How to hide or unhide the Control Panel icons?

The Control Panel is a special folder that contains the tools (system software) used to configure the hardware and software.  For example, you can customize the mouse, keyboard, printer, add or remove hardware or program and also set the appearance of desktop using color schemes, screen savers etc. All tools in the control panel are saved with CPL extension. You can find all CPL files inside C:\Windows\System32 folder with searching *.cpl extension.

• Therefore, you can make your computer more secure to hide some important tools of control panel, because you can prevent other users to make any changes in your computer using the Control Panel tools.

Perform the following steps to hide the control panel tools: 

• To edit this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.
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• First click on Start button to open "Run" and type "regedit" then press Ok button to open the Registry Editor.

In registry editor locate the given path: 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\don't load

First right click in the right side of the registry editor panel and create the new DWORD value then rename this key exactly as the same name you want it to be hidden.

• For example, if you want to hide the Add/Remove Programs Option then name the String Value appwiz.cpl .
• • Double click on new DWORD value and set its value No under "Value data" section.
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  • Close the Registry editor and restart your computer for changes to apply. 
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  • But next time, if you want to restore the "Add/Remove Programs" option, then just type Yes instead of NO in Value Datadialog. 
  
  
  
  
  For others control panel icons name list are as under:
  
  
  
  
  Name of file                            Control Panel Icons
  
      access.cpl                               Accessibility Option
      appwiz.cpl                               Add/Remove Programs 
      console.cpl                             Console Option
      timedate.cpl                            Date and Time Option
      desk.cpl                                   Display Option
      fax.cpl                                       Fax Option
      hdwwiz.cpl                               Hardware Wizard Option
      irprops.cpl                               Infrared Port Option
      intl.cpl                                      International and Regional Option
      inetcpl.cpl                                Internet Settings Option
      joy.cpl                                      Joystick Option
      main.cpl                                  Mouse and Keyboard Option
      mlcfg32.cpl                             Mail Option
      mmsys.cpl                              Sound and Multimedia Option
      modem.cpl                              Modem and Phone Option
      ncpa.cpl                                   Network and connectivity Option
      netcpl.cpl                                Network and Dial-up Connectivity Option
      nwc.cpl                                    Netware Client Option
      odbccp32.cpl                          ODBC Option
      ports.cpl                                  Ports Option
      powercfg.cpl                           Power Management Option
      sitcpl.cpl                                  Scanner and Camera Option
      sapi.cpl                                    Speech Properties Option
      sysdm.cpl                                System Option
      telephon.cpl                            Telephony Option
      tweakui.cpl                              TweakUI Option
      nusrmgr.cpl                            User Manager Option
      wspcpl32.cpl                           WSP Client Option
      quicktime.cpl                          QuickTime Option
      S32LUCP1.cpl                        Norton Live Update Option
      cpqmgmt.cpl                           Compaq Insight Agents Option