Microsoft has been trying to get rid of the Windows Control Panel for a while now, but it hasn’t been successful. But that story may soon come to an end: a new support page for the operating system states that “Control Panel is being discontinued.”
The Control Panel will be replaced by the Settings area. It already exists in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. However, the Settings feature has not yet managed to be as comprehensive as the Control Panel in accessing the various operating system adjustment options.
To avoid problems, Microsoft has been making the two tools coexist. This has an unusual effect: while the Settings app has an interface that matches the visual standard of Windows 10 or Windows 11, the Control Panel has been practically the same since Windows 7.
It’s like entering a house that has been renovated, but discovering that one of the rooms has remained unchanged and therefore contrasts with the other rooms.
The Control Panel is one of the oldest features of Microsoft’s operating system. It was introduced in Windows 1.0 and stands out for having an interface based on a simplified list of features.
The obvious solution is to move these features to the Settings app. Obvious, but complex. Apparently, it has been a challenge for Microsoft to create enough categories and then insert the various OS tweaking options into them in a coherent way.
Control Panel Discontinued
While this isn’t the first time Microsoft has indicated that the Control Panel will be discontinued, it appears that “it will now,” as Neowin points out. Microsoft’s new support page says the following about the feature:
Control Panel is being discontinued in favour of the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience.
Tip: Although Control Panel still exists for compatibility reasons and to provide access to some settings that haven’t yet been migrated, you’re encouraged to use the Settings app whenever possible.
There is no exact date for this to happen. And there is no sign of the Control Panel being removed in Windows 11 24H2, the next major update to the operating system. I imagine, then, that this could happen in the next update package, 25H1, supposedly to be released in 2025.
As for Windows 10, the system will end its support in October 2025. It is likely that the Control Panel will be discontinued along with this version, consequently.
Control Panel isn’t alone in its “retirement.” Paint 3D is another feature that Microsoft is soon to shut down.
