控制面板是(Control Panel)Windows 7中最常用的功能之一，它仍然是Windows 8.1甚至Windows 10中的关键工具。这是有充分理由的：它包括许多有用的工具和配置项。尽管随着时间的推移，控制面板(Control Panel)已经获得了许多可用性改进，但仍然有不少人喜欢旧Windows XP中使用的“非常经典”的(Windows XP)控制面板(Control Panel)项目查看方式。如果您是这个传统用户公会的一员，以下是在Windows 10中可用的不同(Windows 10)控制面板(Control Panel)视图之间切换的所有方法、Windows 7 和 Windows 8.1：
Windows XP 与 Windows(Windows XP versus Windows 7) 7、8.1 和 10中的控制面板(Control Panel)
在Windows XP中，(Windows XP)控制面板(Control Panel)的经典视图显示配置项的广泛列表。因为不存在搜索(Search) 功能(feature present)，所以找到自己的方式意味着大量的猜测和点击。
Windows XP中的类别视图(Category View)也好不到哪里去。缺少搜索(Search)功能又是一个问题。涉及的点击太多了。
Windows 7 以及更高版本的Windows 8.1和Windows 10提供了更好的控制面板(Control Panel)。首先，改进了分类视图(Category View)。对于每组项目，您可以看到几个子项目，其中包含用户执行的最常见任务。
单击/点击一个类别会打开一个子类别列表和其他常用任务的快捷方式。
Windows 8.1 和Windows 10提供了一个类似于Windows 7中的(Windows 7)控制面板(Control Panel)，但有一些小的改进，使使用它的体验更好一些。下面，您可以看到它在Windows 8.1中的外观：
在 Windows 10 中：
如果您注意顶部工具栏，您会注意到添加了向上(Up)按钮，这使得导航控制面板(Control Panel)更加容易。
然后，在Windows 7、 Windows 8.1 和Windows 10中，右上角有搜索框。(Search box)开始(Start)输入，控制面板(Control Panel)会自动显示相关的快捷方式。
搜索(Search)极大地加快了通过所有任务、工具和配置选项寻找方式的过程。
如何从Windows(Windows 7) 7、8.1 和 10切换到控制面板(Control Panel)中的经典Windows XP 视图(Windows XP view)
尽管Windows 7、Windows 8.1 和Windows 10中包含的控制面板(Control Panel)要好得多，但许多用户仍然习惯于Windows XP中的经典(Windows XP)列表视图(list view)，他们希望它回来。
对他们来说幸运的是，所有现代版本的Windows都提供了相同的快速方法来以这种方式查看控制面板(Control Panel)项目。
无论(Regardless)您使用的是 Windows 7、Windows 8.1 还是Windows 10 ，在(Windows 10)控制面板(Control Panel)的右侧，都有一个“查看方式”("View by")下拉列表，其中包含多个可供选择的值。单击(Click)或点击它附近的箭头，然后选择您希望如何查看控制面板(Control Panel)。类别(Category)是所有现代版本的Windows中的(Windows)默认视图(default view)。
选择“大图标”("Large icons")或“小图标”("Small icons")相当于Windows XP中的经典列表项视图(list item view)。“大图标”("Large icons")将为控制面板(Control Panel)中的所有元素使用较大的图标。
“小图标”("Small icons")将为所有项目使用较小的图标。使用小图标时，您必须少滚动才能浏览所有内容。
在经典列表项视图(list item view)和默认类别视图(default category view)之间切换的另一种方法是打开控制面板(Control Panel)并按键盘上的ALT键。这将打开一个隐藏菜单：在其中打开"View -> Go To"并选择“所有控制面板项目”。("All Control Panel Items.")
