Microsoft KB Archive/149648

= Description of Control Panel (.cpl) Files =

Article ID: 149648

Article Last Modified on 5/7/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Plus! 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 95
 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

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This article was previously published under Q149648



SUMMARY
This article describes the purpose and usage of Control Panel (.cpl) files.



MORE INFORMATION
Each tool in Control Panel is represented by a .cpl file in the Windows\ System folder. The .cpl files in the Windows\System folder are loaded automatically when you start Control Panel. Note that Control Panel files are sometimes loaded using entries in the [MMCPL] section of the Control.ini file.

The following table lists the most common .cpl files, including all the .cpl files included with Windows:

File name     Purpose --- Access.cpl    Accessibility properties Appwiz.cpl    Add/Remove Programs properties Desk.cpl      Display properties FindFast.cpl  FindFast (included with Microsoft Office for Windows 95) Inetcpl.cpl   Internet properties Intl.cpl      Regional Settings properties Joy.cpl       Joystick properties Main.cpl      Mouse, Fonts, Keyboard, and Printers properties Mlcfg32.cpl   Microsoft Exchange or Windows Messaging properties Mmsys.cpl     Multimedia properties Modem.cpl     Modem properties Netcpl.cpl    Network properties Odbccp32.cpl  Data Sources (32-bit ODBC, included w/ Microsoft Office) Password.cpl  Password properties Sticpl.cpl    Scanners and Cameras properties Sysdm.cpl     System properties and Add New Hardware wizard Themes.cpl    Desktop Themes TimeDate.cpl  Date/Time properties Wgpocpl.cpl   Microsoft Mail Post Office Note that in Windows 98, the Desk.cpl file is named Deskw95.cpl in the compressed cabinet (.cab) file. The file is renamed to Desk.cpl in the Windows\System folder.

Third-party software and hardware manufacturers can add Control Panel icons to provide an interface for setting configuration options for their products. An icon appears in Control Panel when the .cpl file is placed in the Windows\System folder by the program's Setup tool.

You can create a shortcut to a Control Panel tool by dragging an icon from Control Panel to the desktop or another location, or by manually creating a shortcut and specifying the path to a .cpl file.

Note that the Sounds tool does not have its own .cpl file; it uses the Mmsys.cpl file. To create a shortcut to the Sounds tool, use the command line control mmsys.cpl sounds.

Keywords: kbenable kbinfo kbui KB149648

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