So you want to make a few customizations and just found that the Settings is not opening in your Windows 10 PC. There can be many reasons why Settings app isn’t opening on Windows 10.
Windows 10 comes with many advanced features, Settings being one of them. For many users, it is just a replacement for the popular Control Panel , but it’s not.
Settings in Windows 10 is a comprehensive app that covers customization settings for System, Update & Security, Privacy, Accounts, Time & Language, Network and Internet, Ease of Access and many other categories.
At times, your Windows 10 Setting does not open, and your PC becomes unfunctional. In this article, we have a few fixes if your Windows 10 setting is not opening.
Common Errors Users Face when Settings is Not Opening in Windows 10
When your Windows 10 Settings is not working, you may face the following common errors on your screen
- Settings doesn’t launch Windows 10: This issue doesn’t launch the Settings app, and according to users, the settings app won’t function at all on your system.
- Cannot open Settings Windows 10: This issue occurs when your system is unable to open the Settings app on your PC. Although, creating a new user account usually fixes this problem.
- Windows 10 settings not responding: It is one of the most common error users face where the Settings app does not respond to your system, resulting in dysfunctionality.
Settings Not Opening in Windows 10? Here’s the Solution
Fortunately, we have found a few simple solutions to resolve ‘Settings not Opening in Windows 10’ error which might be a real lifesaver. Let us go through this bunch of fixes below:
1. An alternate way to open Settings App in Windows 10
This method is just a short-term fix to open the settings app which is not functioning correctly in an alternative way. You can try this method below:
- Press and hold Windows + I keys and try to open the settings app
Alternatively, you can also try to go to the Action Center icon present in the taskbar (a mic to the bottom-right) and then click on “All Settings.”
If the above method isn’t useful for you to open the Settings app, We might need to try these more workable solutions below.
2. Run SFC Scan
Another quick fix to avoid any long process methods is to run SFC scan to fix the Settings app
Before we go through the long processes of fixing the Settings app, let us first try these quick fixes, it might work the best for you. SFC command scans all the protected files in your system. So to run SFC scan:
- To scan errors on your Hard drive- go to the Start menu
- Now, type cmd, and open the Command Prompt
- To scan your hard drive, type sfc/scannow and press Enter
The process may take a while as this command scans your hard drive and rectifies for all the errors. After the process is complete, check if your Settings app issue is resolved.
However, if the problem still occurs or SFC scan didn’t work well for you, you can try the DISM scan to search for any errors in your PC. To do so,
- Open the Command Prompt
- Here enter the following command
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
The process is a little longer than SFC scan to avoid any interruptions during the scan. Now, check if the problem continues. However, DISM scan is an efficient tool to solve your issue.
3. Generate a new Windows user
If any of these quick fixes don’t work for you, you might have to open the Settings app by creating a new Windows user account to fix this issue. Let’s create a new user account, by the following steps:
- Go to the Search menu (to the right of start button) and type Control Panel
- Select Control Panel from the menu
- Choose User Accounts from the options
- Now, tap on the Manage another account option
- Left-click on the Add new User in PC settings
- Once done that, restart your Windows 10 Technical Preview system
- Here, log in through the new user account you have made
After logging in with your new user account, check if the Settings app issue still occurs in your PC.
4. Reinstall the Settings App
Although the Settings app is an inbuilt feature in your Windows 10, you have to reinstall it to fix any issues related to the Settings app. Windows 10 doesn’t allow you to uninstall any built-in apps easily.
However, Windows 10 now has the PowerShell feature to help you to manage all the built-in apps. Now, follow the steps mentioned below to do the reinstalling process.
- Go to the Start button and type PowerShell
- Right-click on the PowerShell icon from the results and “ Run as admin.”
- In the command box type:
Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
- This re-registers and reinstalls all your windows apps including the Settings app and it most-likely fixes the issues
Your brand new Settings app works back to normal with all its functions and services in your windows 10 system.
5. Install the Required Updates
At times your Settings app might not be opening due to outdated versions of your application. You can quickly solve this issue by installing the updates which are necessary. Here’s how:
- Go to the Search bar and type Control Panel
- Click on the Control Panel from the results
- Type Windows Updates in the search box (to the top right corner) in the Control Panel window and press Enter
- Here, hit on the View Installed Updates in the results list
- Check for KB3036140 update and install if it isn’t
- Once you have updated to KB3036140, restart your system again
This method is our favorite pick as the new version of your Settings app works correctly on your Windows 10. You can also use any third-party tools to update your drivers and check if your Settings app is working.
6. Reset your Windows 10 System
We don’t really recommend you to use this method, as resetting your Windows 10 removes all files and data from your system drive.
However, Settings app has a significant role in your Windows system and is very necessary to work. If it doesn’t get fixed by any of the methods above, go through the steps mentioned below to reset your Windows 10:
- Go to the Start button and hit on the Power icon
- Press and hold the Shift key and select Restart
- You have three options on the screen to choose. Select Troubleshoot
- Now, click on Reset this PC > Remove everything
Note: Make sure to create a backup for your Windows 10 and also keep your Windows 10 installation media ready.
- Insert the Windows 10 installation media and choose your Windows version and select the “Only the drive where Windows is installed” and later select “Just remove my files.”
- Hit on the Reset icon to start
- Follow the orders on the screen to complete the Reset task
Now as your Windows 10 is reset, transfer all your data and files from the backup and download and install all the applications again in your PC. Remember this is an extreme method and only use it if you are facing a severe issue with your system.
Great job folks! These are some simple methods to fix your Settings app issues. It is a prevalent issue, but you have to immediately take action with the above methods to avoid resetting your Windows 10.
Let us know which solution works well for you to fix your Settings app in your PC.