Windows 7 - Control Panel - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane

   Information

This will show you how to add or remove Control Panel in the Windows Explorer Navigation Pane in Windows 7.

   Warning

• You can only do this tutorial while logged into an administrator account.
• This will affect all user accounts on the computer.
• This will also add or remove the default Control Panel desktop icon as well.

1. Open the Start Menu and type regedit.exe in the search line, then press enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In Regedit, go to the location below: (See screenshot below step 4)

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\ShellFolder

4. In the left pane of regedit, right click on the ShellFolder key and click on Permissions. (See screenshot below)

5. At the top, select the Administrators group. At the bottom, check the Allow box to the right of Full Control and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

6. Do either step 7 or 8 to add or remove your user profile folder from the navigation pane.

7. To Add Control Panel to the Navigation Pane
NOTE: This is the default setting.

A) In the right pane of regedit, right click on Attributes, click on Modify, type in a0000004 and click on OK. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: This is to have the Control Panel display under Desktop when you have Show all folders checked.

B) In the right pane of ShellFolder, right click on a empty space, click on New and String Value, copy and paste the name below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is to have Control Panel display as a separate group in the navigation pane when you do not have Show all folders checked.

PinToNameSpaceTree

C) Go to step 9.

8. To Remove Control Panel from the Navigation Pane

A) In the right pane of regedit, right click on Attributes, click on Modify, type in a0900004 and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is to not have the Control Panel display under Desktop when you have Show all folders checked.

B) In the right pane of ShellFolder, right click on PinToNameSpaceTree, and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is to not have the Control display as a separate group in the navigation pane when you do not have Show all folders checked.

C) Click on Yes to confirm deletion. (see screenshot below)

D) Continue on to step 9.

9. If you have 64-bit Windows 7 Installed

   Note

To also add or remove Control Panel from the "Open" and "Save as" type windows as well in 64-bit Windows 7, you will also need to do this step.

If you have a 32-bit Windows 7 installed, then skip this step since doing steps 1 to 7/8 will add or remove Control Panel from the "Open" and "Save as" type windows as well.

A) In Regedit, go to the location below:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\ShellFolder

B) Repeat steps 4 to 7/8 above.

10. Close regedit.

11. Restart the computer to fully apply.