To open System Properties in Windows 11, press Windows key + R, type control sysdm.cpl and press Enter, or go through Control Panel > System and Security > System and select Advanced system settings.
This guide covers eight ways to reach the classic dialog, the direct commands for each tab, and what to do when it will not open.
How to open System Properties in Control Panel in Windows 11
This is Method 1, the Control Panel route. In Windows 11 the System page hands off to Settings, and the classic dialog opens from the link there.
- Select Start, type
Control Paneland press Enter. - Set View by at the top right to Category.
- Select System and Security, then select System.
- Select Advanced system settings.
- The System Properties dialog opens on the Advanced tab.
If the Start search is slow, there are other ways to open Control Panel, such as a desktop icon or the Run box.
Fastest ways to open System Properties
| Your situation | Use this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard handy | Windows key + R, then control sysdm.cpl |
One line, opens the dialog directly |
| Need a specific tab | SystemPropertiesAdvanced, SystemPropertiesRemote and similar |
Each opens its own tab |
| Mouse only | Settings > System > About | No typing needed |
| Already in a terminal | Type control sysdm.cpl |
Works in Command Prompt, PowerShell and Windows Terminal |
| Open it often | Desktop shortcut or Start pin | One click every time |
How to open System Properties in Control Panel in Windows 10
- Select Start, type
Control Paneland press Enter. - Make sure View by is set to Category.
- Select System and Security > System.
- Select Advanced system settings to open the dialog.
- To change the PC name or domain, select Change on the Computer Name tab.
Method 2: Open System Properties with the Run command
- Press Windows key + R, or right-click Start and select Run.
- Type
control sysdm.cpland select OK. - To land on a set tab, add a tab number, for example
control sysdm.cpl,,3.
Tab numbers have shifted between Windows versions, so the tab-specific commands in the table further down are more reliable than the number.
Method 3: Open System Properties from Windows Search
- Select the search box on the taskbar, or press Windows key.
- Type
control sysdm.cpl. - Press Enter to run it.
You can also type SystemPropertiesAdvanced in the same box to open the Advanced tab.
Method 4: Open System Properties from the Settings app
- Select Start > Settings.
- Select System, then About.
- Select the Advanced system settings link on the About page.
- Or press Windows key + R, type
ms-settings:aboutand press Enter to jump straight to About.
The About page also shows Edition, Version and OS build, which is what many people actually wanted from System Properties.
Method 5: Open System Properties from File Explorer
- Open File Explorer.
- Click the address bar, type
%windir%\system32and press Enter. - Find
SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exein the folder. - Double-click it to open System Properties.
You can also open the System32 folder from Run and launch the same file there.
Method 6: Open System Properties from Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal
control sysdm.cplRuns the System Properties Control Panel module. In any of the three shells you can also type one of the tab commands, such as SystemPropertiesAdvanced or SystemPropertiesComputerName.
You should see: The System Properties window appears on top of the terminal.
Method 7: Create a desktop shortcut to System Properties
- Right-click an empty area of the desktop and select New > Shortcut.
- In the location box, type
%windir%\system32\SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe. - Select Next.
- Name it
System Propertiesand select Finish. - Double-click the new icon to open the dialog.
Method 8: Pin System Properties access to Start or the taskbar
- Create the desktop shortcut from Method 7.
- Right-click the shortcut and select Pin to Start.
- For the taskbar, open the shortcut once, then right-click its taskbar icon and select Pin to taskbar.
What “System Properties” means in Windows 11/10
System Properties is the classic tabbed dialog behind the System Control Panel item. Windows 11 keeps it, but the basic PC details moved to Settings > System > About.
| Name | What it is | How to open it |
|---|---|---|
| System Properties | Classic dialog with Computer Name, Advanced, System Protection and Remote tabs | control sysdm.cpl |
| About (Settings) | Device name, edition, version and OS build | ms-settings:about |
| System Information | Full hardware and software inventory | msinfo32 |
| About Windows | Version and build in a small box | winver |
What you can do in the classic System Properties dialog
Each tab has its own program, so you can open the exact page you need. These are the commands Microsoft lists for the System item.
| Tab or page | What you change there | Direct command |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Name | PC description, rename the PC, join a domain or workgroup | SystemPropertiesComputerName |
| Advanced | Performance, Environment Variables | SystemPropertiesAdvanced |
| Performance Options | Performance settings for the PC | SystemPropertiesPerformance |
| System Protection | Restore points and System Restore | SystemPropertiesProtection |
| Remote | Remote access settings | SystemPropertiesRemote |
To edit environment variables, open the Advanced tab and select Environment Variables….
Why the old Control Panel System page may not open anymore
Use control sysdm.cpl or a SystemProperties command instead of hunting for the old System page. In Windows 11, Control Panel's System entry leads to Settings > System > About rather than the old summary page, so the classic dialog is reached through Advanced system settings or a direct command.
Confirm System Properties opened with admin rights
- Look for the tabs Computer Name, Advanced, System Protection and Remote across the top.
- Make a change, such as on the Remote tab, and select Apply.
- If you use a standard account, Windows asks for administrator credentials before the change is saved.
Troubleshooting: System Properties does not open
Control Panel System opens Settings instead of System Properties
Windows 11 routes the System item to the About page.
- On the About page, select Advanced system settings.
- Or run
control sysdm.cplfrom Run.
Open System Properties as administrator
Settings on the dialog need admin rights to save.
- Run
SystemPropertiesAdvancedor another tab command; these are .exe files that prompt for administrator credentials. - Enter an administrator password when the prompt appears.
The Run command does nothing or shows an error
The command was mistyped.
- Type
control sysdm.cplwith the space aftercontrol. - Try a tab command such as
SystemPropertiesComputerNameinstead.
Open advanced system properties from CMD
Opening sysdm.cpl lands on the default tab rather than Advanced.
- Open Command Prompt.
- Type
SystemPropertiesAdvancedand press Enter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open System Properties in Windows 11?
Press Windows key + R, type control sysdm.cpl and press Enter. You can also open Settings > System > About and select Advanced system settings, which opens the same classic dialog on the Advanced tab.
How do I open System Properties in Windows 10?
Open Control Panel, select System and Security > System, then select Advanced system settings. The Run command control sysdm.cpl works in Windows 10 as well and skips Control Panel entirely.
How do I open System Properties using Run?
Press Windows key + R, type control sysdm.cpl and select OK. For a specific tab, type SystemPropertiesAdvanced, SystemPropertiesComputerName, SystemPropertiesProtection or SystemPropertiesRemote instead.
How do I open advanced system properties?
Run SystemPropertiesAdvanced from the Run box, Windows Search or a terminal. It opens System Properties directly on the Advanced tab, where Performance and Environment Variables live.
What is the command to open System Properties?
The command is control sysdm.cpl. It works in Run, Command Prompt, PowerShell and Windows Terminal. Each tab also has its own command, such as SystemPropertiesRemote for remote access settings.
How do I open environment variables from System Properties?
Open System Properties, go to the Advanced tab and select Environment Variables. You can edit both user and system variables there, and Windows saves them so they persist after a restart.
How do I open System Properties as admin?
Run one of the SystemProperties .exe commands, such as SystemPropertiesAdvanced. Windows asks a standard user for administrator credentials when a change needs them, so you do not need to start it elevated first.
How do I access system properties for my PC's version?
For version details, open Settings > System > About, or type winver in Run. Both show the edition, version and OS build without opening the classic System Properties dialog.
