List Of Control Panel Applets In Windows

Below is a complete list of Control Panel applets that you might find in Control Panel across Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP: Execute control access.cpl from the Command Prompt to access Accessibility Options directly. Accessibility Options was replaced by Ease of Access Center beginning in Windows Vista. Accessibility Options are available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.ActionCenter from the Command Prompt to access Action Center directly. Action Center replaced both Problem Reports and Solutions and Windows Security Center beginning in Windows 7. Action Center is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.WindowsAnytimeUpgrade from the Command Prompt to access Add Features to Windows 8 directly. Add Features to Windows 8 replaced Windows Anytime Upgrade beginning in Windows 8. Add Features to Windows 8 is available in Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.AddHardware from the Command Prompt to access Add Hardware directly. In Windows XP, execute control hdwwiz.cpl instead. Add Hardware was replaced by Devices and Printers beginning in Windows 7. Add Hardware is available in Windows Vista and Windows XP. Execute control appwiz.cpl from the Command Prompt to access Add or Remove Programs directly. Add or Remove Programs was replaced by, and split between, Programs and Features and Default Programs beginning in Windows Vista. Add or Remove Programs is available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.AdministrativeTools from the Command Prompt to access Administrative Tools directly. In Windows XP, execute control admintools instead. Windows Tools is the name for this applet in Windows 11. Administrative Tools is available in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control wuaucpl.cpl from the Command Prompt to access Automatic Updates directly. Automatic Updates was replaced with update settings as part of the Windows Update applet beginning in Windows Vista. Automatic Updates is available in Windows XP. For example, with AutoPlay, you can configure Windows to automatically start playing a movie with Windows Media Player when it sees that a DVD has been inserted. Execute control /name Microsoft.AutoPlay from the Command Prompt to access AutoPlay directly. AutoPlay is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestoreCenter from the Command Prompt to access Backup and Restore Center directly. Backup and Restore Center was replaced by Backup and Restore in Windows 7 and then in later versions by both the Windows 7 File Recovery and the File History applets. Backup and Restore Center is available in Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestore from the Command Prompt to access Backup and Restore directly. Backup and Restore replaced Backup and Restore Center beginning in Windows 7, which was itself replaced by both Windows 7 File Recovery, and to a lesser degree File History, beginning in Windows 8. Backup and Restore is available in Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.BiometricDevices from the Command Prompt to access Biometric Devices directly. Biometric Devices are available in Windows 8 and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.BitLockerDriveEncryption from the Command Prompt to access BitLocker Drive Encryption directly. BitLocker Drive Encryption is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.BluetoothDevices from the Command Prompt to access Bluetooth Devices directly. Bluetooth Devices was integrated into Devices and Printers beginning in Windows 7. Bluetooth Devices is available in Windows Vista and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.ColorManagement from the Command Prompt to access Color Management directly. Color Management replaced Color beginning in Windows Vista. Color Management is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute WinColor.exe from C:\Program Files\Pro Imaging Powertoys\Microsoft Color Control Panel Applet for Windows XP from the Command Prompt to access Color directly. Color was replaced by Color Management beginning in Windows Vista It’s available in Windows XP and only via manual download from Microsoft. Execute control /name Microsoft.CredentialManager from the Command Prompt to access Credential Manager directly. Credential Manager is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Execute control nwc.cpl from the Command Prompt to access Client Service for NetWare directly. Microsoft removed their own NetWare client beginning in Windows Vista. Client Service for NetWare is available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.DateAndTime from the Command Prompt to access Date and Time directly. In Windows XP, execute control date/time instead. Date and Time are available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.DefaultLocation from the Command Prompt to access Default Location directly. Default Location is only available in Windows 7. Beginning in Windows 8, location data is stored and managed on a per-app basis, removing the need for a global control of default location information. However, a basic Home Location setting is available in Windows 8’s Region applet on the Location tab. See the Location and Other Sensors applet in Windows 7 or the Location Settings applet in Windows 8 for related settings. Execute control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms from the Command Prompt to access Default Programs directly. Starting in Windows Vista, Default Programs replaced the default program access feature of the Add or Remove Programs applet in Windows XP. Default Programs is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.DesktopGadgets from the Command Prompt to access Desktop Gadgets directly. Desktop Gadgets replaced Windows Sidebar Properties beginning in Windows 7. Desktop Gadgets is only available in Windows 7. Windows gadgets are not available in newer versions of Windows like Windows 8 so this applet was no longer necessary. Device Manager is actually part of the Microsoft Management Console so the Device Manager applet in Control Panel is more like a shortcut than an integrated part of Control Panel like most other