To open a Control Panel tool quickly, you can use its Run command. Here’s the list of Run commands to open specific Control Panel tools.
The Windows Control Panel acts like a hub for several different tools. If we want to open a specific tool, most of us first open the Control Panel, change the view if necessary, and then find and open the tool or utility we are looking for.
Generally, this not much of a hassle. However, to make things a bit easier, you can use corresponding Run commands to open almost all major tools within the control panel. For example, if you are frequently opening the printers folder, you can use the Device and Printers Run command to quickly open that tool without having to open the Control Panel first.
So, let me share with you the list of Run commands for Control Panel tools.
Run Commands for Control Panel Tools
Below is the list of all useful Run commands to open different Control Panel tools. The first column shows the Control Panel tool and the second column shows its corresponding Run command.
All commands are tested in Windows 10.
| Control Panel Tool | Run Command |
|---|---|
| Add or Remove Programs | appwiz.cpl |
| Power Options | powercfg.cpl |
| Devices and Printers | control printers |
| Scanners and Cameras | control sticpl.cpl |
| Internet Options/Properties | inetcpl.cpl |
| Keyboard Properties/Settings | control main.cpl keyboard |
| Mouse Properties | control main.cpl |
| Joystick Properties / Game Controllers | control joy.cpl |
| Accessibility Options / Ease of Access Center | control access.cpl |
| Multimedia / Sound Properties | control mmsys.cpl |
| Network Properties / Network Connections | ncpa.cpl |
| Network and Sharing Center | control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkandSharingCenter |
| System Properties | sysdm.cpl |
| Region / Regional Settings | intl.cpl |
| Fonts Folder | fonts |
| Date and Time Properties | timedate.cpl |
| Administrative Tools | control admintools |
| Component Services | dcomcnfg |
| Device Manager | devmgmt.msc |
| Remote Desktop | mstsc |
| Security and Maintenance | wscui.cpl |
| User Accounts / User Account Management | control nusrmgr.cpl |
| Windows Firewall | firewall.cpl |
| Color Management | colorcpl |
| Credential Manager | control.exe /name Microsoft.CredentialManager |
| Default Programs | control.exe /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms |
| Folder Options / File Explorer Options | control folders |
| Indexing Options | control.exe /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions |
| Recovery | control.exe /name Microsoft.Recovery |
| Taskbar and Navigation | control.exe /name Microsoft.TaskbarandStartMenu |
| Sync Center | mobsync |
Using Run Commands to Open Control Panel Tools
Once you have the run command of a control panel tool, there are several different ways you can use it to open the target tool. Depending on your use case, follow the method of your choice.
Method 1 of 2:
Use the Run Dialog Box
Being Run commands, you can execute them directly in the Run dialog box. To do that, open the Run dialog box with the keyboard shortcut Win + R, type in the command of your choice, and press Enter.
As soon as you press the Enter button, the control panel tool should be opened automatically.
Method 2 of 2:
Use the Command Prompt
As an alternative, you can also run the same commands in the Command Prompt. All you have to do is open the Command Prompt window, type in the command as shown in the list, and press Enter. The control panel tool should instantly open.
Note: If you want to open an particular control panel tool as an admin, open the Command Prompt as an admin and then execute the command.
This method is particularly helpful if you are already using Command Prompt as part of your workflow or trying to make custom scripts for specific use cases.
That is all for now. If you think I missed any of the run commands for control panel tools, comment below and share them. I will add them to the list.
I hope that helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below and I will try to help as much as possible. If you like this article, do check out the list of app URI commands in Windows 10.
