How to Open Settings App in Windows 10

In Windows 10, many Windows settings, customization and personalization options can be found in the Settings, which is an universal app. In fact, Microsoft has been moving more and more settings and configuration options from Control Panel to the Settings app.

Settings is organized into the several categories, including System, Devices, Network & Internet, Personalization, Accounts, Time & language, Ease of Access, Privacy, and Update & security. Each category contains more settings and options that you can configure.

This tutorial shows you various different ways on how to open the Settings app in Windows 10.

Method 1: Start Menu / Start Screen

Click or tap on the Start button on the Taskbar or press the Windows key to open the Start menu or Start screen, then click or tap on the Settings.

In Windows 10 Anniversary Update Version 1607 or later, the Settings has been moved to the left rail of the Start menu.

Note: This method works only if you don’t hide and remove Settings folder from the Start menu or Start screen.

Method 2: Access All Settings via Action Center (Notifications Center)

Click or tap on the Action Center system icon (also known as Notifications Center or Notifications bar) in the notification area (system tray) of Taskbar. Then, click or tap on the All settings.

Method 3: Keyboard Shortcut

Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open Settings directly.

Method 4: Open Settings through File Explorer

Open File Explorer and go to This PC in the navigation pane. Click or tap on the Computer tab in the Ribbon menu, the click or tap on Open Settings.

Tip: You can choose to open File Explorer in Quick Access or This PC by default.

Method 5: Open Settings or Specific Settings Page Using Run Command

Press the Windows + R keys or open Quick Access menu and select Run to open Run command dialog.

Type in the ms-settings URI which opens the Settings app or its page and hit Enter or OK. For example, to open Settings app, enter ms-settings:. Refer to the table below for the ms-settings URI scheme that you can use to launch the built-in Settings app or specific Settings page.

Category	Settings Page	Supported SKUs	URI
Home (Settings)	Landing page for Settings	Both	ms-settings:
System	Display	Both	ms-settings:display ms-settings:screenrotation
	Notifications	Both	ms-settings:notifications
	Storage	Desktop only	ms-settings:storagesense
	Battery Saver	Both	ms-settings:batterysaver
	Battery Saver Settings	Both	ms-settings:batterysaver-settings
	Battery Use	Both	ms-settings:batterysaver-usagedetails
	Power & sleep	Both	ms-settings:powersleep
	Offline Maps	Both	ms-settings:maps
	Tablet mode		ms-settings:tabletmode
	Manage optional features		ms-settings:optionalfeatures
Devices	Bluetooth	Mobile Desktop	ms-settings-bluetooth: ms-settings:bluetooth
	Connected Devices	Desktop only	ms-settings:connecteddevices
	Mouse & Touchpad	Both	ms-settings:mousetouchpad
	Typing		ms-settings:typing
Network and Wi-fi	Wi-Fi	Mobile .tj-content-link-unit-responsive { width: 120px; height: 90px; } @media(min-width: 320px) {.tj-content-link-unit-responsive { width: 160px; height: 90px; } } @media(min-width: 360px) {.tj-content-link-unit-responsive { width: 180px; height: 90px; } } @media(min-width: 400px) {.tj-content-link-unit-responsive { width: 200px; height: 90px; } }//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle \|\| []).push({}); Desktop	ms-settings-wifi: ms-settings:network-wifi
	Manage Wi-fi settings		ms-settings:network-wifisettings
	Airplane mode	Mobile Desktop	ms-settings-airplanemode: ms-settings:network-airplanemode
	Proximity		ms-settings:proximity
	Cellular	Both	ms-settings:network-cellular
	Dial-up	Desktop only	ms-settings:network-dialup
	Ethernet	Desktop only	ms-settings:network-ethernet
	Proxy	Desktop only	ms-settings:network-proxy
	Data Sense	Both	ms-settings:datausage
	NFC	Mobile only	n/a
	NFC	Mobile only	n/a
	Mobile Hotspot	Mobile Desktop	ms-settings-mobilehotspot: ms-settings:network-mobilehotspot
	VPN		ms-settings:network-vpn
	DirectAccess		ms-settings:network-directaccess
Personalization	Lock screen	Both	ms-settings:lockscreen
	Personalization	Both	ms-settings:personalization
	Background		ms-settings:personalization-background
	Colors		ms-settings:personalization-colors ms-settings:colors
	Start		ms-settings:personalization-start
	Themes		ms-settings:themes
Ease of Access	Narrator		ms-settings:easeofaccess-narrator
	Magnifier		ms-settings:easeofaccess-magnifier
	High Contrast		ms-settings:easeofaccess-highcontrast
	Closed captions		ms-settings:easeofaccess-closedcaptioning
	Keyboard		ms-settings:easeofaccess-keyboard
	Mouse		ms-settings:easeofaccess-mouse
	Other options		ms-settings:easeofaccess-otheroptions
Accounts	Your account	Both	ms-settings:emailandaccounts
	Your workplace	Mobile Desktop	ms-settings-workplace: ms-settings:workplace
	Family & other users		ms-settings:otherusers
	Sign in options		ms-settings:signinoptions
Time and language	Date & time	Both	ms-settings:dateandtime
	Region & language	Desktop only	ms-settings:regionlanguage
	Speech	Both	ms-settings:speech
Privacy	Calendar	Both	ms-settings:privacy-calendar
	Contacts	Both	ms-settings:privacy-contacts
	Account info		ms-settings:privacy-accountinfo
	Feedback & diagnostics	Both	ms-settings:privacy-feedback
	Location	Both	ms-settings:privacy-location
	Messaging	Both	ms-settings:privacy-messaging
	Microphone	Both	ms-settings:privacy-microphone
	Other	Both	ms-settings:privacy-customdevices
	Radio	Both	ms-settings:privacy-radios
	Speech	Both	ms-settings:privacy-speechtyping
	Webcam	Both	ms-settings:privacy-webcam
	Privacy (General)		ms-settings:privacy
	Motion		ms-settings:privacy-motion
Update & Security	Windows update	Both	ms-settings:windowsupdate
Update & Security	For developer		ms-settings:developers

Note: The Supported SKUs column indicates whether the settings page exists in Windows 10 for desktop editions (Home, Pro, and Enterprise), Windows 10 Mobile, or both.

Tip: You can create a new shortcut for Settings app or a specific Settings page by using the ms-settings URI listed in the table above.

Method 6: Open Settings or Specific Settings Page Using Command Prompt

The same ms-settings URI listed in the table in method 5 above can be triggered via Command Prompt with elevated privileges, by appeding the start command. For example, start ms-settings: will open the Settings.

Method 7: Create Shortcuts to Settings Page

You can create shortcuts to Settings app or inner pages of Settings app. The shortcuts can then be placed at Desktop and other convenient place to open directly to Settings page.