer performing at the highest possible level. You will also learn how to restore your system settings using windows 7 system restore.

What is a support center?

The Action Center is a place to view security and maintenance messages for your computer. It also performs troubleshooting on your computer.

To use the support center:

If there are important messages for you, a red X will appear next to the checkbox on the taskbar.

  1. To open the Action Center, click on the checkbox icon in the taskbar.
  2. Review the messages.
  3. Click Open Support Center to respond to messages.

To open Support Center from Control Panel:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Go to your control panel.
  3. Click Check Computer Status under System and Security.

Troubleshooting using the support center:

The Support Center dashboard displays messages for you. Important messages have a red stripe, less important messages have a yellow one. If a security or service problem has a solution, then to the right of the message there will be a special button to solve the problem.

Some messages simply indicate a problem, but do not indicate a solution to the computer problem. These messages do not contain a resolution button, but they may contain important information and instructions.

  • To fix the problem, click the solution button and follow the instructions on the screen. After completing the required actions, the message will disappear from the support center.

What is User Account Control?

User Account Control alerts you when a program or user tries to change the settings on your computer. It creates a temporary lock on the computer until you confirm what changes can be made.

This helps protect your computer from malware... When this feature appeared in Windows Vista, many users did not like the large number of messages from her. In Windows 7, you can configure how often messages are displayed.

To change your User Account Control settings:


Windows 7 Diagnostics

Not all computer problems show up in Support Center. For example, you may have problems with specific device, program, or internet connection. For these types of problems, look at the troubleshooting options.

  • Click Troubleshoot at the bottom of the Action Center pane.

In the Troubleshooting pane, you will see a series of programs called troubleshooters. They can help you identify and fix hardware and software problems.

1) Programs

Click here to troubleshoot problems with programs built for previous versions Windows.

2) Hardware and sound

Use these options to troubleshoot problems with external devices eg with a printer or monitor.

3) Network and Internet

Use these options to troubleshoot network connectivity issues and general access to files.

4) Design and personalization

Use these options to troubleshoot display issues with Aero effects.

5) System and security

Use these options to troubleshoot problems with latest updates Windows and performing maintenance tasks.

6) Online troubleshooting service

Check the box at the bottom of the panel to automatically download the latest troubleshooters from Microsoft.

What is System Restore?

The programs you install can change the system settings, which can sometimes lead to computer problems. System Restore is often the most in a simple way their solutions. System Restore allows you to "rewind" your computer's settings to an earlier state called restore points. Keep in mind that System Restore will not destroy your documents, nor will it be used to recover lost files. However, the function can remove recent programs and drivers.

To start System Restore:


Control Panel is a traditional tool used for all sorts of tweaks to the Windows operating system. It first appeared in the "seven" and won the love of users all over the world, then migrated to the 8th version, and then to the "ten". There is a Control Panel in Windows 10 to this day, but apparently Microsoft plans to gradually part with it. If in the first releases of the top ten it was available by right-clicking on the Start menu, then after updating to Windows 10 RedStone 2 in early 2017, it disappeared from there. In this article we will figure out how to find the Control Panel and pin it in a convenient and visible place for the opportunity quick launch- for example, on the Taskbar (this is a dark bar with shortcuts, usually located at the bottom of the screen), in the legendary Start menu or right on the desktop.

So, let's start with how and where we can find a tool called Control Panel in Windows 10. It's not hard at all. The simplest and quick way- use the system search. To do this, to the right of the Start menu button, click on the magnifying glass and type the word "panel" at the bottom. The search tool Control Panel (Desktop) appears at the top. To launch it, just click on it once.

How to pin Control Panel in Windows 10 to Start Menu or Taskbar

Already launched The control panel can be docked to the taskbar... To do this, at the bottom of the Taskbar, click with the RIGHT mouse button on the corresponding tab and select "Pin to the Taskbar".

Also Control Panel (as it is called in the original on English language) can pin to start menu(also known as the home screen). To do this, you need to return to the search through the magnifying glass, type the word Panel again, and on the Control Panel that appears at the top, click with the RIGHT mouse button and select the "Dock to Start Screen" item.

Launching Control Panel through Windows 10 Explorer and creating its shortcut on the desktop

For the vast majority of users, the steps described above are the simplest, most understandable and fastest. However, if suddenly for some reason the search on the computer does not work (for example, the disk content indexing service is disabled or some kind of failure has occurred), then The control panel can be found via File Explorer... You can open it by clicking on the folder icon in the taskbar. To find a shortcut to launch the Taskbar, in address bar The path should be inserted like this: “ C: \ Users \ jeanz \ AppData \ Roaming \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Start Menu \ Programs \ System Tools"(Of course, without quotes). After that you need to press Enter(input). The System folder will open. And already here you can double-click on the desired shortcut and the Control Panel will start.

