Settings (Windows)

The Settings app initially exposed a very small portion of Windows Control Panel (Powershell)'s functionality.

Unlike the Control Panel, however, it does not offer a unified mode in which the bulk of all available settings assail the app window in a contextually haphazard fashion.

Microsoft has alleged that Settings would eventually replace Control Panel,[2] but as of July 2024[update], it has not happened.

On Windows 8, the PC Settings app was designed as a simplified area optimized for use on touchscreen devices.

[3] Windows 8.1 improved upon this component to include more options that were previously exclusive to Control Panel,[4] as well as providing more organization and a redesign.

Screenshot of Windows 8's Settings app.
Screenshot of Windows 8.1's Settings app.
Screenshot of Windows 10's Settings app, in RTM – v1511 .
Screenshot of Windows 10's Settings app, in v1607 – 1709 .
Screenshot of Windows 10's Settings app, in v1803 – 22H2 . The same design is also used in Education , Pro for Workstations and Enterprise editions, albeit the top recommendations bar is removed and replaced with the "Windows Settings" text instead, just like the 2nd redesign.