If you are using Windows 11, you might know that Microsoft has made things difficult for users to access the Control Panel. Control Panel is available in Windows 11 but must be accessed via Windows search. While it’s easy to access Control Panel in Windows 11, many users faced problems opening it on their PC.
In case you don’t know, Control Panel is a hub that lists many tools to access or adjust various settings of the operating system. For example, with Control Panel, you can access the User Account Settings, Network & Sharing options, BitLocker encryption, Accessibility options, and more.
Recently, many users have reported that the Control Panel is not opening after installing the Windows 11 update. So, if you are also experiencing such issues on your Windows 11 computer, you are reading the right guide.
Best Ways to Fix Control Panel Not Opening in Windows 11
This article will share a few best methods to fix Control Panel Not opening on Windows 11 PC. We have shared the basic methods to help you deal with almost all Control Panel related problems on your PC. So, let’s check how to fix Control Panel not opening on Windows 11.
1) Restart Your PC
When you restart your PC, all processes & apps running in the background get closed. So, if any process prevents Control Panel from opening, it will be fixed. So, Restart your PC if you haven’t done so in a while.
However, before restarting your PC, save all your tasks, as all your unsaved tasks will be lost during the restart.
2) Open the Control Panel using the Run command
If you are unable to open Control Panel from the Windows Search, you can use a run command to run it. Here’s how to open Control Panel on Windows 11 using the Run command.
1. Press the Windows Key + R button on your keyboard.
2. This will open the Run dialog box. Type appwiz.cpl and press Enter.
That’s it! This will directly open the Control Panel on your Windows 11 computer. You can now uninstall programs.
3) Uninstall the Newly Installed app
If the Control Panel is not opening after installing a new app on your system, uninstall it as soon as possible. Some apps may interfere with the functioning of the Control Panel and prevent it from starting.
If you can’t recall the apps, you have recently installed on your system, go through the App settings and manually review the apps. If possible, remove all suspicious apps that you feel like linked with the Control Panel.
4) Check the Important Windows Services
The Windows Error Reporting service sometimes prevents the Control Panel from opening on Windows 11. Besides the Windows Error Reporting service, the service named sppsvc is also often responsible for the Control Panel not opening on Windows 11. Here are a few things you need to check.
1. First, click on the Windows 11 Search and type in Services. Next, click on the Services app from the list.
2. On the Services, find and double-click on the Windows Error Reporting service.
3. On the Windows Error Reporting Service Properties, click the Stop button and then the Ok button.
4. Next, find the Software Protection service and double-click on it.
5. On the Software Protection Properties, click Start under the Service Status and the Ok button.
That’s it! You are done. After making the above changes, restart your Windows 11 PC to fix Control Panel not opening problem.
5) Delete the BagMRU and Bags Registry Key
If the Control Panel is still not opening after following the above methods, you must make some changes to the Windows Registry. Please create a restore point or export the registry file so that you can restore it later if anything goes wrong.
1. First, click on the Windows 11 search and type in Registry. Next, open the Registry Editor from the list.
2. On the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
You can copy and paste the path on the Address bar of Registry Editor to jump to the folder directly.
3. Now, right-click on the BagMRU key under the Shell folder and select the Delete option.
4. Next, right-click on the Bags registry key under the Shell folder and select the Delete option.
After deleting the two folders, make sure to restart your PC. This will probably fix Control Panel not an opening problem on Windows 11 computers.
6) Check the Local Group Policy Settings
In this method, we will make a few changes to the Local Group Policy editor to enable the Control Panel on Windows 11 operating system. Follow some of the simple steps we have shared below.
1. First, click on the Windows 11 search and type in Local Group Policy. Next, click on the Local Group Policy Editor from the list of options.
2. On the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the path:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel
3. Now select the Control Panel folder, and on the right pane, double-click on the ‘Prohibit access to Control Panel and PC Settings’ policy.
4. On the Prohibit access to Control Panel and PC Settings window, select Not configured and then on the Apply button. Once done, click on the Ok button to close the window.
That’s it! You are done. After making the above changes, restart your Windows 11 PC to fix the Control Panel not opening on Windows 11.
7) Run a Full Virus/Malware Scan
If you often download files from the internet, there is a higher chance that your PC is infected with viruses, malware, or spyware that may prevent you from accessing the Control Panel.
So, run a full PC scan before you proceed to the next methods. The built-in Windows Security app can run the full PC Scan.
1. Click on Windows Search and type in Windows Security. Open the Windows Security app from the list.
2. When the Windows Security app opens, click on Virus & threat protection.
3. On the Virus & threat protection, click on the Scan options.
4. Now select Full Scan and click on Scan Now.
That’s it! Now wait until Windows 11 scans your PC for hidden viruses/malware.
8) Run SFC and DISM Command
System file corruption is another prominent reason behind Control Panel not opening on Windows 11. Hence, you must run both SFC and DISM commands on your Windows 11 to fix the Control Panel not opening issue. Here’s what you need to do.
1. Right-click the Windows 11 Start Button and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. On the Windows Terminal, type in sfc /scannow and hit the Enter button on your keyboard.
3. If the SFC commands find any problem, you must run the DISM command. To run the DISM command, you need to re-run the Windows Terminal and execute the three commands we have shared:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
That’s it! You are done. This is how you can run the SFC and DISM command on Windows 11 to fix the Control Panel not opening problem.
The methods we shared in this guide will help you fix the Control Panel not opening on Windows 11 problem. If the problem is still unresolved, you must raise a question in the Microsoft Support forum. Or else, you must look for ways to reset or reinstall Windows 11 on your PC. I hope this article helped you! Please share it with your friends also. If you have any doubts, let us know in the comment box below.
