(Guide/Review) Manage Windows 10 Settings with ControlUWP

[Karlston]

Manage Windows 10 Settings with ControlUWP

ControlUWP is a new program for Microsoft Windows devices to manage and control various Windows 10 settings. The application is developed by Builtbybel, known for the Windows 10 app manager Bloatbox, the privacy and security tool Privatezilla (formerly known as Spydish), and the anti-telemetry tool SharpApp (which replaced the equally popular Debotnet).

 

ControlUWP looks and feels very similar to the developer's other applications. It uses the same underlying technology powered by PowerShell scripts to provide its functionality.

 

Interested users may download the latest version of the program from the GitHub project website. Once downloaded and extracted, it needs to be started with elevated rights.

 

 

The interface uses the typical three-column layout that is used in other Builtbybel programs as well.

 

Main categories are displayed on the left, the items that belong to the selected category in the middle, and on the right descriptions and options to enable or disable the selected middle-column item.

 

Some items are marked with URI in the interface; these redirect you to settings pages and applications that are native to the Windows operating system. The remaining items are powered by PowerShell scripts and make modifications, e.g. to the Windows Registry, when applied.

 

 

Just activate the apply button in the interface to modify a setting. The program highlights the script and therefore the changes that it will make when apply is selected in the interface. It boils down to editing one or multiple Registry keys usually.

 

Here is a rough overview of the tweaks that ControlUWP supports in the current version:

• Disable application access to various features, e.g. location, documents, or the call history.
• Run debloat operations to remove apps and other things.
• Disable Edge features such as syncing of data, running in the background, or the autofilling of credit card information.
• Disable Game Bar features.
• Install software using Ninite or Chocolatey.
• Run the Windows 10 ISO Downloader.
• Backup Spotlight images to the desktop.
• Change lots of privacy related settings, including some for third-party tools such as Google Update service, CCleaner Monitoring, or Microsoft Office telemetry.
• Disable or uninstall Cortana, and disable Bing in Windows Search.
• Clean-up temporary data in Windows 10.
• Disable Optional Features, Services, Tasks.
• Disable or optimize Windows Updates.

These are just some of the included options of ControlUWP 0.11.

Closing Words

ControlUWP is a useful program for Windows system administrators who want to make changes to the system quickly. The inclusion of links to system settings pages is useful, but some users might prefer a hide option for these to make the program more accessible. The early version lacks options such as a search to find a tweak quickly. It is an early version on the other hand, and if the developer's other applications are anything to go by, it will surely be updated regularly with new features and options.

 

 

Manage Windows 10 Settings with ControlUWP

 

[Author's Software Updates post... ControlUWP (Windows 10 Settings app) ]