Every Ms-Settings Command in Windows 11

What an ms-settings command is

An ms-settings command is a URI (uniform resource identifier, a link format Windows recognizes, like https: for websites). The ms-settings: part tells Windows to open the Settings app. The word after the colon names the page.

Three rules apply to every command in this post:

• Type the colon directly after ms-settings, with no space before or after it.
• Capitalization does not matter: ms-settings:Display and ms-settings:display open the same page.
• Microsoft renames and moves Settings pages between Windows versions (builds), so a few commands land on a nearby page rather than the exact one named here.

Microsoft publishes its own list of these URIs on Microsoft Learn under “Launch the Windows Settings app”. The tables below follow that documented set, grouped the way Windows 11 groups its Settings sidebar. If you want to open desktop tools instead of Settings pages, the Run command guide covers the other side of the Run box.

How to open a Settings page with an ms-settings command

The Run box is the fastest way to use any ms-settings command from the tables below. These steps open the page directly.

1. Press Win+R on your keyboard. The Run dialog box opens in the lower-left corner of the screen.
2. Click the Open field, then type a command from the tables below, for example ms-settings:nightlight. Do not add a space after the colon.
3. Press Enter. The Settings⚙️ app opens on the page you named.

If Windows shows a message that it cannot find the command, you have a typo or a space in the wrong place. Retype it and check the colon. If Settings opens but shows its home page instead of the page you asked for, see the troubleshooting section further down.

Other ways to launch an ms-settings command

The Run box is not the only place that accepts these commands. Use whichever window you already have open.

To launch from Command Prompt (the text-based Windows command window):

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal. Windows Terminal opens.
2. Type start ms-settings:display and press Enter. The Display page opens. Replace display with any command name from the tables.

To launch from PowerShell (the more advanced command window that Terminal opens by default):

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal.
2. Type Start-Process ms-settings:display and press Enter. The Display page opens.

To launch from the Start menu search box or a browser address bar:

1. Click the Search box on the taskbar🖥️, or open Edge and click the address bar.
2. Type the full command, such as ms-settings:sound, and press Enter.
3. If a browser asks whether to open Settings⚙️, click Open. The page opens in the Settings⚙️ app.

None of these methods needs an elevated (administrator) window. A normal window works. If you use the terminal often, the Sudo command guide explains when a task needs administrator rights (sometimes called elevation).

System commands

These commands open pages under Settings › System. The System group is the largest, so it holds many of the commands you will use most.

Two of these are worth remembering. ms-settings:about shows your Windows edition and version number. Support staff ask for it first. ms-settings:storagepolicies jumps to the Storage Sense (a tool that deletes temporary files on a schedule) options.

Windows Update and backup commands

Windows Update has its own section in the Windows 11 sidebar. These commands open its pages, plus a few closely tied ones.

Bluetooth and devices commands

These commands cover hardware pages: Bluetooth, printers, the mouse, and the keyboard.

The Touchpad, Pen & Windows Ink, and Cameras pages depend on hardware. A desktop PC with no touchpad may open the Settings home page instead.

Network and internet commands

These commands open the network pages, which are useful when you need Wi-Fi or proxy settings without searching for them.

Personalization commands

These commands open the appearance pages. They match the items under Settings › Personalization.

Apps commands

These commands open the pages that manage installed programs and default apps.

The page title for ms-settings:appsfeatures reads “Installed apps” in Windows 11 version 23H2 and later, and “Apps & features” in earlier Windows 11 builds. The command is the same on both versions, so you do not need to change it.

Accounts commands

These commands open the sign-in and account pages.

Time and language commands

These commands open the clock, region, and speech pages.

Gaming commands

These commands open the pages under Settings › Gaming.

Accessibility commands

Privacy and security commands

These commands open the permission pages, where you decide which apps can use your camera, microphone, location, and files.

The ms-settings:windowsdefender command opens the Windows Security page inside Settings. This page has an Open Windows Security button. Click it to start the separate Windows Security app.

How to turn an ms-settings command into a desktop shortcut

A shortcut saves you from typing the command each time. This is useful for pages you open often, such as Night light or Windows Update.

1. Right-click an empty spot on the desktop. A context menu🖱️ opens.
2. Choose New › Shortcut. The Create Shortcut wizard opens.
3. Type a command, such as ms-settings:nightlight, in the location box.
4. Click Next.
5. Type a name, such as Night light, in the name box.
6. Click Finish. The shortcut appears on your desktop.
7. Double-click the shortcut to test it. The Settings⚙️ page opens.

To remove the shortcut, right-click it and choose Delete. Deleting the shortcut does not change any setting.

The same shortcut works with any command in the tables above. To add a keyboard shortcut, right-click the shortcut, choose Properties, and set a shortcut key if you want one. See every Windows 11 keyboard shortcut for built-in features for the shortcuts Windows already provides.

Why an ms-settings command opens the wrong page or nothing

Four causes explain most failures. Check them in this order.

The page is missing on your build. If the Settings home page opens instead of your target, Windows could not match the name. Microsoft retires and renames pages across feature updates, so an older command may no longer work. Open Settings from the Start menu and look for the page by name to confirm it still exists.

Your hardware does not support the page. Pages such as Touchpad, Mobile hotspot, Cellular, and Power & battery details depend on the device. A desktop without a battery or a Wi-Fi adapter may show no page or a reduced one.

Your edition or policy hides the page. Some pages differ between Windows 11 Home and Pro, and a work or school PC can hide Settings pages through a policy (a setting that an administrator applies to the PC). If an administrator manages your PC, the page may be blocked on purpose. Ask your IT team before trying to work around it.

You typed the command with a space or a typo. ms-settings: display with a space fails. Retype it with the colon attached to the page name.

For desktop-style tools such as Event Viewer or Disk Management, ms-settings commands do not apply. Those open from different commands, covered in every Windows 11 administrative tool explained.

What to do next

Pick the three or four pages you open most, and make shortcuts for them using the steps above. After a Windows 11 feature update, test any shortcut that stops working, because Microsoft sometimes renames a page and the command changes with it. For window management beyond Settings, see every Windows 11 keyboard shortcut for window snapping.