Following evidence that Microsoft was killing off the venerable Control Panel, it appears the company may be having a change of heart.

The Control Panel has been a feature of Windows since its earliest days, providing a central place for users to configure their system, set up peripherals, and administer their computer. In recent years, there has been overlap with the new Settings app, and Microsoft updated a support document several days ago to indicate the Control Panel’s days were coming to an end.

The Control Panel is a feature that’s been part of Windows for a long time. It provides a centralized location to view and manipulate system settings and controls. Through a series of applets, you can adjust various options ranging from system time and date to hardware settings, network configurations, and more. The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated in favor of the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience.

Tip: while the Control Panel still exists for compatibility reasons and to provide access to some settings that have not yet migrated, you’re encouraged to use the Settings app, whenever possible.

Microsoft has since updated the support article once more, making a significant change to the wording about Control Panel’s future.

The Control Panel is a feature that’s been part of Windows for a long time. It provides a centralized location to view and manipulate system settings and controls. Through a series of applets, you can adjust various options ranging from system time and date to hardware settings, network configurations, and more. Many of the settings in Control Panel are in the process of being migrated to the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience.

Tip: while the Control Panel still exists for compatibility reasons and to provide access to some settings that have not yet migrated, you’re encouraged to use the Settings app, whenever possible.

The new verbiage leaves Control Panel’s future far more open than it originally did. At this point it’s unclear if Control Panel will still face deprecation at some point in the future, or if the Settings app and Control Panel will coexist. If they do, it’s possible the former could be a streamlined, easy-to-use configuration tool, with the Control Panel providing more in-depth features for advanced users.

Ultimately, only time will tell if Control Panel continues to be a core part of Windows.