The Windows operating system includes a Control Panel that provides users with access to a variety of system, security and hardware settings. Customizing the settings in the Control Panel will depend on the version of Windows you are using. The steps below are for Windows 10 users, but the overall process is similar for other versions.
Open Control Panel
The first step is to open the Control Panel. To do this, open the Start menu and type “control panel” into the search field. You can also press the Windows key and R at the same time, type “control” into the box that appears and click OK.
Choose Category View
Once you have the Control Panel open, you will see a variety of options. To make the customization process easier, switch to Category view by clicking the drop-down menu near the top of the window. This will group all the options into categories such as “Hardware and Sound” or “System and Security.”
Customize System Settings
Now you can begin customizing the settings in the Control Panel. Scroll through the categories and find the one labeled “System and Security.” Open it up to find a variety of settings such as network connections, user accounts, system protection and system information. Click on any of these settings to open a window where you can customize them.
You can also customize the settings in the other categories. For instance, in the “Hardware and Sound” category, you can customize the default sound devices and set up external devices such as printers. In the “Network and Internet” category, you can manage your wireless connections and set up a homegroup.
You can find even more options by clicking on “More Settings,” which is located at the bottom of the Control Panel window. This will give you access to advanced settings such as Power Options, Remote Desktop and User Account Control.
Save Your Changes
Once you have customized the settings to your liking, click the “Apply” button at the bottom of the window to save your changes. If you decide you don’t like the changes you have made, you can always go back and restore the default settings.
The default settings in the Control Panel should be adequate for most users, but you can fine tune them if you want to get more out of your computer. By taking some time to customize the settings in the Control Panel, you can save time and optimize your experience when using your computer.