Still present in Windows 10 and Windows 11, the ancient but practical Control Panel remains difficult to find when you need it. However, there are simple tricks to access it easily and quickly.
Present since the beginning of Windows and in a version with a real graphical interface from Windows 95 – so already 27 years ago! – the Control Panel, or control-panel in English, is still available in Windows 10 and Windows 11, despite promises from Microsoft to replace it years ago. And, as incredible as it may seem, its ergonomics have hardly changed. It is one of those many fundamentals that Microsoft has forgotten, or deliberately wanted to keep as it is, despite all the overhauls and facelifts of its operating system.
Also, the Control Panel retains an interface with very dated graphics that may satisfy regular Windows users but confuse those who are starting to use Windows 10 or 11. It contains a few key functions that should always be used for autonomy management. laptops, manage storage spaces or even the firewall. If many of the tools it embeds are accessible through the Windows Settings – at the cost, it is true, of a string of clicks… –, it can arise from time to time to make an adjustment. In short, Microsoft hasn’t found a way to get rid of it or even to redesign it while trying to hide it behind the elegant window of Windows 10 and 11. In fact, as it is now well hidden, the Control Panel configuration is not easy to find. You can always go through the search bar on the taskbar, but that requires typing your name, which is neither practical nor quick. Fortunately, there are some very simple tricks to access it easily and, thus, avoid looking for it when you need it.
If you need to access the Control Panel regularly, the easiest and most convenient method is to drop a shortcut onto the Windows desktop. The Control Panel being an executable file like the others. It will remain just a click away. To achieve this, you can use two methods.
Create a shortcut from Windows Settings
► Press the keyboard shortcut Win + I to access Windows settings. Click on Personalization in the left column then on Themes in the center of the window.
► Among the options offered, click on Desktop icon settings.
► In the window that appears, check the box Control Panel then confirm with Apply and OK.
► The shortcut to the Control Panel is now present on the Windows Desktop.
Create a shortcut manually
► Right-click on a blank area of the desktop. From the context menu that appears, choose New then Shortcut.
► In the window that appears, enter control.exe in the field Enter item location and validate with a click on Next.
► Then give a name to your shortcut, for example, Control Panel and click on To end.
► The shortcut is now created and accessible directly on the desktop.
If your taskbar isn’t too cluttered, you can place the Control Panel there for one-click access.
► Open the menu To start up. In the search field, type Sign. The first result to appear should be the Control Panel.
► Right-click on Control Panel in the left column and choose Pin to taskbar.
► The Control Panel is now immediately accessible from the Windows taskbar.
