How to add the Control Panel to Windows 11’s context menu

Microsoft has been hemorrhaging the Windows Control Panel for several years. More and more functions are migrating to the operating system’s “Settings.” However, some options can still only be selected via the Control Panel.

To open the Control Panel, it is best to type control in the search field of the taskbar and click on the entry in the hit list. But there’s an even easier way: You can also add a link to the Control Panel in the context menu of the Windows desktop.

To do this, you need the registry: Type regedit in the search field of the taskbar and click on “Registry Editor.” Then go to the folder HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDesktopBackground and select the subfolder Shell.

Right-click in the right half of the editor window and select New> Key. Assign the name “ControlPanel” to the key.

Select “ControlPanel” and right-click in the right half of the window. Go to New> String Value and give the new entry the name “Icon.” Double-click on “Icon,” enter control.exe as the value and then confirm with “OK.”

Next, select “ControlPanel” again and right-click in the right half of the window. Click on New> String Value and assign the name “MUIVerb.” Double-click on this entry, enter @shell32.dll,-4161 as the value and close the window with “OK.”

Now select “ControlPanel” a third time and right-click again in the right half of the window. Go to New> String Value and name the string “Position.” After double-clicking on the entry, enter Bottom or Top as the value. This will later determine whether the “Control Panel” entry appears at the bottom or top of the context menu. Click on “OK.”

Finally, select “ControlPanel” again and right-click in the right half of the window. This time, select New> Key and give the key the name command. Once you have selected “command,” you will see the entry “(Default)” in the right-hand side of the window. Double-click it, enter control.exe as the value and confirm with “OK.”

Further reading: 20 insanely useful Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts I use every day

A final restart of Windows is not necessary. If you now right-click on the desktop and go to “Show more options,” the new “Control Panel” entry will appear in the menu. One click and the Control Panel opens.

Author: Roland Freist