| A section in Microsoft Windows that enables a user to modify the computer's settings. Changing the mouse settings, display settings, sound settings, and keyboard settings are just a few of the examples of what can be modified in the Control Panel. Below is an example of what the Microsoft Windows Control Panel may look like. 
Microsoft Windows 7 Control Panel
Microsoft Windows XP Control Panel
Microsoft Windows Control Panel
Additional information about each of the icons in Control Panel and related troubleshooting with adding and removing Windows Control
Panel icons can be found on document CH000136. How to get into the Control panel Microsoft Vista and 7 users
- Click Start
- Click Control Panel.
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, XP users Users running Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, XP or above can open Control Panel by following the below steps.
- Click Start
- Click Settings
- Clicking the Control Panel.
Users running Windows ME, XP or above who are unable to find icons in the Control Panel see document CH001040. August 2004 Tip: Open Control Panel icons from Internet Explorer by typing Control Panel\<name of Control Panel item>. For example, if you wanted to open the system properties from Control Panel you could type Control Panel\System. Accessing Control Panel from MS-DOS Users can also use the MS-DOS control command to open the Control Panel as well as many of the Control Panel icons from the MS-DOS prompt. Windows 3.x users Users running Microsoft Windows 3.x can opening the Control Panel window through the Main folder within Program Manager. Also see:
Add/Remove programs,
Control, cPanel, Operating System definitions | 
