How to hide or unhide the Control Panel icons?

The Control Panel is a special folder that contains the tools (system software) used to configure the hardware and software.  For example, you can customize the mouse, keyboard, printer, add or remove hardware or program and also set the appearance of desktop using color schemes, screen savers etc. All tools in the control panel are saved with CPL extension. You can find all CPL files inside C:\Windows\System32 folder with searching *.cpl extension.

Therefore, you can make your computer more secure to hide some important tools of control panel, because you can prevent other users to make any changes in your computer using the Control Panel tools.

 

Perform the following steps to hide the control panel tools: 

• To edit this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.
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• First click on Start button to open "Run" and type "regedit" then press Ok button to open the Registry Editor.

 

In registry editor locate the given path: 

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\don't load

First right click in the right side of the registry editor panel and create the new DWORD value then rename this key exactly as the same name you want it to be hidden.

• For example, if you want to hide the Add/Remove Programs Option then name the String Value appwiz.cpl .
• Double click on new DWORD value and set its value No under "Value data" section.

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• Close the Registry editor and restart your computer for changes to apply. 
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• But next time, if you want to restore the "Add/Remove Programs" option, then just type Yes instead of NO in Value Data dialog. 

 

 

For others control panel icons name list are as under:

Name of file                            Control Panel Icons

    access.cpl                               Accessibility Option
    appwiz.cpl                               Add/Remove Programs
    console.cpl                             Console Option
    timedate.cpl                            Date and Time Option
    desk.cpl                                   Display Option
    fax.cpl                                       Fax Option
    hdwwiz.cpl                               Hardware Wizard Option
    irprops.cpl                               Infrared Port Option
    intl.cpl                                      International and Regional Option
    inetcpl.cpl                                Internet Settings Option
    joy.cpl                                      Joystick Option
    main.cpl                                  Mouse and Keyboard Option
    mlcfg32.cpl                             Mail Option
    mmsys.cpl                              Sound and Multimedia Option
    modem.cpl                              Modem and Phone Option
    ncpa.cpl                                   Network and connectivity Option
    netcpl.cpl                                Network and Dial-up Connectivity Option
    nwc.cpl                                    Netware Client Option
    odbccp32.cpl                          ODBC Option
    ports.cpl                                  Ports Option
    powercfg.cpl                           Power Management Option
    sitcpl.cpl                                  Scanner and Camera Option
    sapi.cpl                                    Speech Properties Option
    sysdm.cpl                                System Option
    telephon.cpl                            Telephony Option
    tweakui.cpl                              TweakUI Option
    nusrmgr.cpl                            User Manager Option
    wspcpl32.cpl                           WSP Client Option

    quicktime.cpl                          QuickTime Option
    S32LUCP1.cpl                        Norton Live Update Option
    cpqmgmt.cpl                           Compaq Insight Agents Option