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

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• 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

 

[Brink]

Open the Control Panel from the navigation pane, set it to be in icons view for how you like, then close it. Afterwards, test to see how it opens from the navigation pane again.

 

[HumbertoFreitas]

Continues with the same problem, here is Windows 7...

Just to be clear, the problem is not to open the control panel by starting or shortcuts on the desktop menu but when I click on the icon that I added in the Navigation Pane.

Note: I tested in two virtual machines while now (Win 7 and Win 8) and they are acting in the same way ... maybe that even if the shortcut in the navigation pane should work ... If you or someone you know as do I add so that I can open the panel in list form appreciate quite as much use the same.

Thanks for everything here.

 

[Brink]

No problem. When you expand open "Control Panel" in the navigation pane, you will see "All Control Panel Items" under it. Clicking on "All Control Panel Items" will always open with icons view.

 

[Zenicablues]

Registry for Win 8

Shawn, where is usual reg. key by You ?? This key not exist in my registry ! Not complete HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID !!! What to do ??? Help PLS !!! I found it in Windows 8 forum, and it works (with little bugs - not all files added ... ) but works: Link: Control Panel - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane

 

[Brink]

Hello Zenicablues,

The PinToNameSpaceTree string value is not there by default in Windows 7, and has to be added.