Sometimes it's easier, or maybe even necessary, to open a Control Panel applet from a command line in Windows. Each Control Panel applet can be opened by executing a command, you just have to know what that command is.</p>
If you can't access Control Panel normally, or if you want a way to start a Control Panel applet from a script or from the Command Prompt, the following list of commands for Control Panel applets should help:
Control Panel itself can be accessed by executing control from a command line in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Note: See my List of Control Panel Applets in Windows for Control Panel applet descriptions and information about changes in applets between the Windows operating systems.
[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 <a href="/od/windowsxp/f/opendmxp.htm">How To Open Windows XP Device Manager</a> 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 7 and Vista, task scheduling is performed by Task Scheduler which is not directly accessible from Control Panel.
[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] The Windows Live Language Setting applet is only available if a Windows Live program is installed.
[13] Langselector.exe must be run from the C:\Programs Files\Windows Live\Installer folder.
[14] 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. Source here!
If you can't access Control Panel normally, or if you want a way to start a Control Panel applet from a script or from the Command Prompt, the following list of commands for Control Panel applets should help:
Control Panel itself can be accessed by executing control from a command line in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Note: See my List of Control Panel Applets in Windows for Control Panel applet descriptions and information about changes in applets between the Windows operating systems.
Control Panel Command Line Commands in Windows
<tbody> </tbody>Control Panel Applet | Command | OS |
Accessibility Options | control access.cpl | XP |
Action Center | control /name Microsoft.ActionCenter | 7 |
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 | 7, Vista |
control admintools | XP | |
Automatic Updates | control wuaucpl.cpl | XP |
AutoPlay | control /name Microsoft.AutoPlay | 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 | 7 |
BitLocker Drive Encryption | control /name Microsoft.BitLockerDriveEncryption | 7, Vista |
Bluetooth Devices | control /name Microsoft.BluetoothDevices | Vista |
Color Management | control /name Microsoft.ColorManagement | 7, Vista |
Color1 | WinColor.exe2 | XP |
Credential Manager | control /name Microsoft.CredentialManager | 7 |
Client Service for NetWare | control nwc.cpl | XP |
Date and Time | control /name Microsoft.DateAndTime | 7, Vista |
control data/time | XP | |
Default Location | control /name Microsoft.DefaultLocation | 7 |
Default Programs | control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms | 7, Vista |
Desktop Gadgets | control /name Microsoft.DesktopGadgets | 7 |
<a href="/od/termsd/p/devicemanager.htm">Device Manager</a> | control /name Microsoft.DeviceManager | 7, Vista |
devmgmt.msc | XP3 | |
Devices and Printers | control /name Microsoft.DevicesAndPrinters | 7 |
Display | control /name Microsoft.Display | 7 |
control desktop | Vista, XP | |
Ease of Access Center | control /name Microsoft.EaseOfAccessCenter | 7, Vista |
Folder Options | control /name Microsoft.FolderOptions | 7, Vista |
control folders | XP | |
Fonts | control /name Microsoft.Fonts | 7, Vista |
control fonts | XP | |
Game Controllers | control /name Microsoft.GameControllers | 7, Vista |
control joy.cpl | XP | |
Get Programs | control /name Microsoft.GetPrograms | 7, Vista |
Getting Started | control /name Microsoft.GettingStarted | 7 |
Home Group | control /name Microsoft.HomeGroup | 7 |
Indexing Options | control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions | 7, Vista |
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL srchadmin.dll | XP | |
Infrared | control /name Microsoft.Infrared | 7 |
control /name Microsoft.InfraredOptions | Vista | |
Internet Options | control /name Microsoft.InternetOptions | 7, Vista |
control inetcpl.cpl | XP | |
iSCSI Initiator | control /name Microsoft.iSCSIInitiator | 7, Vista |
Keyboard | control /name Microsoft.Keyboard | 7, Vista |
control keyboard | XP | |
Location and Other Sensors | control /name Microsoft.LocationAndOtherSensors | 7 |
Mail4 | control mlcfg32.cpl5 | 7, Vista, XP |
Mouse | control /name Microsoft.Mouse | 7, Vista |
control mouse | XP | |
Network and Sharing Center | control /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter | 7, Vista |