From here the shortcut to the Control Panel can be copied to the desktop. To do this, click on the shortcut in the folder with the right mouse button and select the "Copy" item, on the desktop in the same way, using the right mouse button, press "Paste".

Let me remind you that by running Control Panel, you can also pin it to the Taskbar by right-clicking on its icon and selecting “ Pin to taskbar».

So we figured out the question of where and how can I find the Control Panel in Windows 10 and how to facilitate its launch in the future, pinning to the Start menu, to the taskbar or directly to the desktop... Agree, there is nothing difficult in this? Let's hope that in the next updates of the "dozens" this handy tool will persist, not disappear altogether. Of course a new app Options(launched by clicking on the gear icon in the Start menu and in the notification center) is also very convenient, and it looks more modern, but some of the functions are still not implemented in it. For example, to remove many programs, as before, the good old Control Panel opens. However, for the future, it is worthwhile to sort out the new instrument as well. Options.

Windows Control Panel is an administrative interface that is an integral part of latest versions Windows. The panel allows you to manage various components of the operating system, perform configuration and maintenance. The control panel organizes quick access to equipment parameters, audio devices, firewall and user accounts.

Microsoft started phasing out Control Panel back in Windows 8 when it was introduced new center control “PC parameters”. The company continued to develop this concept, and in this case we are already dealing with the "Parameters" application.

Have Windows users there are several ways to open the control panel, but they may differ by different versions operating system.

However, over time, one way has remained unchanged - launching applets directly (although many applets have been removed).

Applet nameFile nameDescription
Programs and Featuresappwiz.cplUsed to remove installed programs and adding or removing Windows components
date and timetimedate.cplAllows you to set the time and date, change the time zone, add extra hours and synchronize the time with servers on the Internet
Device Managerhdwwiz.cplShows all the hardware components of the computer. Used to install and remove devices, install drivers and perform other tasks with hardware
Screendesk.cplShows screen settings, color profile, scaling options. In Windows 10, opens the corresponding page of the Settings app
Windows firewall firewall.cplAllows you to enable or disable the firewall, open the advanced settings window to block or allow connections
Infrared communicationirprops.cplAllows you to control infrared devices
Properties: Internetinetcpl.cplOpens the properties window of the web browser and allows you to configure settings Internet Explorer which can be used by other browsers as well
Gaming Devicesjoy.cplAllows you to customize gamepads and other game controllers connected to the system
Properties: Keyboardmain.cpl keyboardProvides access to various keyboard parameters: delay, cursor blinking speed, and allows you to test installed keyboards
Languagecontrol input.dllAllows you to add, remove and change the priority of language packs
Properties: Mousemain.cplProvides access to various mouse parameters: cursor shape and color, button behavior and mouse wheel
Network connectionsncpa.cplNetwork connection management
Power supplypowercfg.cplOpens Power Options. You can customize the power scheme in detail
Regionintl.cplLets you change date and time formats as well as your location
Screensavercontrol desk.cplOpens the screen saver settings dialog box. In Windows 10, opens the corresponding page of the Settings app
Soundmmsys.cplLists the settings for playback and recording devices. You can customize sounds and voice communication
System propertiessysdm.cplDisplays device information and links to configure individual system components
Tablet and pen optionstabletpc.cplOptions are only available in tablet mode
Location informationtelephon.cplYou can customize the index, telephone code for modem services
wscui.cplManaging Windows Security Settings
Accounts userscontrol userpasswordsAccount management in the system

Windows Control Panel Canonical Names

The command “control / name Canonical name” allows you to run additional control panel applets if the .cpl files are not available for them.

Please note that some commands do not work on certain versions of Windows.

