How to Open the Control Panel in Windows 11, 10, 8 & 7

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Plus, what to do if the Control Panel won't open
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The Control Panel is one of the settings menus in Windows. In earlier versions of Windows, it was pretty easy to find in your Start menu. Beginning in Windows 11, finding the Control Panel is a little different. In this article, we'll teach you how to open the Control Panel in Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. We also cover troubleshooting tips for getting the Control Panel working if it won't open. Keep reading to learn more.

Opening the Control Panel

  • Type "control panel" into the taskbar search bar, or open the Start menu and click Control Panel.
  • Press Win+R and type "control," then press Enter.
  • Open a Command Prompt window and type "control," then press Enter.
  • Open File Explorer and type "control panel" in the address bar at the top, then press Enter.
Section 1 of 2:

Ways to Open the Control Panel

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  1. Step 1 From search
    In all versions of Windows, you can open Control Panel using search.[1]
    • Windows 11 & 10: Type "control panel" into the taskbar search bar and click Control Panel in the window that pops up.
    • Windows 8: Click the Windows icon in the taskbar, then start typing "control panel." Click Control Panel when it pops up.
    • Windows 7: Click the Start button in the taskbar, then type "control panel" into the search bar within the Start menu. Click Control Panel to open it.
  2. Step 2 Using the Start Menu
    In Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7, the Control Panel can be opened from the Start menu.
    • Windows 10: Click the Windows icon in the taskbar, then go to All apps > Windows System > Control Panel.
    • Windows 8: Click the Windows icon in the taskbar, then click the gear icon to open your settings. Then, click Control Panel in the bottom-left corner.
    • Windows 7: Click the Start button in the taskbar, then click Control Panel on the right-hand side of the Start menu.
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  3. Step 3 Using Run
    In all versions of Windows, you can open the Control Panel using the Run dialog.
    • Press ⊞ Win+R to open the Run dialog.
    • Type control.
    • Press ↵ Enter.
  4. Step 4 Using Command Prompt
    In all versions of Windows, you can open the Control Panel using Command Prompt.
    • Open Command Prompt. How you do this varies depending on what version of Windows you're using:
      • In Windows 11, type "command" into the taskbar search bar, then click Command Prompt in the Start menu that opens.
      • In Windows 10 and Windows 8, right-click the Windows icon in the taskbar and click Command Prompt in the Power User menu.
      • In Windows 7 and earlier, open the Start menu and scroll until you find Command Prompt in your list of programs.
    • Type control into Command Prompt.
    • Press ↵ Enter.
  5. Step 5 Using File Explorer
    In all versions of Windows, you can open the Control Panel using the File Explorer.
    • Open the File Explorer. It's pinned to your taskbar by default, and it has a file folder icon in all versions of Windows. Otherwise, you can open it through the Start menu, or by pressing ⊞ Win+E.
    • Type "control panel" in the address bar at the top of the File Explorer window.
    • Press ↵ Enter. The Control Panel will open, and File Explorer will close.
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Section 2 of 2:

Control Panel Troubleshooting

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  1. Step 1 Restart the Windows Explorer process.
    If the Control Panel isn't opening and you're also having issues with other windows and apps not working right, restarting the Windows Explorer process may fix the issue. It's quick and easy, and you can complete it in just a few clicks. Here's how to do it:
    • Right-click the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
    • Click Task Manager.
    • Scroll all the way to the bottom of your open processes.
    • Right-click "Windows Explorer."
    • Click Restart. Your taskbar will disappear for a few seconds. Once it's back, the process has been restarted. Try opening the Control Panel again.
  2. Step 2 Roll back an update.
    Sometimes, updates cause the Control Panel to stop working properly. If you noticed that the Control Panel has stopped working after a recent update, the update is likely the culprit. Here's how to roll an update back:
    • Windows 10 & 11:
      • Open Windows Update.
        • Windows 11: Settings > Windows Update
        • Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
      • Click Update history.
      • Click Uninstall updates.
      • Choose the update you want to uninstall. This will likely be the latest update.[2]
    • Windows 7 & 8:
      • Open System Properties. The fastest way to do this is to press ⊞ Win+Pause. Otherwise, open the Start menu and search for "system."
        • In Windows 7 and 8, you can roll back updates, but you must open the Control Panel to do so. If the Control Panel won't open, you'll need to use System Restore. If you don't have a System Restore point, you'll need to wait until Windows pushes a new update that fixes the issue.
      • Click System Restore….
      • Click Next.
      • Choose a restore point. Make sure to choose one that was made before the last Windows update.
      • Click Next > Finish.[3]
  3. Step 3 Run DISM and SFC.
    DISM (or Deployment Image Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) are two built-in tools that you can run to scan for errors and fix various problems with your Windows installation. DISM should always be run before SFC, except on Windows 7 and earlier, where it doesn't work. Here's how to do it:
    • DISM (Windows 8, 10, and 11):
      • Open Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, locate Command Prompt in the Start menu, then right-click Command Prompt and click Run as administrator.
      • Copy and paste DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth into the Command Prompt window.
      • Press ↵ Enter to run DISM. It may take a few moments for it to finish.
    • SFC (all Windows versions):
      • Open Command Prompt if you don't already have one open.
      • Copy and paste sfc /scannow into the Command Prompt window.
      • Press ↵ Enter to run SFC. It may take a little bit for the scan to finish.[4]
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/system-configuration-tools-in-windows
  2. ↑ https://www.pdq.com/blog/how-to-roll-back-windows-updates/
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsY_FnyJzdo
  4. ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4171399/control-panel-wont-open-in-windows-11

About This Article

Stan Kats
Reviewed by:
Stan Kats
Professional Technologist
This article was reviewed by Stan Kats and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Dillon. Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan's Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals. This article has been viewed 1,107 times.
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Updated: August 21, 2026
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