Windows Control Panel Faces Sunset After Nearly Four Decades, Settings App to Succeed It

[AleksandarK]

Microsoft has officially confirmed plans to phase out the Windows Control Panel, a feature that has been a key to the operating system since its inception in 1985. The tech giant recently stated on its support website, "The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated in favor of the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience." The Control Panel has undergone numerous transformations over its 39-year lifespan and has been a familiar tool for Windows users across generations. Its impending retirement signifies a major shift in Microsoft's approach to user interface design and system management. The Settings app, introduced with Windows 8 in 2012, has gradually absorbed the functionalities of the Control Panel. Despite rumors of its demise circulating for a while, this is the first time Microsoft has officially acknowledged the Control Panel's deprecation.

The company still needs to specify an exact timeline for the complete removal of this legacy feature. Microsoft is encouraging users to utilize the Settings app whenever possible, stating, "While the Control Panel still exists for compatibility reasons and to provide access to some settings that have not yet migrated, you are encouraged to use the Settings app, whenever possible." The Control Panel's longevity can be attributed primarily to two factors: ongoing compatibility concerns and the presence of certain functions not yet available in the Settings app. Microsoft's need to maintain backward compatibility with older software and hardware configurations has been a critical driver behind the Control Panel's continued inclusion in Windows. This legacy support ensures that users can still access essential system settings and utilities that still need to be successfully migrated to the more modern Settings interface. However, the complete transition is now seemingly ready.



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[Vayra86]

Am I glad 24H2 still has it Gonna enjoy the hell out of my control panel for the next decade or so.

'What have you been playing lately?'
'Control Panel bruh, nostalgia ftw'

 

[b1k3rdude]

<Meh> there are ways to reinstall classic control panel aplets, so I dont see this being any different.

But what is disappointing, but not surprising is that M$ has still NOT fully or properly implimented anywhere near enough enough of the control panel functions in settings for the change over, its a running joke. Just looks at the sound settings in settings versus CP - its a shitshow.

I imagine the enterprise version/s of windows/server will retain the CP for years.

 

[PLAfiller]

I find it difficult to solve my issues with "Settings app" . Their Bluetooth settings are non-existent IMO. Like connecting Bluetooth headphones to a PC, where is the avrcp selection? Codec selection? etc....like when you use android device. Printer-handling ain't pretty either.

 

[JWNoctis]

This legacy support ensures that users can still access essential system settings and utilities that still need to be successfully migrated to the more modern Settings interface.

Solution to deep magic is to bury it deeper? I wonder how they'd go about tiling some of those more info-dense control panel settings, detailed power plan configuration for one, into a sparse, modern, mostly mobile-inspired UI.

 

[Intervention]

But I love the control panel. But Microsoft's approach to things that make sense is: if its not broken, fix it!

 

[Beginner Macro Device]

what did you expect? A multi billion company to release a product that works and to phase out something you don't need anymore? Get real, never gonna happen.

 

[gord787]

to phase out something you don't need anymore?

Isn't Control Panel like one of the most useful things out there? Especially when something goes wrong in your system

 

[NRANM]

I'll express an unpopular opinion here: as long as they migrate all settings, I really don't care. I access the Windows Settings/Control Panel very rarely after an initial setup.

 

[Wirko]

Open the Control Panel window and click the up arrow twice. Makes me wonder how MS still hasn't closed this wormhole into the past.

 

[Arctucas]

But I love the control panel. But Microsoft's approach to things that make sense is: if its not broken, fix it!

I believe Microsofts motto is: 'If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is'.

 

[R0H1T]

<Meh> there are ways to reinstall classic control panel aplets, so I dont see this being any different.

For now, small but miniscule chance that MS completely nukes it!

 

[The Quim Reaper]

It all just has the appearance of people at Windows HQ desperately looking for things to do and looking busy for the sake of it.

 

[Hakker]

This is something that is ongoing since the day they came up with settings as being the road to deprecated. Heck it was supposed to be gone already for years now and it's still around.

All that said Control Panel or better yet ncpa.cpl and appwiz.cpl are basically the first things you'll learn as a sysadmin for a reason. THEY JUST WORK!!!

 

[theouto]

I don't think I've ever had a good time trying to troubleshoot things with the settings app, but control panel was always there and useful. This is not needed, just keep both.

 

[Arctucas]

Less control for you, more for them.

 

[btarunr]

I'm convinced Microsoft has a "how do we make Windows shittier" department.

