When Windows 10 was first announced, it was clear that the Control Panel program will be phased out of the OS. It would be replaced with the Settings app. So, How to access the System Control Panel on Windows 10?

The Control Panel has long been a part of Windows, and it contains a large number of settings. It won’t be easy to phase it out, and Microsoft has begun doing it slowly with Windows 10.

The Control Panel System option is no longer accessible after installing the Windows 10 October 2020 update. If you click it, the Settings app will open instead.

How to access the System Control Panel on Windows 10

 

Access The System Control Panel

The System item in the Control Panel appears to have been rerouted by Microsoft. However, the setting has not been removed. Users can’t get to it directly, but it’s there, just like the Personalization settings section in the Control Panel.

How to access the System Control Panel on Windows 10

Run box

Follow these procedures to get to the System Control Panel from the run box.

  1. Tap the Win+R keyboard shortcut to open the run box.
  2. In the run box, enter the following.
explorer shell:::{BB06C0E4-D293-4f75-8A90-CB05B6477EEE}
  1. Tap the Enter key.

How to access the System Control Panel on Windows 10

File Explorer

File Explorer can also be used to access the System Control Panel settings.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Enter the following in the address bar.
explorer shell:::{BB06C0E4-D293-4f75-8A90-CB05B6477EEE}
  1. Tap Enter.

Desktop shortcut

The Run box and File Explorer methods work, but they’re inconvenient to use because you have to remember a long, unfriendly address. You can create a shortcut to open it immediately.

  1. Go to your desktop.
  2. Right-click an empty area and select New>Shortcut.
  3. In the location field, enter the following.
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  1. Click Next. 
  2. Rename the shortcut.
  3. Click Finish.
  4. Open the shortcut, and it will open the System Control Panel.

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Control Panel God mode

If you open Control Panel in God mode, you may see a complete list of all the settings and apps available.

  1. Create a new folder anywhere on your system.
  2. Select the folder and tap F2 to rename it to the following.
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
  1. Open this folder.
  2. File Explorer will open and list every single Control Panel item, including the System Control Panel items.

Related: How to View ping on system tray on Windows 10

Conclusion

For the most part, the Control Panel’s demise appears to be purely visual. The majority of the settings that are eliminated are cosmetic in nature. They’re still functional, and there aren’t any alternate panels in the Settings app in some circumstances. This illustrates Microsoft’s poor planning, and it often causes problems for customers who can’t figure out how to modify a setting on the operating system.