Thank you for visiting the Museum

This museum celebrates the heritage of technology we've all grown up with. Please help us maintain and grow the museum by making a small donation -- buy us a coffee? Thank you so much!

Buy us a coffee!

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? Follow Version Museum on Twitter or Instagram.

Please help support our museum hosting costs by making a small donation -- buy us a coffee! Thank you so much!



Buy us a coffee!





Scroll up to the top.