Control Panel View - Category or Icons

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    Control Panel View - Category or Icons

    Control Panel View - Category or Icons

    How to Set a Default Control Panel View in Windows 7 and Windows 8
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Set a Default Control Panel View in Windows 7 and Windows 8

       Information
    This tutorial will show you how to set the Control Panel to always open by default with a Category, Small icons, or Large icons view for all or specific users in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

    This only affects what view the Control Panel opens to by default. All users will still be able to change the Control Panel view to what they like in the Control Panel.





    OPTION ONE

    Set Default Control Panel View in the Control Panel


    NOTE: This option will only affect your user account.
    1. Open the Control Panel in Windows 7 or Windows 8.

    2. Do step 3, 4, or 5 below for what you would like to do.

    3. To Have the Control Panel with the Category View
    A) Click/tap on the View by drop down menu arrow, select (dot) Category, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot above)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-category.jpg
    4. For All Control Panel Items with Large Icons View
    A) Click/tap on the View by drop down menu arrow, select (dot) Large icons, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot above)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-large_icons.jpg
    5. For All Control Panel Items with Small Icons View
    A) Click/tap on the View by drop down menu arrow, elect (dot) Small icons, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot above)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-small_icons.jpg
    6. Close the Control Panel when done.
    NOTE: The Control Panel will open to the same view as it was in when last closed by default.



    OPTION TWO

    Set Default Control Panel View in Group Policy


    NOTE: This option requires that you are logged in as an administrator to do. You can apply this option to all or specific users.
    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, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Control Panel.
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-group_policy.jpg
    3. In the right pane of Control Panel, double click/tap on Always open All Control Panel Items when opening the Control Panel to edit it. (see screenshot above)

    4. Do step 5, 6, or 7 below for what you would like to set.

    5. To Force Icons as the Default Control Panel View
    A) Select (dot) Enabled, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below step 8)
    6. To Force Category as the Default Control Panel View
    A) Select (dot) Disabled, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below step 8)
    7. To Unforce All Views as the Default Control Panel View
    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    A) Select (dot) Not Configured, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below step 8)
    8. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-properties.jpg
    9. You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

    10. If open, close and reopen Control Panel to see changes.



    OPTION THREE

    Set Default Control Panel View using a REG File Download


    NOTE: This option requires that you are logged in as an administrator to do. This option will be applied to all users on the computer.
    1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for what you would like to do.

    2. To Force Icons as the Default Control Panel View
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
    Force_Control_Panel_Icons_View.reg
    3. To Force Category as the Default Control Panel View
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
    Force_Control_Panel_Category_View.reg
    4. To Unforce All Views as the Default Control Panel View
    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
    Unforce_Control_Panel_View.reg
    5. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

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

    7. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

    8. If open, close and reopen Control Panel to see changes.

    9. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.



    OPTION FOUR

    Set Default Control Panel View in Registry Editor


    NOTE: This option requires that you are logged in as an administrator to do. This option will be applied to all users on the computer.
    1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.

    2. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-reg1.jpg
    3. Do step 4, 5, or 6 below for what you would like to do.

    4. To Force Icons as the Default Control Panel View
    A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. (see screenshot above)
    NOTE: If you already have the ForceClassicControlPanel DWORD entry, then go to step 4C instead.

    B) Type ForceClassicControlPanel and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-reg2.jpg
    C) Right click on ForceClassicControlPanel and click on Modify. (see screenshot above)

    D) Type 1 and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-modify.jpg
    E) The registry will now look like this. (see screenshot below)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-reg3.jpg
    F) Go to step 7 below.
    5. To Force Category as the Default Control Panel View
    A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. (see screenshot above)
    NOTE: If you already have the ForceClassicControlPanel DWORD entry, then go to step 5C instead.

    B) Type ForceClassicControlPanel and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-reg2.jpg
    C) Double click/tap on ForceClassicControlPanel to modify it. (see screenshot above)

    D) Type 0 and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-modify.jpg
    E) The registry will now look like this. (see screenshot below)
    Control Panel View - Category or Icons-reg3.jpg
    F) Go to step 7 below.
    6. To Unforce All Views as the Default Control Panel View
    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on ForceClassicControlPanel and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot above)

    B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm deletion, and go to step 7 below.
    7. Close Regedit.

    8. If open, close and reopen Control Panel to see changes.
    That's it,
    Shawn





  1. Posts : 1,027
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64/ Windows Vista Ultimate x64
       #1

    Thanks davehc for finding this
    To Make All Control Panel Items the Default View -
    A) Right click on a empty space in the Control Panel.
    B) Select (check) Set as Default Control Panel View.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 80
    Windows 7 build 6956
       #2

    This option is not working with window 7 build 6956...anyone got another idea?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 71,978
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Hello Natri,

    Thank you for reminding me of this. In build 6956, Option One (step 5) is no longer there. Instead, Windows 7 will reopen the Control Panel to whichever view you had open when you last closed the Control Panel.

    Hope this helps,
    Shawn
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 748
    Vista and now 7 in 32 and 64 bit.
       #4

    I think it is a forgetful omission. It was really useful and will ceratinly be resinstated - I think?
    Fwiw. I notice that they have also dropped the Menu Classic view. PIty, it was very popular in Vista and 6801.

    Ok. I,ve found a compromise. If you would rather it opened ALWAYS in the Full View, with the option to switch to the other view.
    Open GPedit.msc - User Configuration.
    Open Administartive Templates - Control Panel
    Enable the item "Always Open All Control Panel items.....

    Maybe worth incorporating into the Tutorials?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 71,978
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thank you Dave. Done.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 17
    XP,Vista, Windows 7
       #6

    When i type in gpedit.msc in build 6956 i cant locate the file. is there something im missing here?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,027
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64/ Windows Vista Ultimate x64
       #7

    Buckeye25 follow step 5 in method 1

    5. To Make All Control Panel Items the Default View -
    NOTE: Special thanks to our member davehc for finding this option. In Windows 7 build 6956, this option is no longer available. Instead, Windows 7 build 6956 will automatically reopen the Control Panel to whichever view (Home or All Items) you had open when you last closed the Control Panel.

    A) Right click on a empty space in the Control Panel. (See screenshot above)
    B) Select (check) Set as Default Control Panel View. (See screenshot above)

    6. Close the Control Panel when done.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 71,978
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Buckeye25 said:
    When i type in gpedit.msc in build 6956 i cant locate the file. is there something im missing here?
    Hello Buckeye25,

    The location for that file is at C:\Windows\System32\gpedit.msc. However, any of the other methods will work just as well to.

    Hope this helps,
    Shawn
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 17
    XP,Vista, Windows 7
       #9

    Thanks for the response Shawn!

    Cheers

    Marco
      My Computer


 
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