Microsoft continues Control Panel farewell tour
- Reference: 1755792128
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/08/21/microsoft_continues_the_control_panel/
- Source link:
The changes have been made in [1]build 27928 for the Windows 11 Insider Preview Canary Channel and were accompanied by Semantic Search (for Copilot+ PCs) and tweaks to the Copilot App for all Windows Insiders.
The settings include the ability to add additional clocks and select a time server. Time formatting settings have moved, and now you can also change the number and currency formats in Settings. You can also enable Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support there.
[2]
Microsoft caused a bit of a [3]furor last year by dropping the word "deprecated" into a support document for the Control Panel. It hastily [4]stepped back from the precipice, but the [5]current verbiage , "the Control Panel still exists for compatibility reasons," should leave users in no doubt. Microsoft would very much like this refugee from an earlier era of Windows to be put out to pasture.
[6]
The time and language settings are the latest to receive attention, meaning that the clock is surely ticking for the Control Panel, a mainstay of Windows since the days of version 1.0. Still, should Microsoft finally set the deprecation flag, Control Panel will, at least, avoid getting the Copilot treatment that Microsoft has given its peers, such as [7]Notepad .
[8]Microsoft dumps AI into Notepad as 'Copilot all the things' mania takes hold in Redmond
[9]Microsoft stays mum about M365 Copilot on-demand security bypass
[10]Microsoft sends Windows Control Panel to tech graveyard
[11]Microsoft resurrects Windows Recall for upcoming preview
That said, Microsoft's obsession with all things AI continued with other [12]releases for all Windows Insiders. Users with Copilot+ PCs can use the Copilot App to access semantic file search, where they can employ natural language to search for documents or images. Microsoft had reassuring words for those worried about what the service might find. It said, "You can adjust your permissions for what Copilot can access, retrieve, or read in Copilot Settings under Permission settings."
The Copilot App will also now display a list of recent documents (only those compatible with the chatbot, including .png, .jpeg, .svg, .pdf, .docx, .xlsx, .csv, .json, and .txt) and slurp their contents if the user allows it.
Microsoft calls it "the new Copilot home experience," which, "brings your recent apps, files, and conversations into Copilot and at your fingertips." ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27928-canary-channel/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aKeW-DAeBIxAZGLNCQQaMAAAAFA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/22/windows_control_panel_deprecation/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/27/the_windows_control_panel_joins/
[5] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/system-configuration-tools-in-windows-f8a49657-b038-43b8-82d3-28bea0c5666b
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKeW-DAeBIxAZGLNCQQaMAAAAFA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/23/microsoft_ai_notepad/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/23/microsoft_ai_notepad/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/20/microsoft_mum_about_m365_copilot/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/22/windows_control_panel_deprecation/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/22/microsoft_recall_redux/
[12] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/20/copilot-on-windows-semantic-search-and-new-homepage-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Do a favor...
You shouldn't had given it away...
Instead, you should've installed GNU/Linux first AND then have given it away, so to spare the eyes of the person you're being generous to.
Fix the regional settings would help
Last two Win11 machines I had to setup got stuck in US English and would not let go. Selected to UK English as usual. Even in the Control Panel \ Administrative settings. Everything swapped across to UK (proper spelling) English. Even to the extent of deleting US (Un/Servicable) English from the settings. Still would not fix "Personalization" and "Color" in the Settings pages.
Frustrating that every setting says use a specific language, but it still gets over-ridden. This used to work fine until something was "upgraded" in the last few months.
Why have a setting saying one thing, but the OS doing something totally different?
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
“Why have a setting saying one thing, but the OS doing something totally different?”
Because it’s Microsoft and they write really shitty software? In fact, they’re so good at writing shitty software that they need to issue patches every month for whole chunks of it in an attempt to make it less shitty (which never works, of course). And some of the stuff that they patch on a monthly basis is literally decades old. And it’s still shitty!! After all these years of patching it should be the best software ever to grace your computer. There shouldn’t be anything left to fix. But no. Because all MS software is such a pile of steaming turd, it will require an infinite number of patches just to reach the heady heights of “not very good”. Until the heat death of the universe, it shall remain shitty
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
a nice and comprehensive review.
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
"Until the heat death of the universe, it shall remain shitty"
As long as people keep buying it, there is no reason to reverse the enshitification, is there?
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
you think that's bad....trying to get rid of the last vestiges of Spanish on an originally Spanish language laptop. Drives you insane and just when you think you've nailed it, you spot something lurking still in Spanish. You can language pack the thing to kingdom come, beat it about the face and head, threaten it with death and some mole hiding in the bowels pops up and says Hola! AARRGGHH
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
Wouldn’t it just be easier to learn Spanish?
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
There are some masked lads here who say that they're from ICE and want a word with you.
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
They are fake! The real ICE doesn't say who they are.
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
> .trying to get rid of the last vestiges of Spanish on an originally Spanish language laptop
Same anon here as above... yeah, had that problem at the same time on the same machine. Attempted to uninstall the multi-language installs of Office left me with the language settings in German for some bizarre reason. I also have another PC where it is convinced it is Spanish in the system menus, but still displays office in English.
Its the problem with tangling their software into that spaghetti mess of an "OS" in a non-standard way instead of just being an app on top of the system.
Its almost as if that non-existent testing department does not know other languages exist.
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
Did you call your PC Manuel by any chance?
Re: Fix the regional settings would help
This is what happens when you fire your localisation group and get Copilot on the case.
It might be just me...
... but I actually liked the Control Panel. The current kludge of playing "hunt the setting" should never have been allowed even in the early versions of Win 10 and is another symptom of M$ confused thinking and lazy programming. Never mind that various settings don't actually work properly as noted by others.
I currently can't get rid of M$ fun facts and other assorted sh!t on my W10 laptop lock screen, and yes, I've turned it off in settings, done the registry hack etc.
M$ how much do I detest thee?
Re: It might be just me...
Lots of the old school interfaces are much cleaner, logical, and functional.
I doubt you are even close to being alone!
Copilot App
I'd be happy if Copilot ignored Open Document format files - odt and ods
Re: Copilot App
As a 365 admin I’ve tried turning off Copilot everywhere I can. But it’s like trying to childproofing your house, they can still get in!
Outlook says “would you like copilot with that?” Fsck. OFF.
I wouldn't mind.....if I could do the same things in Settings I can do in Control Panel.
i attempted a Windows machine yesterday. got frustrated and gave it away.