Windows 10 provides a comprehensive Settings app that allows users to customize various aspects of their operating system. However, encountering the issue where the Windows 10 Settings app fails to open can be frustrating. This problem “Windows 10 Settings not Opening” may prevent users from accessing essential system settings and making necessary configuration changes. Few users report, windows 10 settings not opening after update or the settings app window not responding. In this article, we will explore several troubleshooting steps to help you resolve the issue and regain access to the Windows 10 Settings app.
Why Windows 10 Settings not Opening?
Several reasons cause Windows 10 Settings app not opening, It may be due to system files related to the Settings app are corrupted or missing. Sometimes User profile corruption or misconfigurations can interfere with the proper functioning of the Settings app.
Again Certain third-party applications or services installed on your computer can conflict with the Settings app and prevent it from launching. Or older version of Windows 10 having bugs or glitches that cause Windows 10 settings not working.
Restart Your Computer
Before diving into more complex solutions, start by restarting your computer. Often, a simple restart can resolve temporary glitches and refresh system resources, potentially fixing the issue with the Settings app not opening.
- Save any open files and close all running applications.
- Click on the “Start” menu and select the power icon.
- Choose “Restart” from the power options menu.
- Allow your computer to restart and try opening the Settings app again.
Use the Windows Search Bar
If the Settings app isn’t opening from the Start menu, try accessing it using the Windows search bar.
- Click on the Windows search bar located on the taskbar or press the Windows key + S.
- Type “Settings” in the search bar.
- Click on the “Settings” app that appears in the search results.
- Check if the Settings app opens without any issues.
Run the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter
Windows 10 provides a built-in troubleshooter specifically designed to diagnose and resolve problems with Windows Store apps, which includes the Settings app.
- Press the Windows key + I to open the Windows Settings app (if it’s working) or use the search bar method to open the Settings app.
- Go to “Update & Security.” then Select the “Troubleshoot” tab from the left-hand menu.
- Scroll down and click on “Additional troubleshooter.” Locate “Windows Store Apps” and click on it.
- Click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button and follow the on-screen instructions.
- After the troubleshooter completes the process, check if the Settings app opens properly.
Create a New User Account
Sometimes, the issue with the Settings app not opening could be specific to your user profile. Creating a new user account can help determine if the problem is user-specific.
- Press the Windows key + I to open the Windows Settings app or use the search bar method to open the Settings app.
- Go to “Accounts” and select the “Family & other users” tab.
- Click on “Add someone else to this PC” under the “Other users” section.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new user account.
- Sign in to the new account and check if the Settings app opens correctly.
Or you can open the command prompt as administrator and run the following command to create a new user account on Windows 10.
net user newusername newpassword /add
You should see the message “The command completed successfully” to inform you that the account has been created. so username = kumar password = p@$$word
Now perform the command below to make this user account an administrator
net localgroup administrators Admin /add
After that Sign out of your current account and login into the new user account. Try accessing the Settings app, and it should now be working. If yes the next step is to transfer your files from your old Windows account to your new one. Navigate to your old user account in File Explorer (C:/Users/old account name by default), and double-click it. Then copy and paste all the files from that account to your new one (located at C:/Users/new username by default).
Perform a System File Check
Corrupted system files can cause various issues, including problems with the Settings app. Running a System File Check (SFC) scan can help detect and repair such files.
- Press the Windows key and type “Command Prompt.”
- Right-click on “Command Prompt” in the search results and select “Run as administrator.”
- In the Command Prompt window, type command sfc /scannow and press Enter
- Wait for the scan to complete. The System File Checker will attempt to repair any corrupted system files it finds.
- Once the scan is finished, restart your computer and check if the Settings app opens without any issues.
If SFC scan results windows resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Then Run the DISM command dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth to repair the system image.
Reinstall the Settings App
If all else fails, you can try reinstalling the Settings app to fix any potential issues with its installation or configuration.
- Press the Windows key + X and select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu. This will open an elevated PowerShell or Command Prompt window.
- In the PowerShell or Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter to uninstall the Settings app:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | Remove-AppxPackage
- After the uninstallation is complete reboot your PC and open powershell again. Now type the following command and press Enter to reinstall the Settings app:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
- Wait for the reinstallation process to finish, and then close the PowerShell or Command Prompt window.
- Try opening the Settings app again to check if it launches without any issues.
Perform a System Restore
If the above steps didn’t resolve the issue, you can try performing a System Restore to revert your computer’s settings to a previous point in time when the Settings app was functioning correctly.
Note: Performing a System Restore will revert system settings and installed programs to an earlier state. Make sure to back up your important files before proceeding.
- Press the Windows key + R type “rstrui” in the Run dialog box and press Enter.
- This will open the System Restore wizard. Follow the on-screen instructions to select a restore point from a date and time when the Settings app was working properly.
- Confirm your restore point selection and start the restoration process.
- Once the System Restore is complete, your computer will restart. After the restart, check if the Settings app opens correctly.
In addition, ensure that your system is up to date with the latest Windows updates and device drivers.
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