With Windows 11, the Settings app has been completely overhauled. The new Settings app looks impressive and makes it a lot easier to navigate and access settings and options.
Because the Settings app in Windows 11 is a new one, it’s not as responsive as the one in Windows 10. At times, it does take a second or two to open. Sometimes, it does not work at all.
Many users who upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 have asked us if it is possible to reinstall the Settings app like other apps.
Can I reinstall the Settings app in Windows 11?
Unfortunately, Windows 11 does not offer a direct way to reinstall the Settings app. This means that you cannot uninstall the Settings app like any other app from Settings or PowerShell.
However, there are workarounds for that. Since Windows 11 allows users to reset and re-register the Settings app, we can use these features to reinstall the Settings app if it’s not working.
Re-register to reinstall the Settings app in Windows 11
IMPORTANT: Please close the Settings app if its running. Running the below command when the Settings app is open will throw errors.
Step 1: Open the Windows PowerShell as an administrator. To do that, type PowerShell in the search, right-click on the Windows PowerShell entry and then click the Run as administrator option.
Please click on the Yes button when you see the User Account Control on the screen.
Step 2: At the elevated PowerShell, copy and paste the following command:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name windows.immersivecontrolpanel | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode –Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose}
Step 3: Press the Enter key to re-register the Settings app.
Once the process is done, you may close the PowerShell window and try opening the Settings app.
Reset to reinstall the Settings app in Windows 11
As per the information on the Settings app, resetting an app will automatically reinstall it. So, we can use this feature to reinstall the Settings app. Here is how:
Step 1: Open the Start menu. Type “settings” in the Start menu search to see the Settings app entry in the results.
Step 2: Perform a right-click on the Settings app’s entry and then click the App settings option to open the advanced settings page of the Settings app.
Step 3: Scroll down the page to see the Reset section. Here, click on the Reset button.
When you are asked for confirmation, click the Reset button again to reset the Settings app, which also reinstalls the Settings app.
Please note that the Settings will be automatically closed to reset it. You might not see any indication on the screen after the reset process is completed. So, wait for ten to fifteen seconds before opening the Settings app again.
