Microsoft is Finally Killing the Control Panel… Or Is It?  

Introduction 

As the old saying goes, rumours of the death of the Windows Control Panel have been greatly exaggerated.  

It’s something like that, anyway.  

The Control Panel has been a staple of the Windows OS experience for nearly four decades, but as Windows continues to evolve, there have been murmurs that it might finally be being phased out. 

In August 2024, Microsoft seemed to confirm the long-running rumour in an official article on their website which mentioned that the Control Panel was being “deprecated” in favour of the more modern, touchscreen-friendly Settings app. 

But that’s where things get interesting, because Microsoft quickly changed its tune after the tech world took notice. So, is the Control Panel really getting the axe?  

A summary of the deprecation drama 

In a support document published in late August 2024, Microsoft explicitly stated what many had long suspected: the Control Panel was being phased out. It had a good run, but after 39 years, it’s understandable that Microsoft would want to streamline things, right? The Settings app, introduced back in 2012 with Windows 8, has steadily taken over more and more system settings, leaving the Control Panel looking like the odd one out. 

To be specific, the original wording (which can still be seen on the Wayback Machine) stated, “The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated in favor of the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience.” 

 
Before 

 
But, just as the internet collectively sighed at the thought of losing yet another piece of Windows history—and news outlets began reporting on the change—Microsoft went ahead and edited the statement.  

Gone was the dramatic phrasing about deprecating the Control Panel entirely. In its place, the statement now reads: “Many of the settings in Control Panel are in the process of being migrated to the Settings app.” It’s a subtle shift, but it’s enough to quell the surprising number of Control Panel fans out there.  

After 

So, what’s really going on? 

While this back and forth might make it seem like Microsoft is undecided, the truth is, this migration has been happening for years.  

From Windows 10 to Windows 11, more and more Control Panel settings have unceremoniously moved into the Settings app. We’ve seen things like the Display settings, Add/Remove Programs, and even old favourites like Homegroups disappear from the Control Panel and pop up in the shinier, sleeker Settings app. 

But here’s the catch: despite all these changes, the Control Panel is still very much alive in Windows 11, and that includes the recently released 24H2 update.  

Yes, its role as part of the Windows OS is shrinking, and yes, it’s starting to feel more like a relic of Windows past—but it’s not gone.  

Not yet. 

What’s next for the Control Panel? 

While it’s clear that Microsoft is determined to have users see the Settings app as the go-to place for tweaking system settings, the Control Panel isn’t going to disappear overnight.  

Legacy drivers, like those for certain printers or trackpads, still rely on Control Panel “applets” (yes, it’s a word), so it’s likely we’ll see it hanging around for a little while longer. 

That being said, the writing is on the wall—someday, the Control Panel will likely be retired for good. But until then, Microsoft seems content to slowly “migrate” its functionality, rather than pulling the plug in one swift motion. 

If you’re worried about your favourite Windows feature being slated for deprecation, get in touch with your Get Support Customer Success Manager or call us on 01865 594000.