The Windows 10 Control Panel may have errors and not open. Some common causes of bugs involve malware infection or elements of the operating system that may not be loading correctly. In general, it is possible to solve problems with the Control Panel by scanning the PC with an updated antivirus, or by performing a clean boot or in Safe Mode. If none of this resolves, you must take one of the three steps described in the following tutorial.
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Learn how to fix errors in the Control Panel in Windows 10 â Photo: Carolina Oschendorf / dnetc
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Make sure the Dashboard is the default app
Viruses and programs installed by the user on the computer can mess up the organization of applications programmed as standard. One of the ways to solve the problem is to check if the Control Panelâs .cpl files are configured to open using the correct app.
Step 1. Access the Windows settings;
Access Windows 10 settings â Photo: Playback / Paulo Alves
Step 2. Select the âApplicationsâ function;
Access the Windows 10 application settings â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
Step 3. Check âStandard appsâ in the menu on the left. On the right, scroll down the page until you find the option «Choose the default applications by file type»;
Access the definitions of standard applications â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
Step 3. Look for the item â.cplâ and see if it is configured to open with the Control Panel.
The Control Panel should be the default app for .cpl files â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
Try to open a specific function
The .cpl files opened by the Control Panel refer to specific functions such as «Firewall» and «Network adapters». If the Dashboard homepage is not opening, you can try to perform the functions separately.
Step 1. Open Windows Explorer. Type the path «% SystemRoot% System32» (without quotes) in the address bar and hit Enter;
Access Windows 10 system files â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
Step 2. Use the Explorer search field to search for the term â* .cplâ (without quotes). When the results appear on the screen, open the files one by one to check if the Control Panel functions can be accessed â each file is a different resource;
Search for .cpl format files to open Control Panel functions â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
Step 3. If the files do not open, try to access one of the functions manually using the âRunâ feature: press the command Windows + R and type âappwiz.cplâ (without quotes) in the window to open the Program Uninstaller. If it opens, you can explore other options using the internal menus.
Try to open the program uninstaller from the Control Panel by Run â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
Run a system scan
If the Control Panel still does not work, it is recommended to run a system scan for corrupted files.
Step 1. Open the Home Menu and type «cmd». Right-click on the Command Prompt and open it as Administrator;
Open the Command Prompt as an administrator â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
Step 2. Type the command «sfc / scannow» (without quotes) and press Enter.
Perform a system check â Photo: Reproduction / Paulo Alves
After checking, restart your computer to see if the problem is resolved. If the Control Panel is still defective, consider restoring your system or performing a clean installation of Windows 10 on your computer.
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