Network Connections | control netconnections | XP |
Network Setup Wizard | control netsetup.cpl | XP |
Notification Area Icons | control /name Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons | 7 |
ODBC Data Source Administrator | control odbccp32.cpl | XP6 |
Offline Files | control /name Microsoft.OfflineFiles | 7, Vista |
Parental Controls | control /name Microsoft.ParentalControls | 7, Vista |
Pen and Input Devices | control /name Microsoft.PenAndInputDevices | Vista |
Pen and Touch | control /name Microsoft.PenAndTouch | 7 |
People Near Me | control /name Microsoft.PeopleNearMe | 7, Vista |
Performance Information and Tools | control /name Microsoft.PerformanceInformationAndTools | 7, Vista |
Personalization | control /name Microsoft.Personalization | 7, Vista |
Phone and Modem Options | control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModemOptions | Vista |
control telephon.cpl | XP | |
Phone and Modem | control /name Microsoft.PhoneAndModem | 7 |
Power Options | control /name Microsoft.PowerOptions | 7, Vista |
control powercfg.cpl | XP | |
Printers and Faxes | control printers | XP |
Printers | control /name Microsoft.Printers | Vista |
Problem Reports and Solutions | control /name Microsoft.ProblemReportsAndSolutions | Vista |
Programs and Features | control Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures | 7, Vista |
Recovery | control /name Microsoft.Recovery | 7 |
Region and Language | control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage | 7 |
Regional and Language Options | control /name Microsoft.RegionalAndLanguageOptions | Vista |
control international | XP | |
RemoteApp and Desktop Connections | control /name Microsoft.RemoteAppAndDesktopConnections | 7 |
Scanners and Cameras | control /name Microsoft.ScannersAndCameras | 7, Vista |
control sticpl.cpl | XP | |
Scheduled Tasks | control schedtasks | XP7 |
Security Center | control /name Microsoft.SecurityCenter | Vista |
control wscui.cpl | XP | |
Software Explorers8 | msascui.exe9 | XP |
Sound | control /name Microsoft.Sound | 7 |
control /name Microsoft.AudioDevicesAndSoundThemes | Vista | |
Sounds and Audio Devices | control mmsys.cpl | XP |
Speech Recognition Options | control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognitionOptions | Vista |
Speech Recognition | control /name Microsoft.SpeechRecognition | 7 |
Speech | control sapi.cpl10 | XP |
Sync Center | control /name Microsoft.SyncCenter | 7, Vista |
System | control /name Microsoft.System | 7, Vista |
control sysdm.cpl | XP | |
Tablet PC Settings | control /name Microsoft.TabletPCSettings | 7, Vista |
Taskbar and Start Menu | control /name Microsoft.TaskbarAndStartMenu | 7, Vista |
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 1 | XP | |
Text to Speech | control /name Microsoft.TextToSpeech | 7, Vista |
Troubleshooting | control /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting | 7 |
User Accounts | control /name Microsoft.UserAccounts | 7, Vista |
control userpasswords | XP | |
Welcome Center | control /name Microsoft.WelcomeCenter | Vista |
Windows Anytime Upgrade | control /name Microsoft.WindowsAnytimeUpgrade | 7, Vista |
Windows CardSpace | control /name Microsoft.CardSpace | 7, Vista |
Windows Defender | control /name Microsoft.WindowsDefender | 7, Vista11 |
Windows Firewall | control /name Microsoft.WindowsFirewall | 7, Vista |
control firewall.cpl | XP | |
Windows Live Language Setting12 | langselector.exe13 | 7, Vista |
Windows Marketplace | control /name Microsoft.GetProgramsOnline | Vista |
Windows Mobility Center | control /name Microsoft.MobilityCenter | 7, Vista |
Windows Sidebar Properties | control /name Microsoft.WindowsSidebarProperties | Vista |
Windows SideShow | control /name Microsoft.WindowsSideShow | 7, Vista |
<a href="/od/keepingupwithupdates/p/windows-update.htm">Windows Update</a> | control /name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate | 7, Vista14 |
Wireless Link | control irprops.cpl | XP |
Wireless Network Setup Wizard | ? | XP |
[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 <a href="/od/windowsxp/f/opendmxp.htm">How To Open Windows XP Device Manager</a> 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 7 and Vista, task scheduling is performed by Task Scheduler which is not directly accessible from Control Panel.
[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] The Windows Live Language Setting applet is only available if a Windows Live program is installed.
[13] Langselector.exe must be run from the C:\Programs Files\Windows Live\Installer folder.
[14] 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. Source here!