The Settings App
Unit 2: Windows Tools, Commands, Settings, and Networking. Lesson 9 of 41 in APlus Academy Core 2.
The Settings app is where Windows 10 and 11 put most day-to-day configuration, organized into categories. The exam asks which category holds a given setting.
System
Display (resolution, scaling, multiple displays, night light), Sound, Notifications, Focus, Power and battery (sleep and screen timers, battery saver, the same plans as Control Panel in simpler form), Storage (usage by category, Storage Sense cleanup), Nearby sharing, Multitasking, Remote Desktop (enable the host on Pro), Clipboard, and About (edition, version, device name, rename the PC, advanced system settings).
Devices (Bluetooth and devices in Windows 11)
Bluetooth pairing, printers and scanners, mouse and touchpad, typing and pen, AutoPlay (what happens when media is inserted; turn it off for security), USB notifications, cameras.
Network and Internet
Status, Wi-Fi (join, forget, manage known networks, random hardware addresses), Ethernet, VPN (add a connection with server, type, and credentials), Airplane mode, Mobile hotspot, Proxy (automatic detection, setup script, manual), Data usage and metered connection (limits background downloads and updates on cellular or capped links), Advanced network settings (adapters, network reset).
Personalization
Background, colors, lock screen, themes, fonts, Start menu, taskbar. Cosmetic, but the lock screen and taskbar settings appear in support calls.
Apps
Apps and features (uninstall, modify, move, and see install dates and sizes), Default apps (which program opens which file type or protocol), Optional features, Startup (the same list as Task Manager), Apps for websites, Video playback.
Accounts
Your info (local versus Microsoft account, switch between them), Email and accounts, Sign-in options (password, PIN, Windows Hello face and fingerprint, security key, dynamic lock, require sign-in on wake), Access work or school (join Azure AD or enroll in MDM), Family and other users (add local accounts, change type), Sync your settings.
Time and Language
Date and time (automatic time, time zone, sync now with the time server), Region (formats), Language (display and input languages), Speech. Time drift and certificate errors are fixed here or in the domain.
Gaming
Game bar, captures, Game Mode. The exam includes it only because it is a category.
Ease of Access (Accessibility)
Vision (magnifier, narrator, high contrast, text size, color filters), hearing (captions, mono audio), interaction (speech, keyboard settings such as sticky keys, mouse settings, eye control).
Privacy
Windows permissions (diagnostics and feedback, activity history, advertising ID) and app permissions (location, camera, microphone, contacts, calendar, background apps). A camera that "does not work in one app" is often denied here.
Update and Security (Windows Update, Privacy and security in Windows 11)
Windows Update (check, pause, active hours, update history, uninstall updates, advanced options), Delivery Optimization, Windows Security (Defender antivirus, firewall, app and browser control, device security), Backup (file history, sync), Troubleshoot, Recovery (Reset this PC, advanced startup into WinRE, go back to the previous version), Activation, Find My Device, For developers.
Control Panel or Settings?
Newer and simpler items live in Settings; deeper and older ones stay in Control Panel: the paging file, environment variables, Internet Options, Mail, advanced firewall rules, and Device Manager. Both routes reach adapters, printers, and accounts. When a question names a specific dialog with tabs, it is Control Panel; when it names a category, it is Settings.
The Settings App, explained slowly
Categories as a filing cabinet
The Settings app is a filing cabinet with eleven drawers. The exam opens a drawer by name and asks what is inside, or names a setting and asks which drawer. Learn the drawers and their most-asked contents.
