How to Create a "Programs and Features" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8

   Information
This will show you how to create or download a Programs and Features shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8.


EXAMPLE: Programs and Features
Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-programs_features.jpg



OPTION ONE

To Download a "Programs and Features" Shortcut


1. Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below.
Programs_and_Features.zip
2. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

3. Open the downloaded .zip file and extract the Programs and Features shortcut to the desktop.

4. Unblock the Programs and Features shortcut. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not have an Unblock button under the General tab, then the shortcut is already unblocked and you can continue on to step 5.
Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-unblock.jpg
5. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

6. In Windows 8, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like, or save it to use again.





OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a "Programs and Features" Shortcut


1. Right click on a empty area on desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut. (See screenshot below)
Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-right_click.jpg
2. Typea command below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl

OR

%WinDir%\System32\appwiz.cpl
Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-step1.jpg
3. Type Programs and Features for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.
Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-step2.jpg
4. Right click on the new Programs and Features shortcut on the Desktop and click on Properties.

5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab. To the right of Run, click/tap on the drop down menu and select Minimized, and click/tap on Apply. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This is so the command window will not be seen flashing quickly open and closed when you use the Windows Update shortcut.
Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-p-f1.jpg
6. Click/tap on the Change Icon button. (See screenshot above)

7. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the path below, and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll

Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-change_icon.jpg
8. Select the Programs and Features icon, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot above)

9. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)
Programs and Features - Create Shortcut-p-f2.jpg
10. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

11. In Windows 8, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn