Home Goodbye, Windows Control Panel, you had a good 38 year run

Goodbye, Windows Control Panel, you had a good 38 year run

TLDR

  • Microsoft will soon phase out the Windows Control Panel, favoring the modern Settings app.
  • Rumors of the Control Panel's end have circulated since 2011 but are now officially confirmed.
  • The exact removal date is unknown, but users are encouraged to transition to the Settings app.

Just a week after Microsoft announced it’ll be putting an end to Paint 3D, they’ve now done the same with Windows Control Panel which will officially be axed soon.

There have been rumors about the cancellation of the Control Panel since 2011. It was then that it was thought the tool would be replaced by ‘PC Settings.’

This didn’t come to fruition though, as the two co-existed for many years after. Then, in 2015, a Microsoft official was reported as confirming that settings would eventually supersede the Control Panel. But, again, nothing changed and the application remained.

Now, Microsoft has officially confirmed the decade-old rumor through a new support page about various system configuration tools in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

What will replace Microsoft Control Panel

“The Control Panel is a feature that’s been part of Windows for a long time. It provides a centralized location to view and manipulate system settings and controls.

“Through a series of applets, you can adjust various options ranging from system time and date to hardware settings, network configurations, and more.

“The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated in favor of the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience,” writes the Microsoft team.

While the Control Panel is still very much present and accessible for the time being, the company has asked people to use the Settings app ‘wherever possible.’

They write that the application has continued to exist due to “compatibility reasons and to provide access to some settings that have not yet migrated…”

Despite the company encouraging people to use a different app, they have still shared how people can access the application if they need it. It can still be searched for in the Start menu or found through a keyboard shortcut.

The exact date of its departure isn’t yet known, but the moment will mark a major change in terms of applications as the tool has been in use since 1985.

Featured Image: Ideogram

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Sophie Atkinson
Tech Journalist

Sophie Atkinson is a UK-based journalist and content writer, as well as a founder of a content agency which focuses on storytelling through social media marketing. She kicked off her career with a Print Futures Award which champions young talent working in print, paper and publishing. Heading straight into a regional newsroom, after graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in Journalism, Sophie started by working for Reach PLC. Now, with five years experience in journalism and many more in content marketing, Sophie works as a freelance writer and marketer. Her areas of specialty span a wide range, including technology, business,…

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