The drawers
category most-asked contents System Display (resolution, scale, multiple displays), Sound, Notifications, Power and battery, Storage (Storage Sense), Remote Desktop, About (rename, edition, version) Devices Bluetooth pairing, Printers and scanners, Mouse, Touchpad, Typing, Pen, AutoPlay, USB Network and Internet Status, Wi-Fi (known networks), Ethernet, VPN, Airplane mode, Mobile hotspot, Proxy, Data usage, Metered connection, Advanced (adapters, reset) Personalization Background, Colors, Lock screen, Themes, Fonts, Start, Taskbar Apps Apps and features (uninstall, move), Default apps, Optional features, Startup, Apps for websites Accounts Your info (local or Microsoft), Email and accounts, Sign-in options (PIN, Hello, security key), Access work or school, Family and other users, Sync Time and Language Date and time (automatic, time zone, sync now), Region, Language, Speech Gaming Game bar, Captures, Game Mode Ease of Access Magnifier, Narrator, High contrast, Text size, Color filters, Captions, Sticky keys, Mouse keys, Eye control Privacy Diagnostics, Activity history, Location, Camera, Microphone, Contacts, Background apps Update and Security Windows Update (history, uninstall updates, pause, active hours), Delivery Optimization, Windows Security, Backup, Troubleshoot, Recovery, Activation, Find My Device
Windows 11 renames some: Bluetooth and devices, Privacy and security (which absorbs Windows Security), and Windows Update becomes its own category; the contents are the same.
Scenario to drawer
scenario drawer the second monitor shows the wrong resolution System, Display a USB stick opens a program automatically Devices, AutoPlay (turn off) a laptop must use the company VPN Network and Internet, VPN a phone hotspot should not download updates Network and Internet, Wi-Fi, metered connection a PDF opens in the wrong program Apps, Default apps a program launches at every login Apps, Startup (or Task Manager) switch a local account to a Microsoft account Accounts, Your info add a PIN or fingerprint Accounts, Sign-in options enroll the PC in the company's device management Accounts, Access work or school the clock is an hour wrong Time and Language, time zone or sync now a user with low vision needs bigger text Ease of Access, Text size and Magnifier the camera works in one app and not another Privacy, Camera, allow that app roll back last week's update Update and Security, Windows Update, View update history, Uninstall updates reset the PC keeping files Update and Security, Recovery Defender reports it is off Update and Security, Windows Security
Control Panel or Settings, decided
need where paging file, environment variables Control Panel, System, Advanced proxy for legacy apps Control Panel, Internet Options (Settings' Proxy sets the same thing) advanced firewall rules by port Control Panel, Windows Defender Firewall, Advanced settings Outlook profiles Control Panel, Mail Bluetooth pairing, AutoPlay Settings, Devices sign-in options, work account Settings, Accounts Windows Update, Recovery, Activation Settings, Update and Security app permissions (camera, microphone) Settings, Privacy
Both reach printers (Devices and Printers versus Printers and scanners), network adapters, accounts, and power.
Worked examples
- A remote worker's laptop syncs gigabytes over a phone hotspot. Settings, Network and Internet, Wi-Fi, the hotspot's properties, Set as metered connection; background sync and non-critical updates pause.
- A teleconference app cannot see the webcam while the browser can. Settings, Privacy, Camera: the app's toggle is off.
- A user must sign in to a company portal that requires the device to be registered. Settings, Accounts, Access work or school, Connect; the device registers or enrolls in MDM.
- After an update, a printer driver misbehaves. Settings, Update and Security, Windows Update, View update history, Uninstall updates, then pause updates for a week.
How the exam asks it
- "Where is AutoPlay disabled?" Settings, Devices.
- "Where is a VPN connection added?" Settings, Network and Internet.
- "Where does a user add a PIN?" Settings, Accounts, Sign-in options.
- "Where is the default program for a file type changed?" Settings, Apps, Default apps.
- "Where is a microphone permission granted to an app?" Settings, Privacy.
- "Where is Reset this PC?" Settings, Update and Security, Recovery.
- "Where is the time zone set?" Settings, Time and Language.
What to memorize
- Eleven categories and their headline contents; the scenario-to-drawer table.
- What stays in Control Panel: virtual memory, environment variables, Internet Options, Mail, advanced firewall rules.