applets. Execute control /name Microsoft.DeviceManager from the Command Prompt to access Device Manager directly. Device Manager is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters from the Command Prompt to access Devices and Printers directly. Devices and Printers replaced both Add Hardware and Printers beginning in Windows 7. Devices and Printers are available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.Display from the Command Prompt to access Display directly. In Windows Vista and Windows XP, execute control desktop instead. The display is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.EaseOfAccessCenter from the Command Prompt to access Ease of Access Center directly. Ease of Access Center replaced Accessibility Options beginning in Windows Vista. Ease of Access Center is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.ParentalControls from the Command Prompt to access Family Safety directly. Family Safety replaced Parental Controls beginning in Windows 8. Family Safety is available in Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.FolderOptions from the Command Prompt to access File Explorer Options directly. File Explorer Options is available in Windows 11 and Windows 10. It replaced Folder Options in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.FileHistory from the Command Prompt to access File History directly. File History is new to Windows 8 but replaces the most important aspects of Backup and Restore from Windows 7. Backup and Restore is still available in Windows 8 but is called Windows 7 File Recovery. File History is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.FolderOptions from the Command Prompt to access Folder Options directly. In Windows XP, execute control folders instead. Folder Options is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. It’s replaced by File Explorer Options starting in Windows 10. Execute control /name Microsoft.Fonts from the Command Prompt to access Fonts directly. In Windows XP, execute control fonts instead. Fonts are available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.GameControllers from the Command Prompt to access Game Controllers directly. In Windows XP, execute control joy.cpl instead. Game Controllers are available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.GetPrograms from the Command Prompt to access Get Programs directly. Get Programs is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.GettingStarted from the Command Prompt to access Getting Started directly. Getting Started replaced Welcome Center beginning in Windows 7. Getting Started is only available in Windows 7. This applet was removed in Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.HomeGroup from the Command Prompt to access HomeGroup directly. HomeGroup is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions from the Command Prompt to access Indexing Options directly. In Windows XP, execute rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srchadmin.dll instead. Indexing Options is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.Infrared from the Command Prompt to access Infrared directly. In Windows Vista, execute control /name Microsoft.InfraredOptions instead. Infrared replaced Wireless Link beginning in Windows Vista. Infrared is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.InternetOptions from the Command Prompt to access Internet Options directly. In Windows XP, execute control inetcpl.cpl instead. Internet Options is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.iSCSIInitiator from the Command Prompt to access iSCSI Initiator directly. iSCSI Initiator is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.Keyboard from the Command Prompt to access Keyboard directly. In Windows XP, execute control keyboard instead. The keyboard is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.Language from the Command Prompt to access Language directly. Language replaced the language configuration options in the Regional and Language Options applet available in Windows 7. Region settings in Windows 8 are available in the Region applet. Language is available in Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.LocationAndOtherSensors from the Command Prompt to access Location and Other Sensors directly. Location and Other Sensors was replaced by Location Settings beginning in Windows 8. Location and Other Sensors is only available in Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.LocationSettings from the Command Prompt to access Location Settings directly. Location Settings replaced Location and Other Sensors beginning in Windows 8. Location Settings is available in Windows 8. Execute control mlcfg32.cpl from C:\Programs Files\Microsoft Office\OfficeXX from the Command Prompt to access Mail directly. Mail is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP as long as a version of Microsoft Outlook is installed. Execute control /name Microsoft.Mouse from the Command Prompt to access Mouse directly. In Windows XP, execute control mouse instead. Mouse is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter from the Command Prompt to access Network and Sharing Center directly. Network and Sharing Center replaced both Network Connections and Network Setup Wizard beginning in Windows Vista. Network and Sharing Center is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control netconnections from the Command Prompt to access Network Connections directly. Network Connections was replaced by Network and Sharing Center beginning in Windows Vista. Network Connections is available in Windows XP. Execute control netsetup.cpl from the Command Prompt to access Network Setup Wizard directly. The features available in Network Setup Wizard were integrated into Network and Sharing Center beginning in Windows Vista. Network Setup Wizard is available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons from the Command Prompt to access Notification Area Icons directly. Notification Area Icons is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7. Execute control odbccp32.cpl from the Command Prompt to access ODBC Data Source Administrator directly. ODBC Data Source Administrator was removed