How To Open Windows Control Panel

While in that location's talk of Microsoft axing the Control Panel, information technology isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Some important settings are just constitute in the classic Control Panel on Windows 10—they aren't in the Settings app. Here are 13 means you can open the Command Console.

Search the Starting time Carte du jour

Yous tin search for whatsoever application on your PC with the Starting time menu's search feature, which is too known as Windows Search. In the Search box to the left of the taskbar, just type "Command Console." Click "Command Panel" in the search results to launch it. You lot can also employ the arrow keys to select it and press "Enter."

Search for Control Panel in the start menu

RELATED: Stop Hunting and Get-go Finding!

Pivot It to the Taskbar

Windows lets you pin apps to the taskbar for quick access. Yous can launch Control Panel using 1 of the methods in this article and and then pin it to the taskbar.

To do this, launch Command Console, right-click its icon in the taskbar, then select "Pin to Taskbar" to keep it in that location permanently. You can then drag and drop the shortcut icon to reposition information technology wherever you like on the taskbar.

Pin Control Panel to taskbar

Click in the First Menu

There are three ways you can open Command Panel from the Start menu. The first is from the Apps list. Click the Start button (or printing the Windows key), curlicue downwards in the list of apps, click "Windows Arrangement" to open the folder, and click "Control Panel."

Start menu's Windows System

You tin can too add a shortcut to the pinned tile section to the right of the Start menu. To do so, open the Starting time menu, type "Control Panel" in the search box (or find it in the Apps list), correct-click the Command Panel shortcut in the search results, then click "Pivot to Start."

Pin to Start

The Command Console shortcut tile will at present appear in the pinned tile section of the Starting time carte du jour. Click information technology to launch the Command Panel.

Control Panel in Start menu

Ask Cortana

If your PC has a microphone, yous can ask Cortana to open File Explorer. To do so, click the Cortana icon (the circle) in the taskbar.

The voice command for Control Panel is a bit unlike. Usually, when yous want to open up an app through Cortana, you'll say "Open [app name]." Merely if you say "Open Control Panel," yous'll receive an error.

Open Control Panel error

To launch the Command Panel with Cortana, click the Microphone icon and just say "Command Panel"—don't say "Open" before information technology. Cortana will launch the Control Panel.

Cortana control panel voice command

If y'all don't accept a microphone, you lot can just type "Control Panel" into the Ask Cortana text box, too.

Use the Settings Search Box

You can find Control Panel with a Get-go menu search, but you can also search for it in the Settings window—if you happen to accept the Settings window open.

In Settings (which you lot can besides open by pressing Windows+i on the keyboard), click the search box at the meridian of the window, type "Control Panel," and click the "Command Console" search result.

Control Panel search in Settings window

Create a Desktop Shortcut

For quicker access to the Control Panel, you tin can create a desktop shortcut. To do so, click the Start push at the lesser-left corner of the screen.

Click the Start button.

In the app list, ringlet down and click "Windows Organisation." In the submenu, click and drag "Control Console" to the desktop. You tin also drag and drop Control Console from the pinned app tiles on the right.

Use File Explorer'southward Address Bar Menu

You can besides open Command Prompt from File Explorer's Address bar. Offset, open File Explorer—you can printing Windows+East to quickly open information technology. Click the arrow to the left of "This PC" in the address bar at the acme of the window and select "Control Panel" in the menu.

Control Panel in File Explorer's Address Bar

Add together a Toolbar to Your Taskbar

You tin can also add a Desktop menu ("toolbar") to your taskbar. To do so, right-click in an empty space on the taskbar, hover your cursor over "Toolbars," and then click "Desktop" from the submenu.

Desktop taskbar item

The Desktop toolbar will now announced at the correct side of the taskbar to the left of the notification area icons. Click the icon with two right arrows, so click "Control Panel" from the menu to open Control Panel.

Control panel in desktop toolbar

Run the Command Panel's EXE File

By default, Windows stores the Control Panel's EXE file in C:\Windows\System32.

To find information technology, launch File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32. Find "control.exe" in the long list—you can click in the right pane and commencement typing its name to skip to it. Double-click the shortcut to open up Command Panel.

Control Panel in File Explorer

Run It From the Chore Managing director

Task Manager isn't simply for shutting downward apps or monitoring processes and functioning—you can also launch apps from it. To launch Control Panel this mode, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc or correct-click the taskbar and select "Task Manager" to open the Chore Manager. Click "File" and select "Run New Task."

Click "Run New Task."

The Create New Chore window volition appear. Blazon "Control Panel" in the Open box and click "OK" to launch the Control Panel.

Task Manager task

Employ the Run Window

Y'all tin also launch Control Console using the Run window. Press Windows+R to open up the Run window. In the Open up box, type "Control Panel" and click "OK" to open information technology.

Control Panel Run command

Run a Control in Command Prompt

You can launch almost any app on your PC, including Control Panel, from the Command Prompt. To do so, type "cmd" in the Windows Search box, then select "Command Prompt" from the search results to open it.

In Command Prompt, type this control and press Enter:

control panel

Control Panel command prompt command

Command Panel will open.

Run a Command in PowerShell

You can too launch Command Panel from PowerShell. To practise so, type "PowerShell" in the Windows Search box, then select "Windows PowerShell" from the search results to open a PowerShell window. (You can as well press Windows+10 or right-click the Start button and select "Windows PowerShell" to open up it.)

Type "PowerShell" in the Windows Search box, and then select "Windows PowerShell" from the results.

In PowerShell, type the following command, then printing Enter to open a Control Console window:

control panel

Control Panel powershell command

Windows 10 is packed with different ways to achieve common tasks. For example, there'southward a wide variety of ways to launch File Explorer, open a Command Prompt window, or lock your PC. Explore all the options to find those that work best for you and your workflow.