Windows 11 Control Panel Commands to Open Applets Directly

Control Panel Icon

Here is the list of Windows 11 Control Panel commands to open its applets directly. You can type these commands into the Run dialog, or create a shortcut for such a command. The shortcuts will allow you to open the Control Panel items faster, or pin the to the Start or taskbar.

The classic Control Panel plays a minor role in Windows 11. Most of its options are already available in the modern Settings app. By going forward with this change, Microsoft has removed most of links to legacy applets, making them harder to discover for an average user.

This is where Windows 11 Control Panel commands come into play. By using them, you can access most of the legacy applets directly. For example, if you type appwiz.cpl in the Run dialog, you will see the classic Uninstall a program dialog.

Here is the list of the classic Control Panel commands available in Windows 11.

Windows 11 Control Panel Commands

Control Panel applet Command
Control Panel - default view control
Control Panel - category view explorer.exe shell:::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}
Control Panel - icon view explorer.exe shell:::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
Control Panel - All Tasks (God Mode) explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
Add a Device wizard DevicePairingWizard.exe
Add Hardware wizard hdwwiz.exe
Add a Printer wizard rundll32 shell32.dll,SHHelpShortcuts_RunDLL AddPrinter
Additional Clocks rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL timedate.cpl,,1
AutoPlay control /name Microsoft.AutoPlay
Backup and Restore (Windows 7) control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestoreCenter
BitLocker Drive Encryption control /name Microsoft.BitLockerDriveEncryption
Color and Appearance explorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageColorization
Color Management control /name Microsoft.ColorManagement
Credential Manager control /name Microsoft.CredentialManager
Date and Time (Date and Time) control /name Microsoft.DateAndTime

OR

control timedate.cpl

OR

control date/time

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL timedate.cpl,,0

Date and Time (Additional Clocks) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL timedate.cpl,,1
Default Programs control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms
Desktop Background explorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageWallpaper
Desktop Icon Settings rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,,0
Device Manager control /name Microsoft.DeviceManager

OR

control hdwwiz.cpl

OR

devmgmt.msc

Devices and Printers control /name Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters

OR

control printers

Ease of Access Center control /name Microsoft.EaseOfAccessCenter

OR

control access.cpl

File Explorer Options (General tab) control /name Microsoft.FolderOptions

OR

control folders

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 0

File Explorer Options (View tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 7
File Explorer Options (Search tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 2
File History control /name Microsoft.FileHistory
Fonts control /name Microsoft.Fonts

OR

control fonts

Game Controllers control /name Microsoft.GameControllers

OR

control joy.cpl

Get Programs control /name Microsoft.GetPrograms

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,1

Indexing Options control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srchadmin.dll

Infrared control /name Microsoft.Infrared

OR

control irprops.cpl

OR

control /name Microsoft.InfraredOptions

Internet Properties (General tab) control /name Microsoft.InternetOptions

OR

control inetcpl.cpl

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,0

Internet Properties (Security tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,1
Internet Properties (Privacy tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,2
Internet Properties (Content tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,3
Internet Properties (Connections tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,4
Internet Properties (Programs tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,5
Internet Properties (Advanced tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,6
iSCSI Initiator control /name Microsoft.iSCSIInitiator
Keyboard Properties control /name Microsoft.Keyboard

OR

control keyboard

Mouse Properties (Buttons tab 0) control /name Microsoft.Mouse

OR

control main.cpl

OR

control mouse

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,0

Mouse Properties (Pointers tab 1) control main.cpl,,1

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,1

Mouse Properties (Pointer Options tab 2) control main.cpl,,2

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,2

Mouse Properties (Wheel tab 3) control main.cpl,,3

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,3

Mouse Properties (Hardware tab 4) control main.cpl,,4

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL main.cpl,,4

Network and Sharing Center control /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter
Network Connections control ncpa.cpl

OR

control netconnections

Network Setup Wizard control netsetup.cpl
Notification Area Icons explorer shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}
ODBC Data Source Administrator control odbccp32.cpl
Offline Files control /name Microsoft.OfflineFiles
Performance Options (Visual Effects) SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe
Performance Options (Data Execution Prevention) SystemPropertiesDataExecutionPrevention.exe
Personalization explorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921}
Phone and Modem control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModem

