How to add or remove Control Panel from Navigation Pane on Windows 7

Windows provides a range of tools on the Control Panel so users can easily customize most settings. But suppose for some reason you want to remove the Control Panel from the Navigation Pane, for example, so other users can't access and set up some custom settings on your computer. In the following article, Network Administrator will show you how to remove or add Control Panel from Navigation Pane on Windows 7 .

Note:

1. You can only perform the steps when you log in to your Admin account.
2. This process will affect all user accounts on your computer.
3. This process will add or remove the Control Panle icon on the computer.

For example: Control Panel on Navigation Pane

The first example is to add Control Panel, the next example is to remove the Control Panel from the Navigation Pane.

Add or remove Control Panel from Navigation Pane on Windows 7

To add or remove the Control Panel from the Navigation Pane on Windows 7, follow the steps below:

1. Open Start Menu, then enter regedit.exe into the Search frame and press Enter to open the Registry Editor window.

2. If the UAC window appears, click Yes to continue.

3. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID {26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683} ShellFolder

4. Next in the left pane, right-click the ShellFolder key, then click Permissions .

5. Next in the top corner, select Administrators . Under Permissions for Administrators, select Allow for the Full Control option, then click OK .

6. Follow step 7 or step 8 to add or remove the user profile folder from the Navigation Pane.

7. Add Control Panle to the Navigation Pane

a, In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, right-click Attributes , then click Modify , enter a0000004 there and click OK .

Note : Do this to display the Control Panel under Desktop when you select Show all folders.

b, At the ShellFolder key, in the right pane, right-click any space, click New => String Value, then copy and paste the name below and press Enter :

PinToNameSpaceTree

c, Follow step 9.

8. Remove Control Panel on Navigation Pane

a, In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, right-click Attributes , then click Modify , enter a0900004 then click OK .

b, In the right pane of ShellFolder key, right-click PinToNameSpaceTree and then click Delete .

c, Click Yes to confirm deletion.

d, Follow next step 9.

9. If installing Windows 7 64-bit version

a, In the Registry Editor window you navigate to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeClassesCLSID {26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683} ShellFolder

b, Repeat steps 4 through 7/8 above.

10. Close the Registry Editor window.

11. Restart your computer to apply changes.

Refer to some of the following articles:

1. 6 ways to access Control Panel on Windows Server 2012

1. How is Control Panel and Settings menu on Windows 10 different?

1. How to add Control Panel to Power User Menu (Windows + X) on Windows 10

Good luck!