Changing Control Panel Views

Written by Barry Dysert (last updated March 19, 2018)

The Windows Control Panel is quite often the path to follow when doing a variety of system-level activities. There are a few different views to the Control Panel, though, and this sometimes leads to confusion. For example, you may be reading a tip that says to click on the "System and Security" link, but you don't see such a link when you look at the Control Panel. The problem may be that you're looking at a different view.

Changing Control Panel views is simple and harmless. The default view for the Control Panel is known as the Category view; this is what you see when you look at the Control Panel on a newly installed copy of Windows. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Control Panel's Category view.

To change the view, use the View By drop-down list near the upper-right corner of the screen. When you click on it, you'll see that you have three choices: Category, Large Icons, and Small Icons. The icon-based views are very similar to the way that the Control Panel looked several versions of Windows ago. (All the way back to Windows XP.) For instance, choosing Small Icons displays each tool in the Control Panel as a small icon, in alphabetical order. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. The Small Icons view of the Control Panel.

When you select a different view, the change takes place immediately and is thereafter used as the default view until you change it again. When you've selected the view you want, just close the window by clicking the "X".

 This tip (13225) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Author Bio

Barry Dysert

Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." ...

MORE FROM BARRY

How To Enable Jump Lists

Jump lists are handy time savers. Some consider them a privacy issue, though. Whichever way you see it, this tip shows ...

Discover More

Adding Items to the "New" Context Menu

You can add your own items to the "New" context menu, but it does take a bit of effort. This tip explains how to do it.

Discover More

Using the Event Viewer to Examine Remote Event Logs

Assuming you have proper access to remote computers, you can examine their event logs from your system without much ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

More Power to You

Needing more power options than "god mode" provides? Here are some additional "god modes" that give you more access control.

Discover More

Feeling All Powerful?

Need all your Control Panel shortcuts in a simple place? Use this tip to create a special folder that contains all the ...

Discover More

Adding and Deleting Fonts

Sometimes a document you're working on needs a font different from what comes with Windows. In such a case, a simple Web ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight more than 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

Newest Tips
Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.