"Control Panel"- a standard Windows application, the purpose of which is to conveniently work with different parameters operating system. Completely newbies who are just getting acquainted with the "seven" may not know how to open this window, and more advanced users want to know how to do this more conveniently or fix the situation in which this element disappears from the system or does not start. All this will be discussed further.
There are different ways to accomplish the task, and each of them will be useful to users in a certain situation. In addition, in some cases a small nuisance happens: by the usual methods to find "Control Panel" fails. This does not mean that it has been removed from Windows - you can return it to its place very simply. And below we'll show you how.
Method 1: Start Menu
Of course, the easiest and most obvious option would be to use the menu "Start", from where many programs are launched.
In the last section of the article, we talked about how to restore a panel missing from the menu, so if you want to return it to where it should be, proceed to reading the corresponding guide.
Method 2: Run window
This window is used to quickly navigate to different Windows applications(and not only), if you enter their name here. In this case, you should type a name that is not familiar to us. "Control Panel", namely the system name of the element's executable file.
Method 3: "Command line"
In some situations, the console may even be relevant. From it, you can also launch the application of interest.
Method 4: Adding an Icon to the Desktop
If you are more comfortable to put a shortcut "Control Panels" to your desktop, do the following:
Method 5: Adding a shortcut
You can also add a panel shortcut anywhere on your computer so you always have quick access to it.
The result will be the same as in the previous method.
Method 6: Adding to the Navigation Pane
Navigation area - this is the same left panel "Explorer", which you see when you open any folder. There, if desired, you can add the element discussed in this article.
Return of the missing "Control Panel"
As mentioned earlier, sometimes a panel can disappear from view and cannot be detected through "Start". In this situation, most likely, the system settings that you made by accident are to blame, or someone else did it, starting from the rest of the users of the computer and ending with the author of the Windows 7 assembly that you installed on the computer. So return "Control Panel" on the menu "Start" You can follow the instructions below:
If this does not help and you cannot start it in any way, the system files may have been damaged. To fix this, you will need to use a simple SFC console command that scans and fixes errors. We talked about this in detail in a separate article at the link below, where pay attention to Method 1 and 2 .
A special storage is responsible for restoring files, but sometimes it can be damaged. In such a situation, you should turn to another tool that restores damaged components. How to do this was also described in one of our other materials.
After successfully repairing damaged components via DISM, do not forget to re-scan the system for errors with the SFC command!
What else can help:
Now you know all the common ways to start "Control Panels" and fixes possible problems associated with its presence in the system.
Novice PC users often think about how to open the "Control Panel". What is this service? What is it for? How can you enter it? The answers to all this and more will surely be found below. In fact, even a novice user will be able to cope with the task. Especially if he follows the instructions below.
Service Description
Opening the "Control Panel" on a laptop or computer is not difficult. Ideally, this operation takes a few seconds, but more on that later. First, let's find out what application we are talking about.
"Control Panel" is a service built into the operating system. It is intended to manage settings and some Windows services. For example, here you can open the list installed apps or change operating system settings.
Windows XP
How to open the "Control Panel" "Windows"? The answer directly depends on the version of the operating system used.
Some users are still working with Windows XP. Here, the service under study can be opened by following the path: "Start" - "Settings" - "Panel ...". Nothing more needs to be done.
Windows 7
But this is only the beginning. You can open the "Control Panel" in another way. We will talk about universal solutions later. To begin with, we will study the techniques used in various operating systems.
The next popular build is Windows 7. Here, just click on the image of the Start menu, and then hover over the corresponding line on the right side of the list. "Control Panel" is located in this menu by default.
Windows 10 and its services
And how to open the "Control Panel" on "Windows 10"? A similar question worries many modern PC users, because the latest models of computers and laptops are supplied to stores with the mentioned operating system. Working with her at first is unusual.
To enter the service mentioned earlier, the user will have to perform the following steps:
- Click on the magnifying glass in Windows 10.
- Type in the appeared line "Control Panel".
- Select the appropriate service.
Important: you can click on the RMB line under study and select the "Pin to taskbar" option. This technique will display the service icon on the taskbar. Some people prefer to select the Go to Home screen option.