OR

control telephon.cpl

Power Options control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions

OR

control powercfg.cpl

Power Options - Advanced settings control powercfg.cpl,,1
Power Options - Create a Power Plan control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions /page pageCreateNewPlan
Power Options - Edit Plan Settings control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions /page pagePlanSettings
Power Options - System Settings control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions /page pageGlobalSettings
Presentation Settings PresentationSettings.exe
Programs and Features control /name Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures

OR

control appwiz.cpl

Recovery control /name Microsoft.Recovery
Region (Formats tab) control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage

OR

control intl.cpl

OR

control international

RemoteApp and Desktop Connections control /name Microsoft.RemoteAppAndDesktopConnections
Scanners and Cameras control /name Microsoft.ScannersAndCameras

OR

control sticpl.cpl

Screen Saver Settings rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,,1
Security and Maintenance control /name Microsoft.ActionCenter

OR

control wscui.cpl

Sound (Playback tab) control /name Microsoft.Sound

OR

control mmsys.cpl

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,0

Sound (Recording tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,1
Sound (Sounds tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,2
Sound (Communications tab) rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,3
Speech Recognition control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognition
Storage Spaces control /name Microsoft.StorageSpaces
Sync Center control /name Microsoft.SyncCenter
System Icons explorer shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9} \SystemIcons,,0
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
Tablet PC Settings control /name Microsoft.TabletPCSettings
Text to Speech control /name Microsoft.TextToSpeech
Troubleshooting explorer shell:::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\0\::{C58C4893-3BE0-4B45-ABB5-A63E4B8C8651}
User Accounts control /name Microsoft.UserAccounts

OR

control userpasswords

User Accounts (netplwiz) netplwiz

OR

control userpasswords2

Windows Defender Firewall control /name Microsoft.WindowsFirewall

OR

control firewall.cpl

Windows Defender Firewall Allowed apps explorer shell:::{4026492F-2F69-46B8-B9BF-5654FC07E423} -Microsoft.WindowsFirewall\pageConfigureApps
Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security WF.msc
Windows Features OptionalFeatures.exe

OR

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,2

Windows Mobility Center control /name Microsoft.MobilityCenter
Windows Tools control /name Microsoft.AdministrativeTools

OR

control admintools

Work Folders WorkFolders.exe

Open Control Panel Applets Directly

  1. Press Win + R on the keyboard to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type or copy-paste a command from the above table, for example,OptionalFeatures.exe.
  3. Press the Enter key to execute it. This will open the applet instantly; in our case, it will be the Windows Features dialog.

Also, you can use the above Windows 11 Control Panel commands to create a shortcut for any applet or tool with a couple of clicks. Shortcuts created this way can be easily pinned to the Start menu or taskbar.

Create a shortcut to a Control Panel applet

  1. Right-click the empty space on your Desktop.
  2. Select New item > Shortcut from the context menu.
  3. Type or copy-paste the command from the above table for the item you want to create a shortcut to. For example, control appwiz.cpl.
  4. Name your shortcut to reflect what it does, for example "Uninstall a program".
  5. Customize the shortcut icon if you want.

Finally, it is important to note that there is an easier way to create a shortcut for any Control Panel applet. Just open it, and then drag-n-drop its icon from the Control Panel address bar to the Desktop.

This will instantly create the applet shortcut. However, if you try to pin to the taskbar, it will pin the Control Panel itself instead of the individual applet. This is the only disadvantage of this method.

Support us

Winaero greatly relies on your support. You can help the site keep bringing you interesting and useful content and software by using these options:

If you like this article, please share it using the buttons below. It won't take a lot from you, but it will help us grow. Thanks for your support!

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.

5 thoughts on “Windows 11 Control Panel Commands to Open Applets Directly”

  1. Hello!
    Thank you for sharing correct Devices and Printers’s command (not printers only, as this I’ve seen on the Internet: rundll32.exe Shell32.dll,SHHelpShortcuts_RunDLL PrintersFolder). I’ve quietly (=easily) added it to my Classic Shell (Start Menu) for Windows and now it works fine for me.

  2. Thanks for this. But I think you are missing one. For me “control /name Microsoft.System” opens the classic about System Control Panel page that was inaccessible in Windows 11. I believe this is the only way to access that page.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Exit mobile version
Using Telegram? Subscribe to the blog channel!
Hello. Add your message here.