How to Fix Windows Control Panel not Opening

Control Panel is a very useful tool that allows you to change and control various important settings. However, in some situations, you might not be able to open the control panel. There are a lot of users who are complaining about not being able to open the control panel. Technically, users were able to open the control panel but it opens only for a second. So, the control panel will close immediately. This is obviously a very serious problem because this problem will prevent you from accessing some of the major settings of your computer. Your control panel will close within a second which isn’t enough time to perform any task.

The most likely reason of this issue is a bug in the Windows Update. So, if you recently installed an update then that is the top suspect. There are also a couple of other things that can cause this issue as well. The IDT audio panel can also cause this type of issue with the control panel. A control panel file is also known to cause conflicting issues with the control panel which leads to this problem. Windows Error reporting services can also be the culprit behind this issue. Since there are a lot of things that can cause this issue, there are multiple solutions depending on what’s causing the control panel crashing issue for you. Just go through each of the methods listed below until your problem is solved.

Method 1: Update your Windows

Make sure your Windows is updated to the latest version and all of the updates are installed. Majority of the users found that the problem was automatically solved after their systems updated. So, the most likely reason is that Microsoft released a fix in one of their latest updates. So if you haven’t already, check for updates and install the latest Windows Updates.

Method 2: Uninstall IDT Audio Panel

For some users, the IDT audio panel was causing the issue and uninstalling IDT audio panels fixes the control panel crashing issue for them. Follow the steps given below to locate and uninstall the IDT audio panel

1. Hold Windows Key and press R
2. Type appwiz.cpl and press Enter

3. This will open the Uninstall or change program screen of your Control Panel
4. Locate the IDT audio panel and select it
5. Select Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions

If you can’t locate the IDT audio panel in the Uninstall or change program screen, or you can’t keep the control panel open for a considerable amount of time then follow the steps given below:

1. Hold Windows key and press R
2. Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter

3. Locate and double click Sound, video and game controllers
4. Locate and right click IDT audio panel or IDT High Definition CODEC

5. Select Uninstall and follow any additional on-screen instructions

Your control panel should work normally once you are finished uninstalling the IDT audio panel

Method 3: Delete/Rename IDTNC64.cpl

The IDTNC64.cpl is a control panel control file but it might be the culprit behind this issue. This file might be conflicting with your control panel and causing the control panel to crash after a few seconds. Plenty of users resolved the issue by either deleting or renaming this file. We will advise you to rename the file since it’s a safer option.

1. Hold Windows key and press E
2. Type C:\Windows\System32 in the address bar (located at the top mid) and press Enter

3. Locate the file IDTNC64.cpl
4. Right click IDTNC64.cpl and select Rename
5. Rename the IDTNC64.cpl to anything you want but we will suggest renaming it IDTNC64.oldcpl.

Try to open the control panel once you are done renaming the file. Your control panel should work fine now.

Method 4: Disable Windows Error Reporting Service

Disabling the Windows Error Reporting service is also known to resolve this issue.

1. Hold Windows key and press R
2. Type msconfig and press Enter

3. Select the Services tab

4. Locate and uncheck the Windows Error Reporting Service

5. Click Apply then select Ok

6. You should be able to see a date in the Disable Date column

Check if unchecking this option solves the issue. If the issue is still there then restart and check again. Your problem should be solved.

Method 5: Open Control Panel via Run

This isn’t a solution but kind of a workaround. If you aren’t able to solve the issue with the method 1 then you can follow the steps given below to access the Control Panel controls. This isn’t a solution but it will help you get access to the Windows controls, at least.

1. Hold Windows Key and press R
2. Type appwiz.cpl and press Enter

3. This will open the Uninstall or change program screen of your Control Panel
4. Type Control panel\all control panel items\ in the address bar (located at the top mid) of your Control Panel. Note: Do Not press Enter, simply copy paste it in the address bar

You should be able to see a list of control panel controls. Select any of the options from the drop down list to open the page. Note: This might also make your Control Panel shut down but you will have a chance of changing the setting that you want to.