Launch the Windows Settings app

• 03/20/2018
• 5 minutes to read

Important APIs

• LaunchUriAsync
• PreferredApplicationPackageFamilyName
• DesiredRemainingView

Learn how to launch the Windows Settings app. This topic describes the ms-settings: URI scheme. Use this URI scheme to launch the Windows Settings app to specific settings pages.

Launching to the Settings app is an important part of writing a privacy-aware app. If your app can’t access a sensitive resource, we recommend providing the user a convenient link to the privacy settings for that resource. For more info, see Guidelines for privacy-aware apps.

How to launch the Settings app

To launch the Settings app, use the ms-settings: URI scheme as shown in the following examples.

In this example, a Hyperlink XAML control is used to launch the privacy settings page for the microphone using the ms-settings:privacy-microphoneURI.

<!--Set Visibility to Visible when access to the microphone is denied -->
<TextBlock x:Name="LocationDisabledMessage" FontStyle="Italic"
                 Visibility="Collapsed" Margin="0,15,0,0" TextWrapping="Wrap" >
          <Run Text="This app is not able to access the microphone. Go to " />
              <Hyperlink NavigateUri="ms-settings:privacy-microphone">
                  <Run Text="Settings" />
              </Hyperlink>
          <Run Text=" to check the microphone privacy settings."/>
</TextBlock>

Alternatively, your app can call the LaunchUriAsync method to launch the Settings app. This example shows how to launch to the privacy settings page for the camera using the ms-settings:privacy-webcam URI.

bool result = await Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchUriAsync(new Uri("ms-settings:privacy-webcam"));

The code above launches the privacy settings page for the camera:

For more info about launching URIs, see Launch the default app for a URI.

ms-settings: URI scheme reference

Use the following URIs to open various pages of the Settings app.

Note that whether a settings page is available varies by Windows SKU. Not all settings page available on Windows 10 for desktop are available on Windows 10 Mobile, and vice-versa. The notes column also captures additional requirements that must be met for a page to be available.

Accounts

Apps

Cortana

Devices

Ease of Access

Extras

Gaming

Home page

Network, wireless & internet

Personalization

Privacy

Surface Hub

System

Time and language

Update & security

Developers

User Accounts