The Control Panel in Microsoft Windows has been around as long as the operating system itself. It's been the nerve center for the world's most popular desktop operating system since 1985, when Windows 1.0 debuted. Of course, the settings and options were limited in the early days, but a steady progression can be seen over the decades. Enjoy this trip down memory lane as you see what the Windows Control Panel used to look like.
Windows 1.0 Control Panel (1985)
Windows 1.01 Control Panel Preferences (1985)
Source: toastytech.com
Windows 2.0 Control Panel (1987)
Windows 2.0 Control Panel (1987)
Source: winworldpc.com
Windows 3.0 Control Panel (1990)
Windows 3.0 Control Panel (1990)
Source: toastytech.com
Windows 3.1, Windows NT 3.1, and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 Control Panel (1992-1993)
Windows 3.1 Control Panel (1992)
Source: toastytech.com
Windows 95 Control Panel (1995)
Windows 95 Control Panel (1995)
Source: toastytech.com
Windows 98 Control Panel (1998)
Windows 98 Windows Control Panel (1998)
Source: cwdixon.com/
Windows 2000 Control Panel (2000)
Windows 2000 Control Panel (2000)
Source: dotcio.rpi.edu
Windows ME Control Panel (2000)
Windows ME Control Panel (2000)
Source: simplehelp.net
Windows XP Control Panels (2001)
Windows XP Control Panel (2001)
Source: toastytech.com
Windows XP Control Panel Classic View (2001)
Source: suffieldacademy.org
Windows Vista Control Panel (2006)
Windows Vista Control Panel (2006)
Source: computerperformance.co.uk
Windows 7 Control Panel (2009)
Windows 7 Control Panel (2009)
Source: techrepublic.com
Windows 8 Control Panel (2012)
Windows 8 PC Settings (2012)
Source: softpedia.com
Windows 8 Classic Control Panel (2012)
Source: wikihow.com
Windows 10 Control Panel (2015)
Windows 10 Settings (2015)
Source: controlpanelwindows10.com
Windows 10 Control Panel Classic View (2015)
Source: rosettastone.com
Next: The Complete Microsoft Windows Evolution, Excel, and Microsoft.com
Enjoy seeing the design history of the Windows Control Panel? See our design history
evolution of Microsoft Windows page, which has over 80 images from Windows 1.0 to Windows 10.
Also, check out our article on the
visual design history of Microsoft Excel which launched in 1982.
Finally, if you really like this stuff, why not see what the
Microsoft.com website looked like from 1994 to today?
Do you like seeing nostalgic stuff like this everyday?
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