Microsoft has taken another step towards killing off its classic Control Panel service on Windows 10. According to a report from Softpedia News, the Programs and Features app, which was previously available via Control Panel, has been moved to the modern Settings app in the latest Windows 10 preview builds.
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This means Windows Insiders running one of these builds will automatically be redirected to the new Settings app when they open Programs and Features in the Control Panel or from the Start Menu. This app is significant as it provides an overview of all the programs on the system, and gives users the option to uninstall, repair, or modify installations.
This is only the latest in a series of changes which indicate Microsoft is gradually pushing users to adopt the new app for changing their system settings. As it stands, public versions of Windows 10 still allow for viewing and changing the majority of settings in the classic Control Panel.
However, a plan to replace the old Control Panel with the Settings app was alluded to as far back as 2015. In that year, then head of the Windows Insider program Gabriel Aul said that Microsoft expects the Windows 10 Settings app to subsume all of the prior Control Panel functionality.
Other changes
In the five years since, Microsoft has gradually implemented changes to this effect, including by making the new Settings app the default when searching for configuration options through the Start Menu.
Early in 2020, Microsoft migrated the About screen, which shows a summary of system information such as the OS version, processor, and RAM, from Control Panel to the modern app. In July, it shifted the System applet in Windows 10 preview builds to the Settings app as well.
While the changes may cause some inconvenience for users who are familiar with the Control Panel, which is now almost 35 years old, the Settings app offers a more modern look and functionality that is closely aligned with Windows 10’s overall design. Microsoft has not indicated when it plans to fully retire the Control Panel.
