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 propertiesAppwiz.cpl Add/Remove Programs propertiesDesk.cpl Display propertiesFindFast.cpl FindFast (included with Microsoft Office for Windows 95)Inetcpl.cpl Internet propertiesIntl.cpl Regional Settings propertiesJoy.cpl Joystick propertiesMain.cpl Mouse, Fonts, Keyboard, and Printers propertiesMlcfg32.cpl Microsoft Exchange or Windows Messaging propertiesMmsys.cpl Multimedia propertiesModem.cpl Modem propertiesNetcpl.cpl Network propertiesOdbccp32.cpl Data Sources (32-bit ODBC, included w/ Microsoft Office)Password.cpl Password propertiesSticpl.cpl Scanners and Cameras propertiesSysdm.cpl System properties and Add New Hardware wizardThemes.cpl Desktop Themes TimeDate.cpl Date/Time propertiesWgpocpl.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.