Windows 10 has its own secrets to help you quickly navigate through the services of the operating system. The user needs to press Win + X. After that, a menu with a variety of programs and applications will appear on the screen. In this list, it remains to find the "Control Panel" and click on it with LMB.
But that's not all! Windows 10 users can open the "Control Panel" through the "Start" menu. Here you need to select the "All applications" option, and then go to the "Utilities" block. Before the user there will be a small list of useful services. It remains to select the previously studied utility with the cursor.
Command line help
The previously listed techniques help open the "Control Panel" in a particular operating system. This is not always convenient. Therefore, further we will talk about universal options for the development of events. The suggested instructions are suitable for all Windows. Even a preschooler can handle them.
How to open "Control Panel" via command line? For this you will have to:
- Open command line. You can also press Win + R on your keyboard.
- In the line that appears, type the command "Control". In some cases, you have to write "Control Panel".
- Click on the "OK" button. You can just press Enter on the keyboard.
It is done. After the user performs the above manipulations, the "Control Panel" window will appear on the screen. Fast, simple and very convenient. It is recommended that every advanced user know about this method, because sometimes you have to manage the OS using command line.
On the desktop
The last scenario is the use of a specialized label. In Windows, users can display certain services on the desktop. So they can be launched in the shortest possible time.
To display the "Control Panel" shortcut in Windows 7, the user will need:
- Go to the "Start" section.
- Hover over the line labeled "Control Panel".
- Right-click on the corresponding line.
- Select the "Export to desktop" option.
That's all. If the user is running Windows 10, you can select the Go to Home screen option. After the actions taken, the shortcut of the corresponding service will be displayed on the "Control Panel" by double-clicking on the shortcut.
There are several other ways to bring the service you are studying to the desktop. What exactly?
Separate Label
For example, the user can create a shortcut himself and assign the value "Control Panel" to it.
For this you will have to:
- Right click on the desktop.
- Select the option "Create" - "Shortcut".
- Write in the appeared line Control.
- Confirm procedure.
Now, to open the "Control Panel" via a shortcut, just click on the corresponding desktop object. Fast and very convenient.
Personalization settings
The last scenario is to install the "Control Panel" shortcut through the "Windows" personalization settings.
The instructions for bringing the idea to life are as follows:
- Right-click on any free space on the desktop.
- Select the "Personalization" option.
- Click on "Shortcut settings".
- Check the box next to Control Panel.
- Confirm procedure.
Immediately after the actions taken, the user will be able to see a new shortcut on the desktop. Opening the "Control Panel" is now possible with just two mouse clicks. You can remove the service shortcut if necessary in the same way.
When working on a computer, there are situations when the user needs to open the Control Panel in Windows 10 to make settings for the operating system. The question arises, where is the Control Panel in Windows 10, because now it is not so easy to find a desktop application.
The fact is that Microsoft, the developer of the Windows 10 operating system, is gradually removing the Control Panel application from the system. The Settings application, where all functions for managing the system are gradually moving, is becoming a replacement for the classic control panel.
For example, the "Control Panel" item is no longer in the "Start" right-click context menu, so finding the application is not always easy and obvious.
In the "Settings" application, there are not yet all the system settings, it can be unclear where to look for the desired option. The control panel is still in demand, so users have questions about how to find the control panel in Windows 10.
The Control Panel contains the necessary tools for configuring the settings of the Windows operating system. From here you can get quick access to the necessary functions and tools.
In this article, you will learn where the control panel is located in Windows 10, get instructions for opening the desktop application in many ways: enabling the tool by running commands, several ways to create an icon or shortcut for the application to launch, located in a convenient location.
Almost all the methods described in this guide, except those directly related to the features Windows interface 10, work in operating systems Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1.
How to access the Windows 10 Control Panel from the Run window
First, let's look at how to launch the Control Panel by executing a command from the Run dialog box.
- Press the keyboard keys "Win" + "R".
- In the "Run" window, in the "Open" field, enter the command "control" or "control panel" (without quotes).
- Press the "Enter" key.
