How-To Geek

Is it possible to add the Control Panel to the Right-click menu from the desktop for quick access?

mjschmidt, you can try LH's suggestion if you have experience in changing your registry and can make a backup of any key altered. Be aware that an incorrect change may result in damage to your computer that you may not be able to correct.

Well LH, I tested it and it works fine. Thanks!
A good addition;-)

Cheers,
Sarah.

I have a question about this change. When I do this the only time I can get the Control Panel is when I am on a folder and right click. Am I supposed to be able to right click on the desktop and get the Control Panel? When I do that all I get on the drop down menu is NVIDIA control panel.

Wow, that was too much of a read for me (still heavily busy with the move and the new job and the new dog added to my pack, at 1,5 year old he's quite a puppy LOL), but I did add my Paintshop Pro to my rightclick menu. Starts me laughing every time I use it (huge grin).

Cheers,
Sarah.

Here's how mine looks.

I just did it again and this time it's working. I don't see where I did anything different but it's OK now.
I don't know but thanks anyway.

Ha! Just did it, worked awesome! Thanks, LH.

For anyone else, I am reposting LH's directions from above with his later correction to step 1.

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Open regedit and navigate to:
Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell

Right click on "shell" and select "new" > "key"
type in "Control Panel" (without quotes) press <Enter>

Right click on "Control Panel" and select "new" > "key"
type in "command" (without the quotes) press <Enter>

With "command" highlighted,
On the right pane, right click on "(Default)" and select "Modify..."
In the edit box, type or paste in the following:

C:\Windows\System32\Control.exe

press <Enter> And that should do it.
If your Windows folder is not on the C: drive, then change the path above.