Settings vs. Control Panel: What’s the Difference?
Configuring Windows 10 can sometimes feel confusing because it currently includes two different configuration programs: Settings and Control Panel. A version of the Settings app first appeared in Windows 8, and Control Panel is a legacy app left over from earlier versions of Windows. Some settings are only located in Control Panel and not Settings, and vice versa. You can search for settings within each one (as we’ll see below), but to save you some time, you can also search between both using the Start menu. RELATED: Don’t Worry: Windows 10’s Control Panel Is Safe (For Now)
Search Using the Start Menu
To search for system settings using the Start menu, open the Start menu and type a word or two describing what you’d like to find. For example, you could type “keyboard” to find keyboard settings, or “display” to find settings related to your monitor. A list of results will appear in the left half of the Start menu. From there, click the result that most closely matches what you’re looking for, and you’ll be taken to the appropriate configuration app. If you don’t see what you need and would like more search results, click the “Settings” header to see a detailed list.
After you click an item in the list, the proper settings app will pop up, and you can begin your configuration activities.
Search within the Settings App
You can also search for a particular setting directly within the Windows Settings app. First, open “Settings” by opening the Start Menu and clicking the “gear” icon on the left. You can also press Windows+I to quickly open a Settings window from anywhere in Windows 10. When the window opens, locate the search box near the top that says “Find A Setting.” Click the search box and type in what you’re looking for (for example, “mouse” or “network” or “Bluetooth”). Results will appear just below the box in a pop-up menu. If you’d like more results, click “Show All Results” at the bottom of the list.
When you find the result you’re looking for, click it and you’ll be taken to the proper Settings page.
Search within Control Panel
If you can’t find what you need in Settings, you can also search within the legacy Control Panel app. First, open the Start menu and type “Control Panel,” then hit “Enter.” When Control Panel pops up, locate the search bar in the upper-right corner of the window. Click the search box and type a word describing what you’d like to find. The results will appear in the window below.
Click a result and a new window will pop up containing the settings you’re looking for. After you make changes, remember to click the “Apply” or “OK” buttons. The settings will be saved, and the window will close. Good luck! READ NEXT
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Here’s how to quickly and easily get into your Windows settings and make the tweaks you need to make.
In this article, we’ll take you through the 10 different ways to open the Windows system settings.
1. Use a Keyboard Shortcut
Windows is packed with tonnes of helpful keyboard shortcuts. Did you know that there’s a keyboard shortcut for accessing the Windows settings? To use this shortcut, simply press Win + I.
The Quick Access Menu offers one of the easiest ways for accessing the system settings. To get started, press Win + X to open the Quick Access Menu. Finally, select Settings from the on-screen options.
3. Use the Run Command Dialog Box
One of the easiest ways to find the programs on your Windows device is through the Run command dialog box. If you want to open the settings app with this tool, here’s what you can do:
- Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
- Type ms-settings: and click OK or press Enter to open the settings window.

4. Use the Windows Search Bar
The Windows search bar makes it easy to find the programs on your device. To search for the Windows system settings, click the Start Menu search bar or press the Windows key, type Settings, and then select the Best match.
The Start Menu can help you access most of the apps and tools on your device. To access the system settings using this tool, here’s what you can do:
- Click the Start Menu icon or press the Windows key.
- Select the PC Settings option or click the Settings icon.

6. Use the Command Prompt or PowerShell
If you’re a fan of the Command Prompt or PowerShell, then you’ll like these methods. To access the system settings via the Command Prompt, here’s what you can do:
- Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
- Type CMD and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
- Type ms-settings: and press Enter to open the Settings window.
Alternatively, here’s how you can access the settings via PowerShell:
- Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
- Type Powershell and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated PowerShell window.
- Type ms-settings: and press Enter to open the Settings window.
7. Use File Explorer’s Address Bar
File Explorer also offers a quick way to open the settings app. Here’s how you can use it:
- Type Win + E to open File Explorer.
- Type ms-settings: on File Explorer’s address bar and press Enter.

8. Use the Action Center
The Windows Action Center gives you quick notifications about some of the tasks on your device. But this tool can also help you access the Windows settings. Here’s how:
- Click the Action Center icon on the bottom-right corner of the taskbar. Alternatively, press Win + A.
- Select the All settings option from the menu items.
9. Use the Task Manager
The Task Manager is another tool that makes it easy to access most apps on your device. You can also use this tool to open the system settings. Let’s see how you can do this:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
- Click the File tab and select Run new task.
- In the next window, type ms-settings: in the search box and then press Enter or click OK.


Access the Windows System Settings With Ease
Accessing the Windows system settings is quite easy. However, if you’re struggling to open the system settings, any of the methods we’ve covered should help you out.
When Microsoft staff started insisting that users should upgrade to Windows 10, they explained that the latest version of their operating system has several improvements over the previous ones. One of them, in fact, was related to how intuitive it is, and how easy it would be to find certain sections of customization. Well, in the following lines we will teach you, in a very simple and fast way, how to find System settings in Windows 10. Well, let’s go to a very specific situation that often repeats itself a lot: we are looking for a particular system configuration in Windows 10 but we don’t know how to find it. Fortunately, there are several methods to find it without wasting too much time, something ideal if you are in a bit of a hurry. Index of contents
- System Settings: Control Panel or Settings
- Find System Settings in Windows 10 from Start
- Find the system settings in Windows 10 from Settings
- Find the system settings in Windows 10 from the Control Panel
System Settings: Control Panel or Settings
The first thing we will notice at this point is that there are two main methods of finding system settings: Control Panel and Settings. As we know, the first of these mechanisms has been around for a long time. Meanwhile, Settings came with Windows 8 and stayed in Windows 10 because so many people find it useful. The problem is that, from time to time, some settings are only found in the Control Panel and not in the Settings and vice versa. This somehow forces us to know how both alternatives work. There are also those who perform all their searches directly from the Start menu.
Find System Settings in Windows 10 from Start
To search for system settings using the Start menu, first of all we need to open the Start menu itself, typing a word or phrase that describes what we want to find. Just indicate words such as Screen, Keyboard or Printer to see some of the positions associated with them. A list of results will then appear in the left half of your computer screen. You just have to click on the result closest to the one you are interested in. You will be immediately redirected there. But if that doesn’t work for you, you can always click on the Settings header to see more details.
Find the system settings in Windows 10 from Settings
You can also search for a particular setting directly in the Windows Settings app. First you need to go to Start, then click on the gear icon in question, on the left. You can also access the Settings by pressing Windows + I simultaneously. When the window opens, locate the search box at the top that says «Search for a setting». Write, as in the previous case, a word related to what you are looking for. Again, the results will appear below the box, as a pop-up menu. Similarly, you can click on Show all results, at the end of the list in question. Whenever you find the result you are looking for, click on it to go to its Settings page.
Find the system settings in Windows 10 from the Control Panel
The last answer we have in these cases is to bet on the always faithful Control Panel. As usual, you must first press Start and, in the search box, type Control Panel, to enter it. When the Control Panel appears, you will see that there is a search bar, at the top right. Just like the previous examples, you can write a word or phrase related to the item you are looking for. Again, the results will appear in the window below and you have to enter what interests you, As you can see, there are several methods for finding system settings in Windows 10. If you want to know other articles similar to How to find system settings in Windows 10? you can visit the category Tutorials.
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