6
7
In other windows 10 installations I could see a control panel button when right-clicking on the start menu.
In my current one what I see is this:
How do I go about adding a control panel button to this menu using only the standard Windows options?
Git Gud
Posted 2017-06-17T19:04:22.187
Reputation: 207
7
This is what I do:
This usually does the trick.
$path = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\Group2"
$x = "UEsDBBQAAAAIAEphSkmJ5YBS0QAAAPcDAAARAAAAQ29udHJvbCBQYW5lbC5sbmvzYWBgYBRhYgCBA2CSwa2B
mQEiQAAwovEnAzEnA8MCXSBtGBwQ/Kgrwm2Pj4Xz7j/Ck9Vm5J4ThCkURtIEUxyq4TO/cr6l94oLD6/oPrz6GaRYCK
aYEU1xtW7v74sTTPz2J+St4ZykvR+kmAmm+Og13laY6SLMYM0LVMsz81Iyi1RjiiuLS1JzjY1ikvPzSoryc/RSK1KJ
8eswAKoM5QyZDHkMKUCyCMiLYShmqATiEoZUhlwGYwYjoEgyQz5QRQlQPp8hh0EPKFPBMFLCZyQBAFBLAQIUABQAAA
AIAEphSkmJ5YBS0QAAAPcDAAARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABDb250cm9sIFBhbmVsLmxua1BLBQYAAAAAAQABAD8A
AAAAAQAAAAA=".replace("`n","")
[Convert]::FromBase64String($x) | Set-Content $path\temp.zip -Encoding Byte
Expand-Archive $path\temp.zip -DestinationPath $path
Remove-Item $path\temp.zip
Stop-Process -Name Explorer
The gibberish in the $x variable is the base64 encode shortcut file to the Control Panel, which this script writes to the appropriate folder, after which it restarts the Windows Explorer process.
Another advantage of this method, is that I can use this script in automated box building process, etc, that is it does not have to be run interactively.
Andrew Savinykh
Posted 2017-06-17T19:04:22.187
Reputation: 1 521
The main improvement that I can see for this is to create the shortcut with powershell instead of using a (potentially untrusted and malicious) ZIP file... See here
– Gert van den Berg – 2018-08-06T10:49:58.0932@GertvandenBerg, sure, please do not hesitate to post your answer, once you've got it working. Thanks! – Andrew Savinykh – 2018-08-06T10:52:44.637
3
Steps:
Copy paste the following in the address bar:
%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\WinX
By default, there are three groups (folders) there viz Group1, Group2, and Group3. By default, shortcut of Control Panel resides in Group2. So you need to paste a shortcut of Control Panel there.
Restart your computer.
Sardar_Usama
Posted 2017-06-17T19:04:22.187
Reputation: 1 673
2
It looks like you got the update to the Creators Update of Windows 10 v1703 - Build 15063 (run winver.exe to verify this).
You should use the Win+X Menu Editor to edit the entries and add control panel back.
magicandre1981
Posted 2017-06-17T19:04:22.187
Reputation: 86 560
0
Starting with Andrew's answer, I had to add -Force to the line 3rd from the bottom. So it looks like this:
Expand-Archive $path\temp.zip -Force -DestinationPath $path
Control Panel has been restored.
Shaun Wolvin
Posted 2017-06-17T19:04:22.187
Reputation: 1
-1
using the keyboard shortcut Win+R and typing Control Panel does bring up the windows 7 control panel
Tim
Posted 2017-06-17T19:04:22.187
Reputation: 1
"control" (for control.exe) is quicker... – Gert van den Berg – 2018-08-06T10:44:15.737
-1 because it doesn't answer the question. Yes its a work-around, but in terms of accomplishing the task, requires 3 times the action and two hands (o) and (n) are on the right half of the qwerty keyboard meaning taking hand off the mouse, to type normally, then putting back on the mouse to select the wanted applet within the control panel. – TG2 – 2020-01-06T17:13:50.950
-3
How about if you use
Win+I
Doesn't that take you to an equivalent menu you want to use?
Also if you hit
Win+R
and type in
control panel
If you also have autocomplete on, then you should be able to get to the control panel by just pressing 4 buttons on the keyboard. That's how I work too
Genesis_GDK
Posted 2017-06-17T19:04:22.187
Reputation: 180
1Win+I opens settings, not control panel. – LPChip – 2017-06-18T09:10:49.087
It was removed since the Creators update. There is software available to edit the right-click menu to add it back yourself. – LPChip – 2017-06-17T19:22:13.723
@LPChip That's good enough for an answer if you ask me. Ideally you'd give an official reference to the removal of the button, but it's up to you. – Git Gud – 2017-06-17T19:42:09.130
This has been asked before here on SuperUser, but a quick search didn't gave me that post. – LPChip – 2017-06-17T19:45:48.743
Maybe I found it on another website now that I think of it. Anyway here's a link on how to use the registry to get it back. I don't have time to write an answer currently.: http://www.pcworld.com/article/3196807/windows/what-to-do-if-windows-10-control-panel-disappears-from-the-winx-power-user-menu.html
– LPChip – 2017-06-17T19:51:26.343@LPChip I'm OK with "it can't be done", to be honest. I edited my question to make this a correct answer. It can always be done, even if one has to build an app specifically for this purpose, but I was looking for a more simple answer using only a few clicks. – Git Gud – 2017-06-17T20:09:30.827
https://www.isunshare.com/windows-10/7-ways-to-open-control-panel-in-windows-10.html – Moab – 2017-06-17T20:20:24.317
@New_computer_WTF-_- you misread what I wrote. It can be done. In fact I did it myself. I just don't have the time to write you an answer, so I linked you to a page that explains how to do it manually. I personally just used a program to edit it. – LPChip – 2017-06-17T20:35:01.800
@LPChip Perhaps I didn't make my self clear. I was saying that of course it can be done, even if one has to recode Windows from scratch. But I edited my question to look for solutions that take only a few clicks, no external software, etc. So, given the edit, it seems it can't be done. – Git Gud – 2017-06-17T20:53:11.003
You can edit the registry to get it back, see the link I posted earlier. Or... Get rid of the Creators update. – LPChip – 2017-06-17T21:40:33.403