After that, the Control Panel window will open.
For the convenience of the user, you can switch the display mode of the panel. In the View option, select one of the options: Category, Large Icons, or Small Icons.
How to call the control panel in Windows 10 from the search
A fairly simple way to launch the control panel: use the search function in the operating Windows system 10. With this method, you can not only launch the application, but also select options for more convenient opening of the control panel on your computer in the future.
- On the Taskbar, click the search icon (magnifying glass).
- In the "Enter search text here" field, write "control panel" (without quotes).
- The best match will open in the search results: the classic Control Panel app.
Open the application by clicking on the search result, or click "Open" in the additional information area.
Expand the list to see the different options that you can apply to your desktop app:
- Open - launch the control panel.
- Go to file location - opens a folder with a shortcut to launch the control panel.
- Pin to Start - Pin the control panel to the Start screen in the Start menu.
- Pin to taskbar - pin the control panel to the taskbar.
Navigating to the file location will open a File Explorer window with a Control Panel shortcut. You can copy the shortcut to the Desktop or to another folder to make it easier to launch the Control Panel.
Once the Control Panel is pinned to the Start screen, a Control Panel tile will appear in the Start menu. After clicking on the tile, the application starts.
In order for the Windows control panel to always be at hand, you need to pin the desktop application to the taskbar. After that, you can quickly launch the application by clicking on its icon in the taskbar.
How to Enable Control Panel in Windows 10 from the Start Menu
Not everyone knows that it is possible to launch the control panel from the Start menu. Microsoft has removed the Start Menu Control Panel from the right-click menu, but it has remained in utility programs Oh.
You can still access the desktop app from the list of installed programs in the Start menu:
- Click on the start menu with the left mouse button.
- Scroll down the list of programs to the "System Tools - Windows" folder.
- Launch the application.
How to launch Control Panel from Command Prompt in Windows 10
One of the options for opening the control panel is to run a command from the Command Prompt utility.
- Start a command line, enter the command "control" (without quotes).
- Press the "Enter" key.
How to launch Windows 10 Control Panel in Windows PowerShell
In Windows 10, at default settings, instead of the command line, the system Windows tool PowerShell, which is recommended to be used instead of the Windows command line.
- Right click on the start menu.
- Select "Windows PowerShell" from the menu that opens.
- In the Windows PowerShell window, type "control" (without the quotes) and then press the "Enter" key.
Launching the Control Panel application from the Windows system folder
The control panel can be launched directly from the system Windows folders. This method can be used if other options for launching the application do not work on the computer.
Open File Explorer, follow the path:
C:\Windows\System32
From the "System32" folder, run the "control.exe" application.
How to Create an Icon to Launch Control Panel in Windows 10 Settings
Now we will create an icon to launch the control panel from the operating system settings.
- Enter the Start menu, launch the Settings app.
- Open the Personalization option.
- Enter the "Themes" section, and in the "Related Options" option, click on the "Desktop Icon Options" link.
- In the "Desktop Icon Options" window, in the "Desktop Icons" tab, check the box next to "Control Panel".
- Click on the "OK" button.
Create an Application Shortcut on the Desktop
Now we will create a shortcut to launch the Control Panel on the Desktop or in any other convenient folder.
- Right-click on an empty space on the desktop.
- Select "Shortcut" from the context menu.
- In the "Create shortcut" window that opens, in the "Specify the location of the object:" field, enter "control" (without quotes), click on the "Next" button.
- In the next window, in the "Enter a shortcut name:" field, add any name, for example, "Control Panel", and then click on the "Finish" button.
A shortcut will appear on the desktop with which you can launch the control panel.
Launching the Control Panel using hotkeys
In order not to click on the application shortcut with the mouse, the control panel can be launched using keyboard shortcuts.
- Create a desktop shortcut using the same method as above.
- Right-click on the shortcut, in the context menu, click on the "Properties" item.
- In the "Properties: Control Panel" window, in the "Shortcut" tab, left-click in the "Shortcut" field.
- Press the keys that will serve to launch the application.
Start typing "Ctrl" + "Alt", the operating system itself will substitute a free key that is not used with this combination, in this case, this key is "C".
