How to Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows


You can use Control Panel to change settings for Windows. These settings control nearly everything about how Windows looks and works, and you can use them to set up Windows so that it's just right for you.

In Windows 10, there are a few different ways to find and change your settings: Settings app, Control Panel, app settings, and search. Most of the settings that you'll want to change can be found in the Settings app.

This tutorial will show you how to hide specified Control Panel items for specific or all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to hide Control Panel items.

If both the Hide specified Control Panel items setting and the Show only specified Control Panel items setting are enabled, the "Show only specified Control Panel items" setting is ignored.



Contents

  • Option One: To Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: To Hide Specified Control Panel Items for Only Current User in Registry Editor
  • Option Three: To Undo Hiding Specified Control Panel Items using a REG file



EXAMPLE: Control Panel (all icons view)
Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-control_panel.jpg






OPTION ONE

To Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Local Group Policy Editor


The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.


1 Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2 In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Control Panel. (See screenshot below)

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_gpedit-1.jpg

3 In the right pane of Control Panel, double click/tap on Hide specified Control Panel items to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (hide) or step 6 (undo) below for what you would like to do.


5 To Hide Specified Control Panel Items

A) Select (dot) Enabled, and click/tap on the Show button under "Options". (see screenshot below)

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_gpedit-3.png

B) Type the names of any Control Panel items one per line you want hide, and click/tap on OK when finished. (see screenshot below)

You would enter the same names as the icons in the Control Panel (icons view).

If the name includes (32-bit), then do not include that part.

For example 1: If the name is Mail and Fax (32-bit) in the Control Panel, you would only use Mail and Fax.

For example 2: If the name is Mail (Microsoft Outlook) (32-bit) in the Control Panel, you would only use Mail (Microsoft Outlook).

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_gpedit-4.png

C) Click/tap on OK to apply, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below step 5A)


6 To No Longer Hide Control Panel Items

A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_gpedit-2.png


7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

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






OPTION TWO

To Hide Specified Control Panel Items for Only Current User in Registry Editor


This option will only affect this single user account that you are currently signed in to while performing this option.


1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_regedit-1.png

3 In the right pane of the Explorer key, double click/tap on the DisallowCpl DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot above)

If you do not have a DisallowCpl DWORD, then right click or press and hold on an empty area in the right pane of the Explorer key, click/tap on New, click/tap on DWORD (32-bit) Value, type DisallowCpl for the name, and press Enter.


4 Type 1, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

0 - Turn off hiding the Control Panel items specified in steps 6 and 7 below.

1 - Turn on hiding the Control Panel items specified in steps 6 and 7 below.

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_regedit-2.png

5 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowCpl

If you do not have a DisallowCpl key, then right click or press and hold on the Explorer key, click/tap on New, click/tap on Key, type DisallowCpl for the name, and press Enter.

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_regedit-3.png

6 In the right pane of the DisallowCpl key, right click or press and hold on an empty area, click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type a number (ex: "1") for the name, and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 5)

You would substitute number for the string value's (REG_SZ) name with an actual number increasing in numerical order for the Control Panel items you want to hide.


7 Type in the name of a Control Panel item you want to hide, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)

You would enter the same name as its icon in the Control Panel (icons view).

If the name includes (32-bit), then do not include that part.

For example 1: If the name is Mail and Fax (32-bit) in the Control Panel, you would only use Mail and Fax.

For example 2: If the name is Mail (Microsoft Outlook) (32-bit) in the Control Panel, you would only use Mail (Microsoft Outlook).

Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_regedit-4.png Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_regedit-5.png Hide Specified Control Panel Items in Windows-hide_control_panel_items_regedit-6.png

8 Repeat steps 6 and 7 above for any other Control Panel items you want to hide.

9 When finished, you can close Registry Editor if you like.

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






OPTION THREE

To Undo Hiding Specified Control Panel Items using a REG file


The downloadable .reg file below will delete the DisallowCpl DWORD value and registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

NoControlPanel DWORD

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowCpl


1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.

Unhide_Control_Panel_items.reg

Download

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

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

4 You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn