How to Pin the Control Panel to the Taskbar or Start Menu in Windows

Microsoft has spent years slowly migrating settings from the classic, legacy Control Panel into the modern, simplified Windows Settings app. Despite this transition, many advanced network configuration options, legacy device managers, and deeply nested administrative tools still exclusively reside in the old Control Panel. If you are a power user or an IT administrator who needs constant access to these legacy tools, digging through the Start menu every time is incredibly inefficient. Fortunately, you can easily pin the classic Control Panel directly to your Windows Taskbar or Start menu for instant access.

How to Pin the Control Panel to the Taskbar

Pinning the Control Panel to the taskbar at the bottom of your screen is the fastest way to ensure it is always exactly one click away, regardless of what applications you currently have open.

1. Click the Start button on your Windows taskbar.
2. At the top of the Start menu, type Control Panel into the search bar.
3. The classic Control Panel app (with the blue icon) should appear as the “Best match.”
4. Instead of clicking on it to open it, look at the right side of the search results pane.
5. Click on the Pin to taskbar option (it will have a small pushpin icon next to it).

The blue Control Panel icon will immediately appear on your taskbar. You can now click and drag the icon horizontally along the taskbar to position it wherever you prefer. It will remain there permanently, even after you reboot your computer.

How to Pin the Control Panel to the Start Menu

If you prefer to keep your taskbar clean and minimalist, you can pin the Control Panel to the “Pinned” section of your Start menu instead. This keeps it out of sight while you work, but readily available with a tap of the Windows key.

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type Control Panel into the search bar.
3. Right-click on the Control Panel app in the search results.
4. From the context menu that appears, select Pin to Start.

To verify it worked, clear the search bar and open the Start menu normally. You will see the Control Panel icon prominently displayed in the “Pinned” grid of applications. If you have many pinned apps, you might need to scroll down or click the small dots on the right side to navigate to the second page of your pinned layout.