from Control Panel beginning in Windows Vista but is still available from Administrative Tools. ODBC Data Source Administrator is available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.OfflineFiles from the Command Prompt to access Offline Files directly. Offline Files is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.ParentalControls from the Command Prompt to access Parental Controls directly. Parental Controls was replaced by Family Safety beginning in Windows 8. Parental Controls are available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.PenAndInputDevices from the Command Prompt to access Pen and Input Devices directly. Pen and Input Devices was replaced by Pen and Touch beginning in Windows 7. Pen and Input Devices is available in Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.PenAndTouch from the Command Prompt to access Pen and Touch directly. Pen and Touch replaced Pen and Input Devices beginning in Windows 7. Pen and Touch are available in Windows 8 and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.PeopleNearMe from the Command Prompt to access People Near Me directly. The People Near Me (PNM) service is not available beginning in Windows 8 so the applet was removed. People Near Me is available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.PerformanceInformationAndTools from the Command Prompt to access Performance Information and Tools directly. Performance Information and Tools is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.Personalization from the Command Prompt to access Personalization directly. Personalization replaced major parts of Display beginning in Windows Vista. Personalization is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModemOptions from the Command Prompt to access Phone and Modem Options directly. In Windows XP, execute control telephon.cpl instead. Phone and Modem replaced Phone and Modem Options beginning in Windows 7. Phone and Modem Options are available in Windows Vista and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModem from the Command Prompt to access Phone and Modem directly. Phone and Modem replaced Phone and Modem Options beginning in Windows 7. Phone and Modem is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions from the Command Prompt to access Power Options directly. In Windows XP, execute control powercfg.cpl instead. Power Options is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control printers from the Command Prompt to access Printers and Faxes directly. Printers and Faxes were replaced by Printers in Windows Vista and again by Devices and Printers beginning in Windows 7. Printers and Faxes are available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.Printers from the Command Prompt to access Printers directly. Printers replaced Printers and Faxes in Windows XP and were then replaced by Devices and Printers beginning in Windows 7. Printers are available in Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.ProblemReportsAndSolutions from the Command Prompt to access Problem Reports and Solutions directly. Problem Reports and Solutions was replaced by Action Center beginning in Windows 7. Problem Reports and Solutions is available in Windows Vista. Execute control Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures from the Command Prompt to access Programs and Features directly. Programs and Features replaced Add or Remove Programs beginning in Windows Vista. Programs and Features are available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.Recovery from the Command Prompt to access Recovery directly. Recovery is available for Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage from the Command Prompt to access Region directly. Region replaced the regional configuration options in the Regional and Language Options applet available in Windows 7. Language settings in Windows 8 are available in the Language applet. Region is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage from the Command Prompt to access Region and Language directly. Region and Language replaced Regional and Language Options beginning in Windows 7 and was itself replaced by both the Language applet and the Region applet beginning in Windows 8. Region and Language are available in Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.RegionalAndLanguageOptions from the Command Prompt to access Regional and Language Options directly. In Windows XP, execute control international instead. Regional and Language Options was replaced by Region and Language beginning in Windows 7 and replaced again in Windows 8 by both the Region applet and the Language applet. Regional and Language Options is available in Windows Vista and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.RemoteAppAndDesktopConnections from the Command Prompt to access RemoteApp and Desktop Connections directly. This is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.ScannersAndCameras from the Command Prompt to access Scanners and Cameras directly. In Windows XP, execute control sticpl.cpl instead. Scanners and Cameras are available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control schedtasks from the Command Prompt to access Scheduled Tasks directly. The ability to schedule tasks was moved to Task Scheduler, a part of the Microsoft Management Console, beginning in Windows Vista. Scheduled Tasks is available in Windows XP Windows Security Center can be accessed directly by executing control /name Microsoft.SecurityCenter from the Command Prompt. In Windows XP, execute control wscui.cpl instead. Security Center was replaced by Action Center beginning in Windows 7. Security Center is available in Windows Vista and Windows XP. Execute msascui from C:\Program Files\Windows Defender from the Command Prompt to access Software Explorers directly. Software Explorers was replaced by Windows Defender beginning in Windows Vista. Software Explorers is available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.Sound from the Command Prompt to access Sound directly. In Windows Vista, execute control /name Microsoft.AudioDevicesAndSoundThemes instead. Sound replaced Sounds and Audio Devices beginning in Windows Vista. Sound