  • Security and Service Center: control / name Microsoft.ActionCenter
  • Administration: control / name Microsoft.AdministrativeTools
  • Autostart: control / name Microsoft.AutoPlay
  • Biometric devices: control / name Microsoft.BiometricDevices
  • Disk encryption: control / name Microsoft.BitLockerDriveEncryption
  • Color management: control / name Microsoft.ColorManagement
  • Credential manager: control / name Microsoft.CredentialManager
  • date and time: control / name Microsoft.DateAndTime
  • Default programs: control / name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms
  • Device Manager: control / name Microsoft.DeviceManager
  • Devices and Printers: control / name Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters
  • Screen: control / name Microsoft.Display
  • Centre special features : control / name Microsoft.EaseOfAccessCenter
  • Parental control : control / name Microsoft.ParentalControls
  • File history: control / name Microsoft.FileHistory
  • Folder properties: control / name Microsoft.FolderOptions
  • Fonts: control / name Microsoft.Fonts
  • Home group: control / name Microsoft.HomeGroup
  • Indexing options: control / name Microsoft.IndexingOptions
  • Infrared communication: control / name Microsoft.Infrared
  • Properties: Internet: control / name Microsoft.InternetOptions
  • ISCSI Initiator: control / name Microsoft.iSCSIInitiator
  • ISNS Server: control / name Microsoft.iSNSServer
  • Properties: keyboard: control / name Microsoft.Keyboard
  • Language: control / name Microsoft.Language
  • Location: control / name Microsoft.LocationSettings
  • Properties: mouse: control / name Microsoft.Mouse
  • MPIOConfiguration: control / name Microsoft.MPIOConfiguration
  • Network and Sharing Center: control / name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter
  • Notification area icons: control / name Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons
  • Pen and touch: control / name Microsoft.PenAndTouch
  • Personalization: control / name Microsoft.Personalization
  • Location information: control / name Microsoft.PhoneAndModem
  • Power supply: control / name Microsoft.PowerOptions
  • Programs and Features: control / name Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures
  • Recovery: control / name Microsoft.Recovery
  • Region: control / name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage
  • Remote Desktop Connections and RemoteApp applications : control / name Microsoft.RemoteAppAndDesktopConnections
  • Sound: control / name Microsoft.Sound
  • Speech recognition: control / name Microsoft.SpeechRecognition
  • Disk space management: control / name Microsoft.StorageSpaces
  • Synchronization Center: control / name Microsoft.SyncCenter
  • System: control / name Microsoft.System
  • Options tablet pc : control / name Microsoft.TabletPCSettings
  • Task bar: control / name Microsoft.Taskbar
  • Troubleshooting: control / name Microsoft.Troubleshooting
  • TSAppInstall: control / name Microsoft.TSAppInstall
  • Accounts: control / name Microsoft.UserAccounts
  • Windows Anytime Upgrade: control / name Microsoft.WindowsAnytimeUpgrade
  • Windows defender : control / name Microsoft.WindowsDefender
  • Windows firewall: control / name Microsoft.WindowsFirewall
  • Windows Mobility Center: control / name Microsoft.MobilityCenter
  • Windows To Go: control / name Microsoft.PortableWorkspaceCreator
  • Centre windows updates : control / name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate
  • Working folders: control / name Microsoft.WorkFolders

Obsolete Canonical Names

  • Microsoft.BackupAndRestoreCenter / Microsoft.BackupAndRestore - Removed in Windows 8
  • Microsoft.CardSpace - Removed in Windows 8
  • Microsoft.DesktopGadgets - Removed in Windows 8
  • Microsoft.GetProgramsOnline - Removed in Windows 7
  • Microsoft.PeopleNearMe - Removed in Windows 8.1
  • Microsoft.PerformanceInformationAndTools - Removed in Windows 8.1
  • Microsoft.WindowsSidebarProperties - Removed in Windows 8
  • Microsoft.WindowsSideShow - Removed in Windows 8.1
  • You can find out what control panel (.cpl) files are available in your Windows versions going along the path C: \ Windows \ System32... There you will find all the available components.

  • You can open different tabs at once by adding the tab number to the command, for example sysdm.cpl, 4 to open the System Protection tab of the System Properties panel applet. This trick only works on the command line.
  • You can run applets with elevated privileges by running them from command line in administrator mode. Hold Ctrl and Shift on your keyboard while launching Command Prompt.
  • The canonical names used above can be used to refer to these items in the Group Policy Editor.

Found a typo? Highlight and press Ctrl + Enter

The control panel is used in operating rooms Windows systems starting with Windows 2.0. Therefore, users are very accustomed to it and can no longer do without it. But, in the Start menu there is no longer a link to Control Panel; instead, using the Start menu, you can open a new panel of settings called Settings. Nevertheless, everyone's favorite "Control Panel" remained in the system and you can open it. Here's how to find Control Panel in Windows 10.

Method number 1. Right click on the "Start" button.

The easiest way to find the Control Panel in Windows 10 is to right-click on the Start button. After that, a small menu will open, in which there will be an item "Control Panel".

Method number 2. Search in the "Start" menu.

You can start any program or system tool by searching on the Start menu. You can also use it to find the control panel. To do this, simply open the Start menu and enter the phrase "control panel". After that, the system itself will find the Control Panel and show it to you.

Method number 3. Execution of the "control" command.

You can also find the Windows 10 Control Panel using the Run menu. To do this, press the key combination Windows + R and in the window that opens, enter the command "control".

Alternatively, this command can be executed using the Command Prompt.

Method number 4. Create a shortcut.

If you often use the Control Panel in Windows 10, then you can create a shortcut to it on your desktop. To do this, right-click on the desktop and select "Create - Shortcut".

After that, a window will appear in which you need to specify the location of the object. Here, just enter the "control" command mentioned above. Then click on the "Next" button.

At the next stage, you need to enter the name of the shortcut and click on the "Finish" button.

As a result, a shortcut to access the Control Panel will appear on your desktop. If desired, you can configure the opening of this shortcut using a keyboard shortcut. To do this, open the shortcut properties and set the desired key combination in the "Shortcut" field.

After saving the properties of the shortcut you will be able to use the keyboard shortcut of your choice.