List of Control Panel applets (Windows)

The applets listed below are components of the Microsoft Windows control panel, which allows user to define a range of settings for their computer, monitor the status of devices such as printers and modems, and set up new hardware, programs and network connections. Each applet is stored individually as a separate file (usually a .cpl file), folder or DLL, the locations of which are stored in the registry under the following keys:

#"HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrent VersionControl PanelCpls" This contains the string format locations of all .cpl files in the hard drive used within the control panel.
#"HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrent VersionExplorerControl PanelNamespace" This contains the location of the CLSID variables for all the panels not included as cpl files. These are commonly folders or shell applets, though Windows Vista allows physical programs themselves to be registered as well. The CLSID then allows items such as the icon, infobox and category to be set and gives the location of the file to be used.

The control panel then uses these lists to locate the applets and load them into the control panel program (control.exe) when started by the user. In addition to using the control panel, a user can also invoke the applets manually via the command processor. For instance, the syntax "Control.exe inetcpl.cpl" or "control.exe /name Microsoft. InternetOptions" will run the internet properties applet in Windows XP or Vista respectively.

tandard applets

ee also

*Control Panel
*Automatic Updates
*Security Center
*Microsoft Management Console
*Defragmenter, Disk Cleanup and Scandisk (98/95)/CHKDSK (2000/XP/Vista)
*List of Microsoft Windows components