Can't fix Control Panel default view: small icons

swarfega · 24 Jun 2020

I start control panel by begin to start typing 'control' in the search box and it appears.

AddRAM · 24 Jun 2020

GerryPeters said:

I can access Control Panel easier as a Desktop Icon than the Start button

Than why not pin it to the Taskbar, even easier to get to

dalchina · 24 Jun 2020

swarfega said:

I start control panel by begin to start typing 'control' in the search box and it appears.

Is that specifically as small icons?

AddRAM · 24 Jun 2020

dalchina said:

Is that specifically as small icons?

It`s whatever you set it to.

Personally, I don`t see why anyone would set it to small icons with all that room on the screen

swarfega · 24 Jun 2020

dalchina said:

Is that specifically as small icons?

Yea as AddRAM says, typing control panel in search will come up with whatever you set the icon size to.

RickC · 24 Jun 2020

I use the following 2 REG files to toggle 'Small icons/Category' view:

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Personalisation - Control Panel - Small icons view - Turn ON

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel]
"AllItemsIconView"=dword:00000001
"StartupPage"=dword:00000001

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Personalisation - Control Panel - Category view - Turn ON (default)

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel]
"AllItemsIconView"=dword:00000001
"StartupPage"=dword:00000000

The only difference appears to be the DWORD value for 'StartupPage'.

Hope this helps...

Pepsiminus · 29 Apr 2022

RickC said:

I use the following 2 REG files to toggle 'Small icons/Category' view:

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Personalisation - Control Panel - Small icons view - Turn ON

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel]
"AllItemsIconView"=dword:00000001
"StartupPage"=dword:00000001

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Personalisation - Control Panel - Category view - Turn ON (default)

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel]
"AllItemsIconView"=dword:00000001
"StartupPage"=dword:00000000

The only difference appears to be the DWORD value for 'StartupPage'.
Hope this helps...

And where does this reg. files have to be saved to?

P.s. I only want the category view.

RickC · 30 Apr 2022

Pepsiminus said:

And where does this reg. files have to be saved to?

P.s. I only want the category view.

Save just the second REG file [i.e. Personalisation - Control Panel - Category view - Turn ON (default)] anywhere you want, it's not important. Double-click on the saved REG file to merge it into the registry.

The DWORD value for the StartupPage entry is what controls the view. A value of 0 means 'Category' view.

Hope this helps...