You should now be able to open the Control Panel window using the keyboard keys.
Article Conclusions
microsoft, Windows developer 10, gradually removes elements of the classic control panel from the operating system, using the Settings application instead. Many system functions are still in the Control Panel app. The article tells you how to open the control panel in Windows 10 in different ways: from the system settings, after executing commands, by creating an icon or shortcut to launch an application.
Experienced PC and Internet user
Good afternoon, dear readers and subscribers of the blog, today we will talk about how to open msc windows snap-ins through the command line, why you might need it and how it will help in the daily practice of a system administrator. Believe the knowledge gained in this article, in the future you will be able to save a huge amount of time and nerve cells, not to mention the opportunity to show off your zadrot knowledge in front of your colleagues, just if you actively use linux systems and know the basic commands in the console, then you will be interested and these. Always, if possible, strive to explore, in addition to GUI interfaces, also alternative methods of configuration, since when Windows setup Server are increasingly opting for core mode with a minimalist interface.
What is msc snap
And so msc in Windows stands for Microsoft System Console, even simpler are windows, or as they are also called snap-ins, to control certain functions of the operating system. Earlier, I already introduced you to the method of creating a convenient mmc snap-in, in which we added everything that a system administrator needs for everyday administration.
And you probably ask, what does the command line and all that have to do with it, but what does it have to do with it. Let's imagine a situation where your organization has Active domain Directory, ordinary users do not have local administrator rights on their workstations, everything goes and works like clockwork, a situation happens that, for example, you need to change some settings for a user, and you need to do it now, so there is no time to look for these settings in group policy . What to do to go under yourself is not an option, since you need to make changes in another user profile, and how to open, for example, the Computer Management or System snap-in.
This is where knowing the name of the msc windows snap-ins and the command line will help us. All you have to do is open a command prompt as an administrator and type in the name of the msc snap-in. Below is a list. As you can see, by opening the cmd.exe command line, for example, I entered the value that opens the control panel with system administrator rights.
Elements of the msc Management Console snap-in
- appwiz.cpl- The installing and deleting of programms
- certmgr.msc- Certificates
- ciadv.msc- Indexing Service
- cliconfig- SQL network client program
- clipbrd- Clipboard
- compmgmt.msc- Computer management
- dcomcnfg- DCOM component management console
- ddeshare- DDE shares (does not work on Win7)
- desk.cpl- Screen properties
- devmgmt.msc- Device Manager
- dfrg.msc- Disk defragmentation
- diskmgmt.msc- Disk management
- drwtsn32- Dr. Watson
- dxdiag- DirectX Diagnostic Service
- eudcedit- Personal character editor
- eventvwr.msc- View events
- firewall.cpl- Windows firewall settings
- gpedit.msc- Group Policy
- fsmgmt.msc- Shared folders
- fsquirt- Bluetooth File Transfer Wizard
- chkdsk- Check disks (usually starts with parameters drive letter: /f /x /r)
- control printers- Printers and Faxes - does not always start
- control admintools- Computer administration - does not always start
- control schedules- Scheduled tasks (scheduler)
- control userpasswords2- Account Management
- compmgmt.msc- Computer management ( compmgmt.msc /computer=pc- remote computer control pc)