控制面板(Control Panel)现在使用经典的Windows XP 列表(Windows XP list) 项视图(item view)，无论您使用的是 Windows 7、Windows 8.1 还是 Windows 10。最后但并非最不重要的一点是，您在顶部有向下箭头，靠近(Down)后退(Back)和前进(Forward)按钮。按下它会显示您最近访问的位置。
如果您最近在视图之间切换，您可以使用它来快速访问所有控制面板项目(All Control Panel Items)并返回到Windows XP中使用的经典列表项目视图(list item view)。
结论
就个人而言，我们不再喜欢Windows XP。我们认为它非常过时、不安全，并且比 Windows 7 或Windows 8.1更不友好，更不用说Windows 10了。即使较新版本的Windows 尝试(Windows try)用更现代的应用程序（如Windows 8.1 中的PC 设置(PC Settings)或(Settings)Windows 10中的设置）替换控制面板(Control Panel)，一些用户仍然更喜欢控制面板(Control Panel)，并且仍然希望坚持旧的做事方式。希望他们会发现本指南很有用。
The Control Panel in Windows - How to switch to the Classic Windows XP view
The Control Panel is one the most used features in Windows 7, and it's still a critical tool in Windows 8.1 and even in Windows 10. And that's for a very good reason: it includes many useful tools and configuration items. Although over time, the Control Panel has received many usability improvements, there are still quite a few people who love the "very classic" way of viewing Control Panel items that were used in the old Windows XP. If you are part of this guild of traditional users, here are all the ways to switch between the different Control Panel views available in Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1:
The Control Panel in Windows XP versus Windows 7, 8.1 and 10
In Windows XP, the classic view of the Control Panel displays an extensive list of configuration items. Because there's no Search feature present, finding your way means a lot of guessing and clicking around.
The Category View in Windows XP isn't a lot better either. The lack of a Search function is again a problem. There's simply too much clicking involved.
Windows 7 and, later on, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 have delivered a better Control Panel. First of all, the Category View is improved. For each group of items, you can see several subitems with the most common tasks performed by users.
Clicking/tapping on a category opens a list of subcategories and shortcuts to other commonly performed tasks.
Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 deliver a Control Panel that's similar to the one in Windows 7, but with a few minor improvements that make the experience of using it a bit better. Below, you can see how it looks in Windows 8.1:
And in Windows 10:
If you pay attention to the top toolbar, you will notice the addition of the Up button, which makes it easier to navigate the Control Panel.
Then, in Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, you have the Search box on the top right. Start typing in it, and the Control Panel automatically displays the relevant shortcuts.
Search tremendously speeds up the process of finding your way through all the tasks, tools and configuration options.
How to switch to the classic Windows XP view in the Control Panel from Windows 7, 8.1 and 10
Even though the Control Panel included in Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 is much better, many users are still used to the classic list view from Windows XP, and they want it back.
Fortunately for them, all modern versions of Windows provide the same quick methods for viewing Control Panel items that way.
Regardless of whether you use Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, on the right side of the Control Panel, there is a "View by" drop-down list with several values available for selection. Click or tap the arrow near it and select how you want to see the Control Panel. Category is the default view in all modern versions of Windows.
Selecting "Large icons" or "Small icons" is the equivalent of the classic list item view from Windows XP. "Large icons" will use larger icons for all the elements in the Control Panel.
"Small icons" will use smaller icons for all the items. When using small icons, you have to scroll less to browse through everything.
An alternative method for switching between the classic list item view and the default category view is to open the Control Panel and press the ALT key on your keyboard. This opens a hidden menu: in it, open "View -> Go To" and select "All Control Panel Items."
The classic Windows XP list item view is now used by the Control Panel, regardless of whether you use Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. Last but not least, you have the Down arrow on the top, near the Back and Forward buttons. Pressing it reveals the recent locations you accessed.
If you recently switched between views, you can use it to quickly access All Control Panel Items and get back to the classic list item view employed in Windows XP.
Conclusion
Personally, we no longer like Windows XP. We consider it extremely dated, insecure and a lot less friendly to use than Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, not to speak of Windows 10. Even though the newer versions of Windows try to replace the Control Panel with more modern apps like PC Settings in Windows 8.1 or Settings in Windows 10, some users still like Control Panel better and still want to stick to the old ways of doing things. Hopefully, they will find this guide useful.
