

- #CONTROL PANEL ON COMPUTER HOW TO#
- #CONTROL PANEL ON COMPUTER WINDOWS 10#
- #CONTROL PANEL ON COMPUTER SOFTWARE#
#CONTROL PANEL ON COMPUTER HOW TO#
How to Open Control Panel Applets (CPL Files) in WindowsĬontrol Panel files can be opened using Windows CLI. An example of this can be seen in the image above, where “ AxSWindC圆4.cpl” is an applet by “Alcohol iSCSI Sharing Center”. CPL files as applets, so they can be managed through the Control Panel. However, older Windows versions may likely have more, since they do not include the Settings app, and most Controls are still present in the Control Panel.įurthermore, third-party applications can also add their own. There are 18 CPL files by default (Windows 11). You can open these applets quickly through the Windows Command Line Interface (CLI) simply through the file names discussed further down this post. Computer\HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\Namespace Note: Control Panel applets with no CPL files have been discussed further down the article where you will also find the canonical names for them. Whereas the locations of the Class ID (CLSID) variables for the Control Panel applets that do not have a dedicated CPL file are saved at the following location within the Windows Registry: The locations of these CPL files are stored at the following locations within the Windows Registry: Computer\HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\Cpls

Note: Since these are system files, we suggest you steer clear of them and do not make any modifications, as deleting or renaming them will remove the respective applet from the Control Panel. These can be found at the following path inside your OS: C:\Windows\System32. Applets in Control Panel What are CPL FilesĬPL files are Control Panel Files are binary-coded files that are responsible for running the different applets inside the Control Panel. An application, such as the Control Panel, can consist of multiple applets, each capable of handling different aspects of the operating system.
#CONTROL PANEL ON COMPUTER SOFTWARE#
When to Open Control Panel Applets using CommandsĪpplets, or small applications, are pieces of tiny software within a bigger software that form up to create the parent software.


Control Panel Applets without CPL Files.How to Open Control Panel Applets (CPL Files) in Windows.In this post, we are going to discuss what the Control Panel consists of and how you can quickly access the individual applets through the command line. That said, the Control Panel still plays a significant role in the Windows operating system as many configurations are still handled through it.
#CONTROL PANEL ON COMPUTER WINDOWS 10#
The changes continue to Windows 10 and Windows 11, as Microsoft plans to ditch the Control Panel and shift all controls to the Settings app. In Windows 8, Microsoft began shifting some controls from the Control Panel to the new “PC Settings app” which had a richer vibe with a user-friendly interface. However, drastic changes have been made to it to support more manageability and its interface. The Control Panel has been integrated into Windows since the very beginning, when it was launched in 1985, and has been included in all Windows versions. This allows you to control and manage different elements of the operating system, such as network configuration, system hardware, installing and uninstalling software, and much more. Windows has been shipped with a Control Panel, which many of you know.