- lusrmgr.msc- Local users and groups
- mmc- creating your own equipment
- mrt.exe- Malware removal
- msconfig- System setup (autostart, services)
- mstsc- Remote Desktop Connection
- ncpa.cpl- Network connections
- ntmsmgr.msc- Removable memory
- mmsys.cpl- Sound
- ntmsoprq.msc- Removable RAM operators requests (for XP)
- odbccp32.cpl- Data Source Administrator
- perfmon.msc- Performance
- regedit- Registry Editor
- rsop.msc- Resulting policy
- secpol.msc- Local Security Settings (Local Security Policy)
- services.msc- Services
- sfc /scannow- Restore system files
- sigverif- File Signature Verification
- sndvol- volume control
- sysdm.cpl- Properties of the system
- syskey- Account database protection
- taskmgr- Task Manager
- utilman Utility Manager
- verifier Driver Check Manager
- wmimgmt.msc- WMI Management Infrastructure
List of msc snap-ins for Windows Server
Let's look at how the Windows Administrative Snap-ins are launched from the cmd.exe command line
- domain.msc - Active Directory domains and trusts
- dsa.msc - Active Directory Users and Computers (AD Users and Computers)
- tsadmin.msc - Terminal Services Manager
- gpmc.msc - Group Policy Management Console (GPO)
- gpedit.msc - Group Policy Object Editor
- tscc.msc - Terminal Server Configuration (TS Configuration)
- rrasmgmt.msc - Routing and Remote Access
- dssite.msc - Active Directory Sites and Trusts
- dompol.msc - Domain Security Settings
- dсpol.msc - Domain controller security policy (DC Security Settings)
- dfsgui.msc - Distributed file system DFS (Distributed File System)
- dnsmgmt.msc - DNS
- iscsicpl.exe - iSCSI Initiator
- odbcad32.exe - 32 bit ODBC Data Source Administrator
- odbcad64.exe - 64 bit ODBC Data Source Administrator
- powershell.exe -noexit -command import-module ActiveDirectory - Powershell Active Directory Module
- dfrgui.exe - Disk optimization
- taskschd.msc /s - Task Scheduler
- dsac.exe - Active Directory Administrative Center
- printmanagement.msc - Print Management
- vmw.exe - Volume License Activation Tool
- eventvwr.msc /s - Event Viewer
- adsiedit.msc - ADSIedit editor
- wbadmin.msc - Windows Server Backup
- ServerManager.exe - Server Manager
As you can see, the msc windows snap-in is a very useful system administration tool. It's even faster for me to open some snap-ins than to click on a bunch of windows, especially if the server or computer slows down or there is no mouse. And in any case, knowing such things is always useful. Most of everything we use is stored in c:\Windows\System32. If you go into this folder, you can find a lot of interesting things.
nbtstat -a pc- username of the remote machine pc
net localgroup group user /add- Add to group group, user user
net local groupgroup user/delete- Remove user from group
net send pc "" text "" - send a message to the user of the pc computer
net sessions- a list of users
net session /delete- closes all network sessions
net use l: \\computer name\folder\- connect network drive l: folder on the remote computer
net user name /active:no- block user
net user name /active:yes- unblock user
net user name /domain- information about the domain user
net user Name /add- add user
net user Name /delete- delete user
netstat -a- list of all connections to the computer
reg add- Add a parameter to the registry
reg compare- Compare parts of the registry.
reg copy- Copies from one partition to another
reg delete- Deletes the specified option or section
reg export- Export part of the registry
reg import- Respectively import part of the registry
reg load- Loads the selected part of the registry
reg query- Displays the values of the specified registry branch
reg restore- Restores the selected part of the registry from a file
reg save- Saves the selected part of the registry
reg unload- Unloads the selected part of the registry
shutdown- shutdown a computer, you can remotely turn off another one.
