How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows  

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
    How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows

    How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows

    Published by Category: Customization
    14 Apr 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows


    The Color and Appearance applet allows you to change the color of your taskbar, window borders, and Start menu.

    Changing your color and appearance in Windows 10 is now done in Settings instead of the Control Panel.

    This tutorial will show you how to add the classic Color and Appearance applet to the Control Panel for all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove Color and Appearance in the Control Panel.

    It is required to have Start, taskbar, and action center turned on in Windows 10 for this Color and Appearance Control Panel applet to change their color.

    It is required to have Title bars and window borders turned on in Windows 10 for this Color and Appearance Control Panel applet to change their color.


    EXAMPLE: Color and Appearance in Control Panel (icons view) and Control Panel (category view)
    How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows-color_and_appearance_control_panel_large_icons.png How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows-color_and_appearance_control_panel_category.png

    EXAMPLE: Classic Color and Appearance
    How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows-classic_color_and_appearance_control_panel.png



    Here's How:

    1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.


    2 To Add "Color and Appearance" to Control Panel

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Add_Color_and_Appearance_to_Control_Panel.reg

    Download


    3 To Remove "Color and Appearance" from Control Panel

    This is the default setting

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Remove_Color_and_Appearance_from_Control_Panel.reg

    Download


    4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

    5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    7 If the Control Panel is currently open, then close and reopen it to apply.

    8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn


    Related Tutorials



  1. Windows 11 Tutorials



  2. White
    Posts : 312
    Microsoft Win 10
       New #1

    Thanks for tutorial.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  4. Brink
    Posts : 68,935
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #2

    Cast said:
    Thanks for tutorial.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  5. loki
    Posts : 23
       New #3

    hi Brink,

    I have a Godmode folder {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} but it doesn't show the color and appearance only the color management. Is there a newer godmode ID or is this it?

    Create Control Panel All Tasks Shortcut in Windows 10

    thanks,
    Loki
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  6. Brink
    Posts : 68,935
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    loki said:
    hi Brink,

    I have a Godmode folder {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} but it doesn't show the color and appearance only the color management. Is there a newer godmode ID or is this it?

    Create Control Panel All Tasks Shortcut in Windows 10

    thanks,
    Loki
    Hello Loki,

    There isn't a specific "Color and Appearance" Control Panel applet GUID by default in Windows. It relays off the "Personalization" GUID instead.

    I had to generate a GUID (CSLID) to use, and then manually added the registry entries to add an applet specifically for this.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  7. TheKnight
    Posts : 7
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit
       New #5

    Thank you very much
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  8. bamajon1974
    Posts : 521
    Win7 Pro X64, Win10 Pro x640
       New #6

    @Brink
    To replace some of the other Windows 7 (and previous versions of windows) control panel applets missing in Win10, I want to add the Classic Notification Area Icons Applet to Control Panel. The website for the shortcut is
    Classic notification area tray icon options in Windows 10

    Below is my reg. file. It seems to work on my rig. Can you please verify it is correct and add it to your tutorials in progress que? Thanks!

    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

    ; Add Classic Notification Area Icons Applet to Control Panel

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}]
    @="Notification Area Icons"
    "InfoTip"="Select which icons and notifications appear on the taskbar"
    "System.ApplicationName"="Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons"
    "System.ControlPanel.Category"=dword:00000001
    "System.Software.TasksFileUrl"="Internal"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}\DefaultIcon]
    @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\taskbarcpl.dll,-1"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}\Shell\Open\command]
    @="explorer.exe shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}"

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\NameSpace\{05d7b0 f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}]
    @="Notification Area Icons"
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  9. Brink
    Posts : 68,935
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #7

    Hello @bamajon1974,

    For now, I have the Personalize (classic) context menu with the old Control Panel items.

    Add Personalize (classic) context menu in Windows 10
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  10. bamajon1974
    Posts : 521
    Win7 Pro X64, Win10 Pro x640
       New #8

    Got it. Is there any further information about these 3 registry keys?

    "System.ApplicationName"="Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons"
    "System.ControlPanel.Category"=dword:00000001
    "System.Software.TasksFileUrl"="Internal"

    How do you find the system application name (the default was already present in the key)
    What is the control panel category?
    What is the system software tasksfileurl?

    Thanks!
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  12. Brink
    Posts : 68,935
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    bamajon1974 said:
    Got it. Is there any further information about these 3 registry keys?

    "System.ApplicationName"="Microsoft.NotificationAreaIcons"
    "System.ControlPanel.Category"=dword:00000001
    "System.Software.TasksFileUrl"="Internal"

    How do you find the system application name (the default was already present in the key)
    What is the control panel category?
    What is the system software tasksfileurl?

    Thanks!
    I can usually get the information needed from an existing GUID (if available) for control panel items below.

    List of Commands to Open Control Panel Items in Windows 10

    Otherwise, I have to generate a unique GUID to add the registry keys and values for the control panel item.


    Here's some more reference material from Microsoft to help:

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...ol-panel-items

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...-registration-

    System.ControlPanel.Category = https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/pre...44183(v=vs.85)
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

 

Tutorial Categories

How to Add Color and Appearance to Control Panel in Windows Tutorial Index Network & Sharing Instalation and Upgrade Browsers and Email General Tips Gaming Customization Apps and Features Virtualization BSOD System Security User Accounts Hardware and Drivers Updates and Activation Backup and Restore Performance and Maintenance Mixed Reality Phone


  Related Discussions
I would like to restore task links to Appearance and Personalization in Win10 Control Panel Category View. I have been able to successfully add the old Personalization, Color and Appearance, and Desktop Background according to TenForums...
Hello. I recently got a new monitor (LG 38WN95C-W) and a peculiar change happens in the Nvidia control panel every so often. How can I prevent it? It basically goes in and changes the output color format from RGB to YCbCr422, depth from 10 to 8...
I just install Windows 10 X64 2004, and installed Firefox 79.0. This also happened to the Windows Mail (Vista version),The menu bar got blue color and I want it back as before, white background and black color. Please help. ...
I would like to add Classic Desktop Background and Classic Color and Appearance shortcuts to the control panel (since links go to the new settings options instead) using the shortcuts from the tutorials below: ...
After the Creator update, the control panel is gone. So now I don't know how to add a specific colorprofile for my monitor anymore. It is a .icc file. In control panel I found it in "Screen resolution" -> "color management" -> select profile. But...
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

 © Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 21:36.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums