Control Panel Command Line Commands in Windows
Control Panel Applet Command OS
Accessibility Options control access.cpl XP
Action Center control /name Microsoft.ActionCenter 8, 7
control wscui.cpl 8, 7
Add Features to Windows 8 control /name Microsoft.WindowsAnytimeUpgrade 8
Add Hardware control /name Microsoft.AddHardware Vista
control hdwwiz.cpl XP
Add or Remove Programs control appwiz.cpl XP
Administrative Tools control /name Microsoft.AdministrativeTools 8, 7, Vista
control admintools 8, 7, Vista, XP
Automatic Updates control wuaucpl.cpl XP
AutoPlay control /name Microsoft.AutoPlay 8, 7, Vista
Backup and Restore Center control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestoreCenter Vista
Backup and Restore control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestore 7
Biometric Devices control /name Microsoft.BiometricDevices 8, 7
BitLocker Drive Encryption control /name Microsoft.BitLockerDriveEncryption 8, 7, Vista
Bluetooth Devices control bthprops.cpl13 8, 7, Vista
control /name Microsoft.BluetoothDevices Vista
Color Management control /name Microsoft.ColorManagement 8, 7, Vista
Color1 WinColor.exe2 XP
Credential Manager control /name Microsoft.CredentialManager 8, 7
Client Service for NetWare control nwc.cpl XP
Date and Time control /name Microsoft.DateAndTime 8, 7, Vista
control timedate.cpl 8, 7, Vista
control date/time 8, 7, Vista, XP
Default Location control /name Microsoft.DefaultLocation 7
Default Programs control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms 8, 7, Vista
Desktop Gadgets control /name Microsoft.DesktopGadgets 7
Device Manager control /name Microsoft.DeviceManager 8, 7, Vista
control hdwwiz.cpl 8, 7, Vista
devmgmt.msc 8, 7, Vista, XP3
Devices and Printers control /name Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters 8, 7
control printers 8, 7
Display control /name Microsoft.Display 8, 7
control desk.cpl XP
control desktop XP
Ease of Access Center control /name Microsoft.EaseOfAccessCenter 8, 7, Vista
control access.cpl 8, 7, Vista
Family Safety control /name Microsoft.ParentalControls 8
File History control /name Microsoft.FileHistory 8
Flash Player Settings Manager control flashplayercplapp.cpl 8
Folder Options control /name Microsoft.FolderOptions 8, 7, Vista
control folders 8, 7, Vista, XP
Fonts control /name Microsoft.Fonts 8, 7, Vista
control fonts 8, 7, Vista, XP
Game Controllers control /name Microsoft.GameControllers 8, 7, Vista
control joy.cpl 8, 7, Vista, XP
Get Programs control /name Microsoft.GetPrograms 8, 7, Vista
Getting Started control /name Microsoft.GettingStarted 7
Home Group control /name Microsoft.HomeGroup 8, 7
Indexing Options control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions 8, 7, Vista
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srchadmin.dll 8, 7, Vista, XP
Infrared control /name Microsoft.Infrared 8, 7
control irprops.cpl 8, 7, Vista
control /name Microsoft.InfraredOptions Vista
Internet Options control /name Microsoft.InternetOptions 8, 7, Vista
control inetcpl.cpl 8, 7, Vista, XP
iSCSI Initiator control /name Microsoft.iSCSIInitiator 8, 7, Vista
Keyboard control /name Microsoft.Keyboard 8, 7, Vista
control keyboard 8, 7, Vista, XP
Language control /name Microsoft.Language 8
Location and Other Sensors control /name Microsoft.LocationAndOtherSensors 7
Location Settings control /name Microsoft.LocationSettings 8
Mail4 control mlcfg32.cpl5 8, 7, Vista, XP
Mouse control /name Microsoft.Mouse 8, 7, Vista
control main.cpl 8, 7, Vista
control mouse 8, 7, Vista, XP
Network and Sharing Center control /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter 8, 7, Vista
Network Connections control ncpa.cpl 8, 7, Vista
control netconnections 8, 7, Vista, XP
Network Setup Wizard control netsetup.cpl 8, 7, Vista, XP
Notification Area Icons control /name Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons 8, 7
ODBC Data Source Administrator control odbccp32.cpl XP6
Offline Files control /name Microsoft.OfflineFiles 8, 7, Vista
Parental Controls control /name Microsoft.ParentalControls 7, Vista
Pen and Input Devices control /name Microsoft.PenAndInputDevices Vista
control tabletpc.cpl Vista
Pen and Touch control /name Microsoft.PenAndTouch 8, 7
control tabletpc.cpl 8, 7
People Near Me control /name Microsoft.PeopleNearMe 7, Vista
control collab.cpl 7, Vista
Performance Information and Tools control /name Microsoft.PerformanceInformationAndTools 8, 7, Vista
Personalization control /name Microsoft.Personalization 8, 7, Vista
control desktop 8, 7, Vista
Phone and Modem Options control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModemOptions Vista
control telephon.cpl Vista, XP
Phone and Modem control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModem 8, 7
control telephon.cpl 8, 7
Power Options control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions 8, 7, Vista
control powercfg.cpl 8, 7, Vista, XP
Printers and Faxes control printers XP
Printers control /name Microsoft.Printers Vista
control printers Vista
Problem Reports and Solutions control /name Microsoft.ProblemReportsAndSolutions Vista
