Difference between settings & control panel?

I'm new the the Windows 10 Forums, and actually very new to the Windows 10 operating system (coming from using Apple products).

I find it a bit confusing that there seems to be sometimes two places for some settings, for instance I see two different areas for installing/uninstalling software, and I've noticed the same situation when making adjustments to my mouse settings. It's odd to me, since these options visually look different, but they seem to have many of the same options available to change.

1. Is this correct that there is essentially two areas (and two ways) for doing the same thing, one in "Settings" and one in the "Control Panel"?
2. Why does Windows separate these similar functions?

Thanks for any help :)

It's common to find multiple methods when making modifications in settings.

Sometimes settings can malfunction and using control panel allows modifying settings until the problems with settings are troubleshooted.

There are additional methods using command line (command prompt or powershell).

Also there are options in the registry to make modifications.

For each area of interest you may be able to find tutorials:
Windows 10 Tutorial Index


These are tutorials on settings and control panel:

Open Settings in Windows 10
Open Control Panel in Windows 10

rphillips said:

1. Is this correct that there is essentially two areas (and two ways) for doing the same thing, one in "Settings" and one in the "Control Panel"?
2. Why does Windows separate these similar functions?

In the beginning there was just the Control Panel. Windows 8 introduced the Settings app, but it was very limited in scope, almost everything important was still just in the Control Panel.

With Windows 10 Settings became more comprehensive, but at first (version 1507, the original release) almost every setting was in parallel with an equivalent in the Control Panel. With each new version since then Settings has been improved, to the state now where for some functions it is sufficiently developed so that the equivalent function can be removed from Control Panel.

It's a continuing evolution and it's not finished yet. Microsoft's apparent aim seems to be to do away with the control panel completely, or at least, only keep it for the more difficult 'advanced settings'.

Thanks for the responses!

Good to know that "control panel" is the older of the two, and that Microsoft is migrating towards using "settings" for everything in the future.

rphillips said:

Good to know that "control panel" is the older of the two...

By quite some margin. It first appeared in Windows 1.0 back in 1985.

Control Panel (Windows) - Wikipedia