Control Panel - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane

How to Add or Remove Control Panel from Navigation Pane in Windows 7​

   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.

EXAMPLE: Control Panel in Navigation Pane
NOTE: This is the Control Panel added (default) (left screenshot below) and removed (right screenshot below) from the Navigation Pane when you have the Show all folders option checked or not checked.





Here's How:
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 (if there), and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is to not have the Control Panel 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.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add or Remove the "Libraries" Folder from the Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Favorites" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Computer" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Homegroup" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Network" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove your "User Folder" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove the "Recycle Bin" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Show or Not Show All Folders in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Turn On or Off Expand to Current Folder in Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Pin the Control Panel to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Turn the Navigation Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Change the Default Icons in the Windows 7 Control Panel
• How to Change the Default Control Panel Icon in Windows 7
• How to Rename "Control Panel" in the Windows 7 Explorer Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Control Panel" from Desktop Context Menu
• How to Enable or Disable the Control Panel in Vista and Windows 7

 

[claytoncarney]

Fantastic, thank you sir! I found that CLSID, but had no clue what attribute value to use. This once was a Folder Options -> View setting.

 

[Brink]

You're wecome Clayton.

 

[Qibbler]

Found this tutorial just now. Another way in Windows 7 x64 at least:-
Open Start > Control Panel > Personalization. If Menus not showing, hit Alt key.
On Tools menu, click Folder Options. In the General Tab 'Navigation pane' section, untick "Show all folders". Click OK. To change back, tick "Show all folders". No scary regedit.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/853-navigation-pane-show-all-folders.html

 

[coucou]

Hello,

I've tested this tweak today. it's half working for me

Control panel is hiden but All Control Panel Items is NOT (see here bellow image)

Regards

 

[Brink]

Hello Coucou, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Did you add "All Control Panel Items" and the items under it in that group to your "Computer" window using some other method previously? I do not have those there by default, but only the normal Control Panel that is removed using the tutorial.

 

[coucou]

TNX Brink for replying,

I did NOT add "All Control Panel Items" and the items under it to my "Computer".

Here how it looks like after applying Remove Control Panel

Regards

 

[Brink]

Just out of curiosity, what does your Computer window look like?

Did you install any all-in-one type tweaking program that may have had an option to add these items?

Just trying to determine how they got there for you.

 

[coucou]

In fact, during my unattended installation I'm launching my here bellow tweeks registery. I checked for control panel into it... nada

 

[Brink]

Yep, that's what it was. The entry below in your REG file is what added it. The CLSID key {21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} in it is for the "All Control Panel Items". The MyComputer key indicates the CLSID being placed in the Computer window.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\[B]MyComputer[/B]\NameSpace\[B]{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}[/B]

The REG file below will remove it for you.

 

[coucou]

Well though

Thank you

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[coucou]

Hi Brink,

Sorry for bothering you again.

I've added that registry to my tweaks registery file MyTweaks.bat (launching MyTweaks.reg). When MyTweaks.bat file is launched by Autounattend.xml (SynchronousCommand).

I noticed that ControlPanel registry is not applied.
1) Is there a command "Run as Administrator" (.bat or .cmd) to force that registry to be applied?

2) As other few registries are not applied too, allthoug they were tested working.
Do you think if I launch that MyTweaks.bat file as RunOnce/RunOnceEx all the registries will be applied?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\MyTweaks]
"MyTweaks"="c:\Windows\Setup\scripts\MyTweaks.bat"

Regards

 

[JDobbsy1987]

Hi Brink,

Sorry for bothering you again.

I've added that registry to my tweaks registery file MyTweaks.bat (launching MyTweaks.reg). When MyTweaks.bat file is launched by Autounattend.xml (SynchronousCommand).

I noticed that ControlPanel registry is not applied.
1) Is there a command "Run as Administrator" (.bat or .cmd) to force that registry to be applied?

2) As other few registries are not applied too, allthoug they were tested working.
Do you think if I launch that MyTweaks.bat file as RunOnce/RunOnceEx all the registries will be applied?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\MyTweaks]
"MyTweaks"="c:\Windows\Setup\scripts\MyTweaks.bat"

Regards

Does it help if you run the bat file from an elevated command prompt?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3718-elevated-command-prompt-shortcut.html

Regards,
JDobbsy1987

 

[Brink]

Hi Brink,

Sorry for bothering you again.

I've added that registry to my tweaks registery file MyTweaks.bat (launching MyTweaks.reg). When MyTweaks.bat file is launched by Autounattend.xml (SynchronousCommand).

I noticed that ControlPanel registry is not applied.
1) Is there a command "Run as Administrator" (.bat or .cmd) to force that registry to be applied?

2) As other few registries are not applied too, allthoug they were tested working.
Do you think if I launch that MyTweaks.bat file as RunOnce/RunOnceEx all the registries will be applied?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx\MyTweaks]
"MyTweaks"="c:\Windows\Setup\scripts\MyTweaks.bat"

Regards

Coucou,

You would just need to remove that one line below from your MyTweaks.reg file. If you like, reupload it, and I'll remove it for you, then upload the modified version back for you.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}]

 

[coucou]

TNX JDobbsy1987 and Brink for yr reply.
Maybe I didn't express my self clearly.
Here bellow MyTweaks.bat. What to add/modify to make it elevated runnig

@ECHO OFF
ECHO.
REGEDIT /S "%systemroot%\Setup\Scripts\MyTweaks.reg"
EXIT

The following reg is not concerned

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}]

Here 2 regs among others to be Run as Admin

; Remove Control Panel from the Windows 7 Explorer Navigation Panel
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:a0900004
;--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Remove Favorites from the Windows 7 Explorer Navigation Panel
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:a9400100

Regards

 

[Brink]

Coucou,

You should go ahead and post this issue with getting the BAT file to run elevated automatically in a new thread since it's no longer on topic with the tutorial. This way you will be able to get more help with it there.

 

[coucou]

Hi Brink,

I posted a new thread HERE. I got a success runing MyTweaks.reg elevated, but still the following registries are NOT applied.

; Remove Control Panel from the Windows 7 Explorer Navigation Panel
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:a0900004
;--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Remove Favorites from the Windows 7 Explorer Navigation Panel
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:a9400100

On reflection, I noticed that the problem is NOT (or not only) run elevate. It's the Permissions for Administrators group Full Control box not cheked Allow (step 5).
Is there any how to do that automatically?

Regards

 

[coucou]

Finalyy I got it

I've downloaded SetAcl HERE

I got success with the bellow cmd

setacl.cmd

setacl.exe -on "HKCR\CLSID\{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}" -ot reg -rec yes -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrateurs" 
setacl.exe -on "HKCR\CLSID\{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}" -ot reg -rec yes -actn ace -ace "n:Administrateurs;p:full" 
 
setacl.exe -on "HKCR\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}" -ot reg -rec yes -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrateurs" 
setacl.exe -on "HKCR\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}" -ot reg -rec yes -actn ace -ace "n:Administrateurs;p:full"

As my system is french i had to type "Administrateurs" instead of "Administrators"

Regards

 

[Brink]

That's great news Coucou. Those pesky language differences struck again.