is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control mmsys.cpl from the Command Prompt to access Sounds and Audio Devices directly. Sounds and Audio Devices was replaced by Sound beginning in Windows Vista. Sounds and Audio Devices is available in Windows XP Execute control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognitionOptions from the Command Prompt to access Speech Recognition Options directly. Speech Recognition Options was replaced by Speech Recognition beginning in Windows 7. Speech Recognition Options is available in Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognition from the Command Prompt to access Speech Recognition directly. Speech Recognition replaced Speech Recognition Options beginning in Windows 7. Speech Recognition is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows 7. Execute sapi.cpl from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Speech from the Command Prompt to access Speech directly. Speech was replaced by Text to Speech beginning in Windows Vista. Speech is available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.StorageSpaces from the Command Prompt to access Storage Spaces directly. Storage Spaces is available on Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.SyncCenter from the Command Prompt to access Sync Center directly. Sync Center is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.System from the Command Prompt to access System directly. In Windows XP, execute control sysdm.cpl instead. System is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.TabletPCSettings from the Command Prompt to access Tablet PC Settings directly. Tablet PC Settings is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista but is usually only accessible on tablet computers. Execute control /name Microsoft.Taskbar from the Command Prompt to access Taskbar directly. Taskbar replaced Taskbar and Start Menu beginning in Windows 8, which was then replaced by Taskbar and Navigation beginning in Windows 10. It’s available in Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.TaskbarAndStartMenu from the Command Prompt to access Taskbar and Start Menu directly. In Windows XP, execute rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 1 instead. Taskbar and Start Menu was replaced with Taskbar beginning in Windows 8. Taskbar and Start Menu is available in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.TextToSpeech from the Command Prompt to access Text to Speech directly. Text to Speech replaced Speech beginning in Windows Vista. Text to Speech is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting from the Command Prompt to access Troubleshooting directly. Troubleshooting is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Execute control /name Microsoft.UserAccounts from the Command Prompt to access User Accounts directly. In Windows XP, execute control userpasswords instead. User Accounts are available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.WelcomeCenter from the Command Prompt to access Welcome Center directly. Welcome Center was replaced by Getting Started beginning in Windows 7 and both were removed in Windows 8. Welcome Center is only available in Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestore from the Command Prompt to access Windows 7 File Recovery directly. Windows 7 File Recovery is a direct replacement for Backup and Restore Center, which was available in Windows 7. File History, first available in Windows 8, is another applet that can be used to back up files. Windows 7 File Recovery is available in Windows 8. Execute control /name Microsoft.WindowsAnytimeUpgrade from the Command Prompt to access Windows Anytime Upgrade directly. Windows Anytime Upgrade was replaced by Add Features to Windows 8 in Windows 8. Windows Anytime Upgrade is available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.CardSpace from the Command Prompt to access Windows CardSpace directly. Windows CardSpace was removed beginning in Windows 8. Windows CardSpace is available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.WindowsDefender from the Command Prompt to access Windows Defender directly. Windows Defender is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.WindowsFirewall from the Command Prompt to access Windows Firewall directly. In Windows XP, execute control firewall.cpl instead. Windows Firewall (called Windows Defender Firewall in some versions) is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.GetProgramsOnline from the Command Prompt to access Windows Marketplace directly. Windows Marketplace is only available in Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.MobilityCenter from the Command Prompt to access Windows Mobility Center directly. Windows Mobility Center is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista but is usually only accessible on mobile computers like laptops, tablets, and netbooks. Execute control /name Microsoft.WindowsSidebarProperties from the Command Prompt to access Windows Sidebar Properties directly. Windows Sidebar Properties was replaced by Desktop Gadgets beginning in Windows 7 but neither exists in Windows 8 due to the loss of Windows gadget support. Windows Sidebar Properties is available in Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.WindowsSideShow from the Command Prompt to access Windows SideShow directly. Windows SideShow is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control /name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate from the Command Prompt to access Windows Update directly. Windows Update is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Execute control irprops.cpl from the Command Prompt to access Wireless Link directly. Wireless Link was replaced by Infrared Options in Windows Vista and then again by Infrared beginning in Windows 7. Wireless Link is available in Windows XP. The features available in Wireless Network Setup Wizard were integrated into Network and Sharing Center beginning in Windows Vista. Wireless Network Setup Wizard is available in Windows XP. Execute control /name Microsoft.WorkFolders from the Command Prompt to access Windows Update directly. It’s available in Windows 11 and Windows 10.