With Windows 11, Microsoft has focused heavily on the Settings app. It has changed some menus, brought in more controls, and made it easier to find your favorite settings. However, the change also had some hiccups, as users frequently encountered scenarios where the Settings app wouldn't open or failed to work upon opening. In this guide, we'll walk you through the top 8 ways to fix the Settings app not opening or not working on Windows 11.
Since the Settings app plays an important role in Making changes to your computer Any difficulties with the app can easily make you anxious. But don't worry. We'll show you some effective troubleshooting fixes that should help resolve the issue once and for all. So, let's get started.
1. Try alternative methods
If you are having problems opening the Settings app, you can try using alternative methods to open the Settings app.
You can start using the key. Windows + I on your keyboard to see if that works. Or you can also press the key Windows + X open Settings from there.
There is another way to open the settings through Run UtilityPress the key. Windows + R To open Run . dialog , And type ms settings: And press Enter.
2. Repair and reset the app
The repair tool on Windows is very effective forFix minor app issuesYou can use it to fix the Settings app as well. Here's how.
Step 1: Open menu START YOUR , And type Settings , and select an option Application settings.
If the issue persists even after repairing the app, Microsoft recommends resetting the app. Once you've done that, go ahead and check if the Settings app is working properly now.
3. Perform an SFC scan
Corrupted or missing system files on your computer may make it difficult to open the Settings app. To fix this, you can try performing a SFC Check Or System File Checker On your computer. It will automatically scan and repair system files on your computer. Here's how to run it.
Step 1: press the . key Windows + X and select Windows Terminal (Admin) from the resulting list.
Step 2: Type the command shown below and press Enter.
sfc / scannow
After running the scan, restart your computer to see that you can access the Settings app now.
4. Reinstall the Settings app
If the problem persists, you can try uninstalling the Settings app and installing it again. Since Settings comes preloaded on Windows 11, you'll need to use PowerShell لUninstall the appHere's how.
Step 1: Open menu START YOUR , And type PowerShell , and tap Run as administrator to turn on Powershell With the rights of the responsible.
Step 2: Paste the command shown below and press Enter.
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $ Env: SystemRoot \ ImmersiveControlPanel \ AppxManifest.xml
After running the command, restart your computer to see if you can open the Settings app.
5. Create a new user account
If you still can't open the Settings app, it may be a rare case of corrupted user account files. Therefore, you can try creating a user account New to see if that works or not.
Step 1: turn on Command Prompt using Administrator rights.
Step 2: Type the command below and press Enter.
net user /add Username and Password
Create a new user account using the command prompt.
Step 3: Grant account administrator privileges by entering the command below.
net localgroup administrators Username /add
Again, replace username in the above command with your username.
Now log in with your newly created account and try using the Settings app.
6. Update Windows
Sometimes, operating system updates can go wrong and cause issues like these. The good news is that Windows is quick to detect and fix these issues in subsequent updates.
Normally, you can use the Settings app to check for any new updates on your computer. However, since you can't access the Settings app, you can use PowerShell to accomplish the same thing. Here's how.
Step 1: Open menu START YOUR , And type PowerShell, and tap Run as administrator لRun Powershell With the rights of the responsible.
Step 2: Now type the command shown below and press Enter.
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate
This will install the Windows Update module on your computer. Once installed, run the following command to check for and download any pending updates.
Get-WindowsUpdate
Install-WindowsUpdate
Restart your computer now to see if the issue is resolved.
7. Try Safe Mode
If you urgently need to use the Settings app, you can try restarting your computer in Safe ModeSometimes, third-party apps and programs can conflict with Windows 11 operations and lead to issues like these. To confirm this, you can try using the Settings app in Safe Mode.
Read on to learn how to enter Safe Mode on Windows 11.
Step 1: Click icon Search in Taskbar , And type System Configuration , And press Enter.
Step 2: in window System Configuration (System configuration) Go to the tab Boot. Under Boot Options, select Safe boot And press OK.
If the Settings app works fine in Safe Mode, you can try removing some recently installed apps and programs on your PC.
8. Use System Restore
system recovery It's a useful feature in Windows 11 that periodically takes a backup of your entire system. So, if something doesn't work, you can use this backup to revert to a point when the Settings app was working fine. Here's how.
Step 1: Open menu START YOUR , And type Create a restore point Click on the first result that appears.
Step 2: Click the buttonsystem recoveryWithin the tab“System protection.”
Step 3: Here, you can either go with the recommended restore point or choose one yourself by choosing the second option.
Choose a restore point before this issue first occurred and click next one. Now follow the on-screen instructions to perform a system restore.
Fix the Settings app
The Settings app is an important component of Windows 11 and helps you customize various aspects of the operating system. We hope the tips above helped you fix the Settings app not opening or working on Windows 11. Tell us which trick worked for you in the comments below.
