Windows has had its own app for settings since 2012, since the release of Windows 8. However, to date it has been the case that that app has not replaced the old and familiar control panel. You know: the place that has been present since 1985 (since Windows 1.0!). Now it seems that Microsoft is still turning that screen. Slowly, then.
This is evident from the text of a recently published blog post about the release of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 2016 1, on the Microsoft website. Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc writes there that certain information is moved. This is information from the system page of the control panel, which you will find under All in the future settings / System / Info.
This has the advantage that you will no longer have to search in two different places for information about your computer. Think of info like your processor, memory, your device ID and more. This change also means that links no longer open the system page of the control panel, but redirect you to the Info page of the Settings app.
Control panel has had its best time
Another change is that there is a copy button with which you can easily and quickly copy the information about your PC, for example when someone has to offer help remotely.
For now, these changes are only visible to the people who participate in Microsoft’s test rings. So if you have an early build on your PC or laptop, chances are that the changes have already been implemented for you. For all other users, such changes only offer a glimpse into the future of Windows as they cannot get started with it yet.
Although Microsoft has now taken the first steps to make the control panel less accessible on Windows 10, it does not mean that this screen has disappeared with the release of the next update. Because for the time being, there is and remains such a screen, but it is now clear that Microsoft is adjusting the way we use Windows.
In any case, we would not be surprised if it turned out that Microsoft has the idea of ​​bringing all settings and information to be looked up in one place. That means that in the future of Windows, there will be no more space for the control panel, since the Settings app is the place for it. All that app needs is a little more overview – so that you don’t long for the old days of Windows.
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