 

[Lycanwolfen]

Look CP is simple and too the point easy to get where you need to go. In the new Settings for example try and get to say network adapters panel when you can edit tcp/ip settings. In the newer windows 11's it's like I dunno 12 places you have to go to get it up and you can only bring it up one at a time. In CP its network settings one button. Or the printers in settings OMG microsoft is horrible trying to install their own apps for each printer keeps wanting to install a WSD port instead of the tcp/tp port.

 

[RamiHaidafy]

I've been using Windows since Windows 95.

Good riddance to the Control Panel. It's an eyesore and hasn't been needed for a while apart from extremely rare circumstances. Once the remaining handful of settings are migrated they can kill this thing once and for all.

I just hope they update all the other legacy utilities like Disk Management, Device Manager, Event Viewer, Services and Task Scheduler. There so much room for improvement here in terms of ease of use and UI design.

 

[Noyand]

<Meh> there are ways to reinstall classic control panel aplets, so I dont see this being any different.

But what is disappointing, but not surprising is that M$ has still NOT fully or properly implimented anywhere near enough enough of the control panel functions in settings for the change over, its a running joke. Just looks at the sound settings in settings versus CP - its a shitshow.

I imagine the enterprise version/s of windows/server will retain the CP for years.

Really? Of all the settings, sound is among those that I've found to have a successful migration in win11 I didn't have to go into CP for years to change my sounds settings/balance/individual volume apps

I also like that you have a quick access to some functionality

 

[Arctucas]

I'm convinced Microsoft has a "how do we make Windows shittier" department.

+1.

So true.

 

[docnorth]

To be honest I use the control panel less and less since (obligatorily) switching from W7 to W10/11. Important interventions are vanishing, eg update preferences (cough - cough). For uninstalling I use revo, for difficult to remove files unlocker etc, etc. But I agree, settings app is a mess, difficult and slow to navigate (like W10 when it first came out).

 

[chrcoluk]

I dont know why they announced it again, as it was already their plan in Windows 10, its just that for whatever reason they have been doing the migration at a very slow pace.

I add things like gpu-z, and winsetview to the control panel. so will use it for as long as it exists. I expect it will carry on existing just there wont be a way to open it easily.

The new settings applet, I dont hate it, its ok, I think its main downside vs the control panel is it has a lot of padding so more space is needed to fit things, and not everything adjustable is migrated over from the control panel. Control panel arguably though with its compact design people will prefer larger text and widgets which easily confirm the state a setting is in. For things that exist in both the control panel and settings, most of the time if its muscle memory I use the control panel, but if its things, that I have never bothered touching in control panel, then I will use the settings applet.

The observant may notice some things are missing like the device manager, if I access things via another way I have removed them from the control panel, device manager can be access by right clicking the start menu, and I also have it in my quick launch tray, I have some things I added to this which I never use like the windows defender hardening tools, so those I might remove as well. But can see gpu-z, cpu-z and other useful tools are in here. I tend to put things in here which are system configuration or system debug related. Inspectre I think is obsolete now as was never updated for the newer mitigations, and since I have mitigations status in there (which does get updated), I might remove inspectre as well. Also anything in here that I added that requires elevation, they are linked to a scheduled task which can launch them without elevation prompts, so gpu-z e.g. I launch it via control panel, there is no UAC prompt.

 

[Vincero]

Wow, there are sooooo many control panel items with settings that are missing entirely from the Windows 10/11 'settings' options.

Easy examples: adjusting power plans, changing laptop open/close behaviour, advanced / explicit firewall settings, etc.

Only when MS have faithfully put all that back in should they sunset it. It's not liked they nuked VB/C-script whilst still working on PowerShell whilst it's missing basic command/control items....

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

I'll express an unpopular opinion here: as long as they migrate all settings, I really don't care. I access the Windows Settings/Control Panel very rarely after an initial setup.

That's unpopular for a reason: there is 0 evidence that MS will actually move all the settings. Thus far, all the granular control has been lost when moving to the settings menu. Like setting network priority, can only be done through control panel. Disabling IPV6? Same. Disabling fast start up? Same.

This is something that is ongoing since the day they came up with settings as being the road to deprecated. Heck it was supposed to be gone already for years now and it's still around.

All that said Control Panel or better yet ncpa.cpl and appwiz.cpl are basically the first things you'll learn as a sysadmin for a reason. THEY JUST WORK!!!

They've not done it by now, IMO, because the control panel is deeply integrated in the OS, much like explorer, and ripping it out and replacing it is a herculean task as nobody who made it is left in the company, either having retired or been forced out to be replaced with cheap labor.

Same reason computer domain names are still limited to 15 characters.