Programs and Features control /name Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures 8, 7, Vista
control appwiz.cpl 8, 7, Vista
Recovery control /name Microsoft.Recovery 8, 7
Region control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage 8
control intl.cpl 8
control international 8
Region and Language control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage 7
control intl.cpl 7
control international 7
Regional and Language Options control /name Microsoft.RegionalAndLanguageOptions Vista
control intl.cpl Vista
control international Vista, XP
RemoteApp and Desktop Connections control /name Microsoft.RemoteAppAndDesktopConnections 8, 7
Scanners and Cameras control /name Microsoft.ScannersAndCameras 8, 7, Vista
control sticpl.cpl XP
Scheduled Tasks control schedtasks XP7
Screen Resolution control desk.cpl 8, 7
Security Center control /name Microsoft.SecurityCenter Vista
control wscui.cpl XP
Software Explorers8 msascui.exe9 XP
Sound control /name Microsoft.Sound 8, 7
control /name Microsoft.AudioDevicesAndSoundThemes Vista
control mmsys.cpl 8, 7, Vista
Sounds and Audio Devices control mmsys.cpl XP
Speech Recognition Options control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognitionOptions Vista
Speech Recognition control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognition 8, 7
Speech control sapi.cpl10 XP
Storage Spaces control /name Microsoft.StorageSpaces 8
Sync Center control /name Microsoft.SyncCenter 8, 7, Vista
System control /name Microsoft.System 8, 7, Vista
control sysdm.cpl XP
System Properties control sysdm.cpl 8, 7, Vista
Tablet PC Settings control /name Microsoft.TabletPCSettings 8, 7, Vista
Task Scheduler7 control schedtasks 8, 7, Vista
Taskbar control /name Microsoft.Taskbar 8
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 1 8
Taskbar and Start Menu control /name Microsoft.TaskbarAndStartMenu 7, Vista
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 1 7, Vista, XP
Text to Speech control /name Microsoft.TextToSpeech 8, 7, Vista
Troubleshooting control /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting 8, 7
User Accounts control /name Microsoft.UserAccounts 8, 7, Vista
control userpasswords 8, 7, Vista, XP
Welcome Center control /name Microsoft.WelcomeCenter Vista
Windows 7 File Recovery control /name Microsoft.BackupAndRestore 8
Windows Anytime Upgrade control /name Microsoft.WindowsAnytimeUpgrade 7, Vista
Windows CardSpace control /name Microsoft.CardSpace 7, Vista
control infocardcpl.cpl 7, Vista
Windows Defender control /name Microsoft.WindowsDefender 8, 7, Vista11
Windows Firewall control /name Microsoft.WindowsFirewall 8, 7, Vista
control firewall.cpl 8, 7, Vista, XP
Windows Marketplace control /name Microsoft.GetProgramsOnline Vista
Windows Mobility Center control /name Microsoft.MobilityCenter 8, 7, Vista
Windows Sidebar Properties control /name Microsoft.WindowsSidebarProperties Vista
Windows SideShow control /name Microsoft.WindowsSideShow 8,7, Vista
Windows Update control /name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate 8, 7, Vista12
Wireless Link control irprops.cpl XP
Wireless Network Setup Wizard ? XP
[1] Color is not available by default but is available for free from Microsoft here.
[2] WinColor.exe must be run from the C:\Program Files\Pro Imaging Powertoys\Microsoft Color Control Panel Applet for Windows XP folder.
[3] I’ve listed Device Manager here because it’s such a commonly used feature of Windows but please know that it is not a true Control Panel applet in Windows XP. See How To Open Windows XP Device Manager for more information.
[4] The Mail applet is only available if a version of Microsoft Office Outlook is installed.
[5] The control mlcfg32.cpl command must be run from the C:\Programs Files\Microsoft Office\OfficeXX folder, replacing OfficeXX with the folder pertaining to the Microsoft Office version you have installed.
[6] ODBC Data Source Administrator was removed from Control Panel after Windows XP but is still available from Administrative Tools.
[7] In Windows 8, 7, and Vista, task scheduling is performed by Task Scheduler which is not directly accessible from Control Panel. However, executing this command in those versions of Windows will forward to Task Scheduler.
[8] Software Explorers is the name for the Control Panel applet for Windows Defender, available for free from Microsoft here.
[9] Msascui.exe must be run from the C:\Program Files\Windows Defender folder.
[10] The control sapi.cpl command must be run from the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Speech folder.
[11] Windows Defender is available in Windows XP but the Control Panel applet is instead called Software Explorers.
[12] Windows Update is also used in Windows XP but only via the Windows Update website, not via a Control Panel applet like in later versions of Windows.
[13] In Windows 8, bthprops.cpl opens Devices in PC Settings which will list any Bluetooth Devices. In Windows 7, bthprops.cpl opens athe Bluetooth Devices list under Devices and Printers. In Windows Vista, bthprops.cpl opens a true Control Panel applet called Bluetooth Devices.