If you’re a regular user of Windows 10, it might be overwhelming to see both the Control Panel and the Settings app existing in the same world. What adds to the pain is the struggle to use the features scattered between the two apps. What we do all day is jump back and forth between the two apps.
However, a report by Windows Latest suggests that the dark days for the good old Control Panel aren’t too far. In the recent Windows 10 Fast ring build 19587, the publication spotted references to ‘Hide_System_Control_Panel’ and ‘SystemToAboutSettingsSearchRemoval’ in the codebase.
In other words, this means that Microsoft is going to take some pages out of the Control Panel book in the coming future. The first ones to get torn might include the System Information page that could be accessed by going to This PC > Properties.
Thankfully, the modern Settings app already includes an About page detailing the same information as present on the system information page.
The same findings were posted by Microsoft MVP Rafael Rivera on his Twitter account last week.
As seen in build 19587 — New velocity, HideSystemControlPanel (vso/tfs 25175482). Looks like Microsoft is working to kill {BB06C0E4-D293-4f75-8A90-CB05B6477EEE}
Example: pic.twitter.com/RXM4DEu48G
— Rafael Rivera (@WithinRafael) March 19, 2020
This doesn’t come as a surprise as Microsoft is constantly shifting and copying features from Control Panel to the Settings app with every Windows 10 feature update. For example, the upcoming Windows 10 2004 update brings more mouse customization options to the Settings app.
Control Panel is one of the legacy apps that still manage to find a home on Windows 10. In fact, it has been on Windows OS since the release of Windows 1.0 in 1985.
Apart from the new user interface, one considerable difference between the Control Panel and the Settings app is that the latter makes Windows 10 features easier to use.
On the other hand, the Control Panel is still home to many advanced options and applets in Windows 10. In fact, you still find that various options in the Settings app will take you to the Control Panel.
However, chances are quite less, that the above-mentioned changes would reflect in 20H1. The reason, Windows 10 2004 has reached RTM with the Build 19041 (you can download the ISO). They are more likely to land in the 20H2 update that will release in the second half of 2020. However, all of this only indicates the inevitable end of the Control Panel that is about to come whether we want it or not.