SystemInfo /s machine- will show a lot of useful information about the remote machine
List of command items in the Windows Control Panel
- control /name Microsoft.AutoPlay - Autoplay
- control /name Microsoft.OfflineFiles - Offline Files
- control /name Microsoft.AdministrativeTools - Administration
- control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestore - Backup and Restore
- control /name Microsoft.WindowsFirewall - Windows Windows Firewall
- control /name Microsoft.Recovery - Recovery
- control /name Microsoft.DesktopGadgets - Desktop Gadgets
- control /name Microsoft.DateAndTime - Date and Time
- control /name Microsoft.DeviceManager - Device Manager
- control /name Microsoft.CredentialManager - Credential Manager
- control /name Microsoft.HomeGroup - Homegroup
- Windowscontrol /name Microsoft.WindowsDefender - Windows Defender
- control /name Microsoft.Sound - Sound
- control /name Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons - Notification area icons
- control /name Microsoft.GameControllers - Game Controllers
- Keyboardcontrol /name Microsoft.Keyboard - Keyboard
- control /name Microsoft.Mouse - Mouse
- control /name Microsoft.TaskbarAndStartMenu - Taskbar and Start Menu
- control - Control panel
- control /name Microsoft.Fonts - Folder "Fonts"
- control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions - Indexing Options
- control /name Microsoft.FolderOptions - Folder Options
- control /name Microsoft.PenAndTouch - Pen and touch devices
- control /name Microsoft.Personalization - Personalization
- control /name Microsoft.RemoteAppAndDesktopConnections - Remote Desktop Connections
- control /name Microsoft.GetPrograms - Get programs
- control /name Microsoft.GettingStarted - Getting Started
- control /name Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures - Programs and Features
- control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms - Default programs
- control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognition - Speech recognition
- control /name Microsoft.ParentalControls - Parental control
- control /name Microsoft.InternetOptions - Internet Options
- control /name Microsoft.TextToSpeech - Speech properties
- control /name Microsoft.System - System
- control /name Microsoft.ScannersAndCameras - Scanners and cameras
- control /name Microsoft.PerformanceInformationAndTools - Performance counters and tools
- control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModem - Phone and modem
- control /name Microsoft.ColorManagement - Color Management
- control /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting - Troubleshooting
- control /name Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters - Devices and Printers
- control /name Microsoft.UserAccounts - User accounts
- control /name Microsoft.MobilityCenter - Mobility Center
- control /name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate - Update Center
- control /name Microsoft.ActionCenter - Action Center
- control /name Microsoft.SyncCenter - Synchronization Center
- control /name Microsoft.EaseOfAccessCenter - Ease of Access Center
- control /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter - Network and Sharing Center
- control /name Microsoft.BitLockerDriveEncryption - Drive encryption
- control /name Microsoft.Display - Screen
- control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions - Power Options
- control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage - Regional and Language
If you have something to add to the list of msc canonical names, then please write in the comments and I will add them.
The control panel is present in all Windows versions by default and allows you to manage a large number of settings, programs and processes on your computer. You can open it in several ways, and for convenience, you can change the appearance and interface.
Panel launch
There are several ways to get to the control panel in Windows 7. Some actions in the control panel will require administrator rights, so open it from the main account to have full access to all features.
Through shortcuts
How to call the panel through the search
Through the execution of commands
Via label
Video Tutorial: Launch Control Panel
Change in appearance
You can change the appearance of the control panel by selecting another option in the "View" line, located in the upper right corner of the window. The smaller the icon format you choose, the more sections you will fit on the main page of the control panel. There are three options: categories, default, small icons, and large icons.
Change the appearance of the control panel by choosing a different icon format What to do if the control panel is missing
Usually the administration panel disappears along with the desktop and the panel quick access. This is due to the fact that the explorer process, which is responsible for system access to computer files, for some reason stopped working. To restart it, follow these steps:
- Hold down the key combination Ctrl + Alt + Delete to go to the special menu.
Hold down the combination Ctrl + Alt + Delete - In the menu that opens, go to Task Manager. You can navigate through the menu using the arrow keys on your keyboard and the Enter key.
Go to task manager - Expand the File menu.
Expand the "File" menu - Select the New Task option.
Select "New Task" - Run a task called explorer.exe. Done, if the explorer file is not damaged, then all elements of the system, including the control panel, will begin to display stably.
Create an explorer.exe task - If you ever want to specifically "mask" the panel, then disable the explorer process, but this is strongly discouraged.
Close explorer.exe process
What to do if the administration option is missing from the Start menu
The easiest way to quickly access the panel is to use a button from the Start menu, but the button may not appear or disappear. To return or replace it, follow these steps:
What to do if it doesn't open
If, when you try to open the panel, nothing happens or an error appears, then most likely one of the broken files does not allow it to run, causing an error and terminating the process.
What to do if the panel is empty or not working
If you encounter problems during the launch of the panel, and at the same time you have Windows "Professional" or "Ultimate" installed, then the problem lies in the group policy editor:
- Open the Run program.
Expanding the "Run" window - Use the gpedit.msc command.
Run the gpedit.msc command - Using the folder tree on the left side of the window that opens, follow the User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel sections.
