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Open Control Panel Applets Directly in Windows 10

In every release of Windows 10, more and more classic options of the Control Panel are being converted to a modern page in the Settings app. At some point, Microsoft will remove the classic Control Panel completely. The classic Control Panel still comes with a number of options and tools which are not available in Settings.

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Control Panel has a familiar user interface which many users prefer over the Settings app. You can use Administrative tools, manage user accounts on the computer in a flexible way, maintain data backups, change the functionality of hardware and do many other things. You can pin Control Panel applets to the taskbar to access frequently used settings faster. Alternatively, you can use special commands to launch Control Panel applets directly.

Starting with Windows 95, it was possible to open various Control Panel applets by entering their file names in the Run dialog (Win + R). For example, if you type timedate.cpl in the Run dialog, it will open the Date and Time applet. This trick works even in Windows 10:

Control Panel Applet Run Directly

Then in Windows Vista, Microsoft added the ability to open different pages of the modern Control Panel pages. The control.exe file, which is the main executable file of the Control Panel, supports two special options, /NAME and /PAGE. If you understand Russian, I have covered them in detail on Winreview which was my Russian site before the English Winaero was born.

The /NAME option opens an applet or a wizard directly. For example, the following command will open Windows Firewall directly:

control.exe /NAME Microsoft.WindowsFirewall

Open Firewall Command

The /PAGE option will allow you to open a specific step of the wizard or a subpage of the main option. For example, this command will open the Edit Plan Settings subpage of the Power Options applet:

control.exe /NAME Microsoft.PowerOptions /PAGE pagePlanSettings

Open Powerplan Options Command

Open Control Panel Applets Directly in Windows 10

Today, I would like to share a list of commands you can use to open the desired Control Panel applet. It is a nice addition to the following articles:

Here we go.

To open Control Panel applets directly in Windows 10, use the following list of commands:

Control Panel AppletCommand(s)
Administrative Toolscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.AdministrativeTools
OR
control.exe admintools
AutoPlaycontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.AutoPlay
Backup and Restore (Windows 7)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.BackupAndRestoreCenter
BitLocker Drive Encryptioncontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.BitLockerDriveEncryption
Color and Appearanceexplorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageColorization
Color Managementcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.ColorManagement
Credential Managercontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.CredentialManager
Date and Time (Date and Time)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.DateAndTime
OR
timedate.cpl
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL timedate.cpl,,0
Default Programscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.DefaultPrograms
Desktop Backgroundexplorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageWallpaper
Device Managercontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.DeviceManager
OR
hdwwiz.cpl
OR
devmgmt.msc
Devices and Printerscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters
OR
control.exe printers
Ease of Access Centercontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.EaseOfAccessCenter
OR
access.cpl
File Explorer Options (General tab)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.FolderOptions
OR
folders
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 0
File Historycontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.FileHistory
Fontscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.Fonts
OR
control.exe fonts
Game Controllerscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.GameControllers
OR
joy.cpl
Get Programscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.GetPrograms
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,1
HomeGroupcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.HomeGroup
Indexing Optionscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.IndexingOptions
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srchadmin.dll
Infraredcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.Infrared
OR
irprops.cpl
OR
control.exe /NAME Microsoft.InfraredOptions
Internet Properties (General tab)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.InternetOptions
OR
inetcpl.cpl
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,0
iSCSI Initiatorcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.iSCSIInitiator
Keyboardcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.Keyboard
OR
keyboard
Languagecontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.Language
Mouse Properties (Buttons tab 0)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.Mouse
OR
main.cpl
OR
control mouse
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,0
Network and Sharing Centercontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter
Offline Filescontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.OfflineFiles
Network Connectionsncpa.cpl
OR
control netconnections
Network Setup Wizardnetsetup.cpl
Notification Area Iconsexplorer shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}
ODBC Data Source Administratorodbccp32.cpl
Personalizationexplorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921}
Phone and Modemcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.PhoneAndModem
OR
telephon.cpl
Power Optionscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.PowerOptions
OR
powercfg.cpl
Power Options -> Advanced settingspowercfg.cpl,,1
Power Options -> Create a Power Plancontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.PowerOptions /PAGE pageCreateNewPlan
Power Options -> Edit Plan Settingscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.PowerOptions /PAGE pagePlanSettings
Power Options -> System Settingscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.PowerOptions /PAGE pageGlobalSettings
Programs and Featurescontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures
OR
appwiz.cpl
Recoverycontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.Recovery
Region (Formats tab)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage
OR
control.exe /NAME Microsoft.RegionalAndLanguageOptions /PAGE /p:"Formats"
OR
intl.cpl
OR
control.exe international
Region (Location tab)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.RegionalAndLanguageOptions /PAGE /p:"Location"
Region (Administrative tab)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.RegionalAndLanguageOptions /PAGE /p:"Administrative"
RemoteApp and Desktop Connectionscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.RemoteAppAndDesktopConnections
Scanners and Camerascontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.ScannersAndCameras
OR
sticpl.cpl
Security and Maintenancecontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.ActionCenter
OR
wscui.cpl
Set Associationscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.DefaultPrograms /PAGE pageFileAssoc
Set Default Programscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.DefaultPrograms /PAGE pageDefaultProgram
Sound (Playback tab)control.exe /NAME Microsoft.Sound
OR
mmsys.cpl
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,0
Speech Recognitioncontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.SpeechRecognition
Storage Spacescontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.StorageSpaces
Sync Centercontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.SyncCenter
Systemcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.System
OR
sysdm.cpl
System Iconsexplorer shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9} \SystemIcons,,0
Troubleshootingcontrol.exe /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting
Tablet PC Settingscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.TabletPCSettings
Text to Speechcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.TextToSpeech
User Accountscontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.UserAccounts
OR
control.exe userpasswords
User Accounts (netplwiz)netplwiz
OR
control.exe userpasswords2
Windows Defender Firewallcontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.WindowsFirewall
OR
firewall.cpl
Windows Mobility Centercontrol.exe /NAME Microsoft.MobilityCenter

