Control Panel

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The Control Panel is a section of Microsoft Windows that enables a user to change various computer hardware and software features. Settings for the mouse, display, sound, network, and keyboard represent just a few examples of what may be modified in the Control Panel. The following sections contain helpful information on the Microsoft Windows Control Panel.

Only the Windows operating system has a Control Panel. If you have a computer or tablet with an operating system other than Windows, the Control Panel is not available.

Windows 8 users
Windows Vista, 7, 8.1 users
Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, and XP users
Control Panel from MS-DOS
Windows 3.x users

Windows 8 users

If you are having trouble finding a specific icon, there is a search box in the top right-hand corner of the Control Panel window.

Windows Vista, 7, 8.1 users

Microsoft Windows 7 Control Panel

If you are having trouble finding a specific icon, there is a search box in the top right-hand corner of the Control Panel window.

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

Microsoft Windows XP Control Panel

Microsoft Windows 98 Control Panel

Windows XP introduced two different ways to display the Control Panel: Classic View and Category View. By Default, Windows displays the Control Panel in Category view, listing icons under broad categories rather than each one individually. For example, clicking Appearance and Themes allows the user to adjust the theme, background, screen saver, and screen resolution. Users may switch between these two views by simply clicking the link in the top left-hand section of the Control Panel window.

Users may utilize the control command to open the Control Panel, as well as many of the Control Panel icons through the command line.

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

Also see: Add/Remove programs, Control, cPanel, Operating system terms