Microsoft has confirmed that the venerable Windows Control panel will finally be put out to pasture in favor of a shiny new Settings app.
The confirmation came in a support document regarding System Configuration tools in Windows. The document covers the myriad ways users can customize their experience through the graphical user interface and solemnly intones in the section on the Control Panel: "The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated."
The replacement is the Settings app, which first turned up in Windows 8 and, frankly, lacked much of the functionality of its predecessor. The situation improved with Windows 10, and Microsoft has continued to add features to the app with Windows 11.
Microsoft stated: "While the Control Panel still exists for compatibility reasons and to provide access to some settings that have not yet migrated, you're encouraged to use the Settings app, whenever possible."
The critical point to note is that not all settings have been migrated, although the direction of travel is clear. In addition, several third-party configuration apps are accessed through the old interface. Those are, however, gradually fading away.
The Control Panel has been a feature of Windows since version 1.0 and shows a list of applets from which a user can change the settings for the operating system or other third-party applications. It's a friendlier tool than diving into the registry or fiddling with configuration files, but undeniably less attractive than the modern Settings app.
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The support document applies to both Windows 10 and Windows 11, and we asked Microsoft if it planned to deprecate the Control Panel from both, or just Windows 11. We also asked if the company had a timeline in mind since the Control Panel is not listed on Microsoft's list of deprecated features.
We will update this piece should there be a response.
The Control Panel has had a good run, but in the world of Windows 11, it feels very much like a throwback, and with every setting that Microsoft has added to Settings app or moved away, the eventual fate of the old interface has been clear.
Confirmation that the Control Panel is headed for the chopping block is long overdue. For administrators who still use it to change the odd setting or two, it is time to plan a migration.
So.
Farewell then
Control Panel.
Host of a thousand settings.
But soon
You will host none.
Apologies to EJ Thribb. ®