Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing

Windows 11 moves to finally kill Control Panel

Zak Islam
By

Microsoft is continuing to transition users away from the Control Panel on Windows 11 by moving various options to the Settings app.

Windows 11’s latest preview build, version 22523, introduces key changes as part of the company’s “ongoing effort to bring over settings from Control Panel into the Settings app.”

A laptop sits on a desk with a Windows 11 wallpaper.
Microsoft

The first major change sees links to the Programs & Features section in the Control Panel now opening in the operating system’s Settings application. Specifically, it’s been moved to the Installed Apps section. When the update eventually rolls out to all Windows 11 users, it means you’ll no longer be able to uninstall or change programs on a PC through the standard Control Panel access point.

Recommended Videos

Microsoft also decided to shift the Uninstall Updates option from the Control Panel to a new page found within Settings via the Windows Update and Update History sections.

Related

As we’ve seen with certain aspects of Windows undergoing a complete user interface overhaul such as the taskbar, Microsoft is clearly preparing to phase out the Control Panel that’s been a mainstay feature for well over a decade in favor of its new Settings app, which was initially introduced via Windows 8. Until now, Control Panel was mostly immune to major changes, but Microsoft obviously intends to simplify it with the Settings app.

Other segments that were moved away from the Control Panel earlier this month with a previous build included advanced sharing settings. Network discovery, file and printer sharing, and public folder sharing are now all located under Advanced Network Settings in the Settings app. And Some of the entry points for network and devices settings found in the Control Panel are now redirected to the equivalent pages in Settings.

Aside from the Control Panel changes, the Windows 11 22523 preview build available for users enrolled in the Insider program also fixes several issues. One such problem that has been patched is a bug that caused ARM64 PCs to crash due to a memory management error. App icons should also no longer overlap the date and time operating on secondary monitors when there’s a lot of apps opened by the user.

In regard to Widgets, Microsoft fixed the issue that resulted in links not opening properly when opening the widgets board through the hover function.

Most recently, Microsoft brought back a useful Windows 10 feature to Windows 11 in the form of the weather widget. Voice access functionality was added as well, conveniently allowing users to control their PC solely through voice commands. Another major change unveiled by Microsoft was the famed Command Prompt being replaced by Windows Terminal.

All these changes will become available for all Windows 11 users sometime during 2022. As for upcoming improvements that are in the pipeline for the OS, performance in particular will be an area of focus for Microsoft next year. Thus far, Windows 11 has been installed on nearly 10% of PCs.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Zak Islam
Zak Islam
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Zak Islam was a freelance writer at Digital Trends covering the latest news in the technology world, particularly the…
Here’s proof that Snapdragon X Elite laptops can play hit games without issue
A laptop and a camera on a table with a Qualcomm logo on the screen.

Windows laptops with Qualcomm's ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite chip are set to come this summer, but we're already getting a preview of how good the devices will be for gaming. A recent video surfaced online showing how one of the most popular PC games, Baldur's Gate 3, can run on a Qualcomm reference laptop with the chip -- and it does look to be pretty impressive.

As shared by Devin Arthur on X, Qualcomm ran this game on a sample laptop at 1080p resolution. The demo was done in a public setting, and it's not clear what else was changed beyond that, but it does appear stable, with little to no lag.

Read more
The best Windows 11 themes we’ve tried so far this year
One of the wallpapers from the Windows 11 sunset theme.

If you've just upgraded to the latest version of the Windows operating system, Windows 11, you're probably ready to dive in and customize its appearance. A quick way to customize Windows 11 is by adding a theme. Don't know where to start looking for great Windows 11 themes? Below, you will find some of our current favorite themes for the Windows 11 OS and why we enjoy them.
Explore native Windows 11 themes first

Windows 11 itself represents a significant change in design, exchanging the Windows 10 look for more rounded edges, less-crowded menu screens, and a streamlined, friendly appearance. Part of this design includes new themes specifically made for Windows 11, and we suggest starting your theme search here. These themes are expertly designed, don’t require any additional downloads, and look great.

Read more
Windows 11 24H2 or Windows 12? Here’s what’s coming soon
A laptop running Windows 11.

Windows 11 is more than a few years old and it is getting feature drops called "moments" every so often, as well as yearly updates. But what about the whole new Windows release that will come after Windows 11?

Earlier leaks from Intel and Qualcomm made mention of Windows 12, leading some to believe that Windows 12 might be in development at Microsoft and could come in 2024.

Read more