How to Fix Settings App Not Opening in Windows 11

Many users report that their Settings app is not opening in Windows 11, no matter how long they wait after opening it. This article will show why this is happening and how to fix it.

Your Settings app won‘t open in Windows 11, probably due to the corruption of the ImmersiveControlPanel app, which is a Windows app responsible for the system settings.

So, to fix this issue, you only need to reset the ImmersiveControlPanel app to restore its factory settings. This is how to do it:

1. Type Windows PowerShell on Windows Search, then click on Run as Administrator:
   
2. On Powershell, enter the following command:
   Get-AppxPackage *windows.immersivecontrolpanel* | Reset-AppxPackage
   
3. Press Enter to run the command, and wait.
4. Reboot your PC.

This should fix this issue.

(Resetting Windows apps are great for fixing a couple of issues like Windows, such as the Windows Photo Viewer applying a yellow tint in the Photos app.)

If this doesn’t work, you can try running the below commands to repair your system.

How to Fix Settings App Not Opening in Windows 11

Another possible fix to your settings app not opening in Windows 11 is to use the sfc/ scannow, and the DISM commands to repair or clean up corrupted files in your system.

Here is how to use them:

Method 1: Run the System File Checker

1. Type Command Prompt on Windows Search and click on Run as Administrator:
   
2. Enter the following command on the Command Prompt:
   sfc /scannow
   
3. Press Enter and wait patiently while Windows check your system for corrupted files.

Method 2: DISM clean tool

1. Type Command Prompt on Windows Search and click on Run as Administrator.
2. Enter the following command on the Command Prompt and press Enter:
   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /Scanhealth
   
3. After, that run the following command:
   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
4. Wait 15-20 minutes while Windows fix your systems.

(If you also want to clean your disk, I’ve written an article on how to find large files and folders in Windows 11.)

If nothing else worked, you could try to restore your system to a previous point before the issue happened.

How to Fix Settings App Not Opening by Restoring the System

The system restore function can undo any system or registry changes on your system, so it is an excellent method to try to fix your Settings app not opening.

Here is how to restore your system to a previous point:

1. Enter Control Panel on Windows Search and click on Open:
   
2. In the Control Panel, click on Recovery:
   
3. On Advanced Recovery Tools, select Open System Restore:
   
4. Choose a System Restore Point before this issue appeared and click Next -> Finish.
   

If no system restore points are created on your PC, this will not work. It is a good habit to create system restore points.

Conclusion

If your settings app is not opening in Windows 11, the ImmersiveControlPanel app (a Windows system app responsible for the Settings) is likely corrupted.

You can fix this quickly by resetting the Settings apps via PowerShell by running the command “Get-AppxPackage *windows.immersivecontrolpanel* | Reset-AppxPackage“.

Another simple fix is to restore your system to a previous point before this issue happened.

If your network & settings crash on Windows, check the article I’ve written on it.