Applets with Standalone Executable Files

Add a Device wizardDevicePairingWizard.exe
Add Hardware wizardhdwwiz.exe
Windows To Gopwcreator.exe
Work FoldersWorkFolders.exe
Performance Options (Visual Effects)SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe
Performance Options (Data Execution Prevention)SystemPropertiesDataExecutionPrevention.exe
Presentation SettingsPresentationSettings.exe
System Properties (Computer Name)SystemPropertiesComputerName.exe
System Properties (Hardware)SystemPropertiesHardware.exe
System Properties (Advanced)SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe
System Properties (System Protection)SystemPropertiesProtection.exe
System Properties (Remote)SystemPropertiesRemote.exe
Windows FeaturesOptionalFeatures.exe
OR
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,2

Applets accessible with RunDLL32 Only

Add a Printer wizardrundll32.exe shell32.dll,SHHelpShortcuts_RunDLL AddPrinter
Additional Clocksrundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL timedate.cpl,,1
Date and Time (Additional Clocks)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL timedate.cpl,,1
Desktop Icon Settingsrundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,,0
File Explorer Options (View tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 7
File Explorer Options (Search tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 2
Internet Properties (Security tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,1
Internet Properties (Privacy tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,2
Internet Properties (Content tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,3
Internet Properties (Connections tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,4
Internet Properties (Programs tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,5
Internet Properties (Advanced tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,6
Mouse Properties (Pointers tab 1)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,1
Mouse Properties (Pointer Options tab 2)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,2
Mouse Properties (Wheel tab 3)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,3
Mouse Properties (Hardware tab 4)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,4
Screen Saver Settingsrundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,,1
Set Program Access and Computer Defaultsrundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,3
Sound (Recording tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,1
Sound (Sounds tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,2
Sound (Communications tab)rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,3

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

One thought on “Open Control Panel Applets Directly in Windows 10”

  1. Additionally the tabs of the Mouse Properties dialog can be specifically accessed by:
    Control.exe /Name Microsoft.Mouse /Page #
    Substituting the tab number ‘#’ (starting with 0)
    0 = Button,
    1 = Pointers,
    2 = Wheel
    3 = Hardware
    4 = TouchPad Name

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