Exploring Show-ControlPanelItem in PowerShell

Welcome back to Wahmans PowerShell Blog! Today, we’re diving into a useful and often overlooked cmdlet: Show-ControlPanelItem.

This cmdlet, as described by Microsoft, is used to “open Control Panel items”. It’s part of the Microsoft.PowerShell.Management module and can be a handy tool in both end-user support scenarios and automation scripts where you might want to guide or assist a user into making changes via the Control Panel.

Why Use Show-ControlPanelItem?

Control Panel is still a crucial part of Windows system configuration. While many settings are accessible via the newer Settings UI or direct manipulation via PowerShell itself, sometimes it’s still most efficient or required to open the legacy Control Panel items, especially for things like Network Settings, Sound, or Programs and Features.

Basic Syntax

Show-ControlPanelItem [-Name <String[]>] [<CommonParameters>]

Examples

Let’s explore the Show-ControlPanelItem cmdlet through four examples—from beginner to more advanced usage.

Example 1: Open Control Panel (Beginner)

To open the main Control Panel, simply run:

Show-ControlPanelItem

This will launch a window showing all available Control Panel items.

Example 2: Open a Specific Item (Intermediate)

To open a specific Control Panel item such as the Programs and Features panel, use the -Name parameter:

Show-ControlPanelItem -Name "Programs and Features"

You can use Get-ControlPanelItem to list all available names if you’re not sure what’s available.

Example 3: Launch Multiple Items (Intermediate)

You can also launch several Control Panel items at once:

Show-ControlPanelItem -Name @("Internet Options", "Sound")

This can be useful if you are preparing a user or performing a troubleshooting session that involves multiple settings areas.

Example 4: Use Inside a Script for Guided Troubleshooting (Advanced)

Integrate it into a script for user-guided support, for instance prompting users to update their default programs:

Write-Host "We are going to open the settings for Default Programs. Please set the default app for your preferred file types."
Start-Sleep -Seconds 3
Show-ControlPanelItem -Name "Default Programs"

This creates a helpful prompt and opens the right Control Panel UI for the user.

Conclusion

Show-ControlPanelItem may not be a cmdlet you use every day, but it’s incredibly handy to have in your PowerShell toolbox. Whether you are supporting users, scripting diagnostics, or automating setups, being able to reach directly into the Control Panel can save time and mouse clicks.

Happy scripting, and I will see you in the next post!