Access Windows 7/Vista’s “Master Control Panel”
Create a simple shortcut to gain access to the “Master Control Panel” in Windows Vista & Windows 7, allowing you to tweak hundreds of different settings.
Are you one of those people who likes to get their hands dirty and tweak every single possible setting? If you’re running Windows Vista or the newer (and much better) Windows 7, you’re in luck.
With a simple shortcut, you can access Windows Vista/7’s Master Control Panel, giving you access to a plethora of tweaks, all in a nice, user-friendly graphical interface (instead of editing the Registry).
To access the Master Control Panel, create a shortcut (right-click on the desktop) with the following:
explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
Name it something appropriate:
e.g. Windows Tweaks
The result:
(There is an alternate, quicker method for accessing the Master Control Panel, but it can cause Vista to crash and therefore wasn’t included. The “shortcut” method works on all systems.)
The Master Control Panel gives you access to many hard-to-find settings and tweaks not available through the regular Control Panel:
Action Center
Administrative Tools
AutoPlay: What happens when you insert a CD/DVD/USB key.
Backup & Restore
BitLocker Drive Encryption
Color Management
Credential Manager
Date & Time
Default Programs: Change what programs open what files (e.g. Chrome/Firefox for Internet)
Desktop Gadgets
Device Manager
Devices & Printers
Display: Adjust ClearType (for LCDs), calibrate colour, etc.
Ease of Access Center
Folder Options
Fonts
Getting Started
HomeGroup
Indexing Options
Internet Options: Block popups, turn off autocomplete, etc.
Keyboard
Location and Other Sensors
Mouse
Network and Sharing Center
Notification Area Icons
Parental Controls
Performance Information and Tools
Personalization: Screensaver, wallpaper, hide icons, etc.
Phone and Modem
Power Options: Screen brightness, sleep mode, hibernate, etc.
Programs and Features
Recovery
Region and Language
RemoteApp and Desktop Connections
Sound: Remove the annoying error sounds, navigation sounds (when clicking, browsing folders), etc.
Speech Recognition
Sync Center
System
Taskbar and Start Menu
Troubleshooting
User Accounts
Windows CardSpace
Windows Defender
Windows Firewall
Windows Mobile Device Center
Windows Mobility Center
Before changing anything, it would be advisable to create a “Restore Point”, which you can later go back to if you don’t like the changes or messed up something crucial.
System -> Create a restore point.
This works on both 32-bit & 64-bit versions of Windows Vista & 7.
Happy tweaking!
Filed Under: Audio > Computers & Software > Graphics > How-To > PC > Productivity Tools > Tutorials > Utilities
Tags: Control Panel, shortcuts, tweaks, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Vista
Thank you,
It would have taken years to come across something this usefull.
Please keep us-less informed, of such Windows hidden settings.
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Keep us less informed? That’s intelligent. Although the average user shouldn’t go near this information it is quite useful to have everything together for the power user. Great tip.
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Steve said: Although the average user shouldn’t go near this information it is quite useful to have everything together for the power user. Great tip.
I’m sorry but I don’t agree with that. What good is a defragger if it is hidden away? Why shouldn’t an ‘average user’ have full access to the OS they have paid for? By the looks of it, the hidden master control panel should be useful to all levels of user. Keeping things hidden away doesn’t teach anyone anything. To this user, hiding away so many options is a bit of an insult. For someone totally new to computing, yes, the MCP would be too much, but an average Windows user should be able to deal with such a feature reasonably competently, ie without breaking their OS.
Why MS feel the need to hide things away like this is beyond me? It only serves to make life more difficult for the people who buy and use the software. An OS isn’t as mysterious or esoteric as a proprietary software giant like MS would like people to believe.
Thanks for the post.
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I think he meant “keep those of us who are less informed”…
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MS didn’t hide any of these items, that are normally found through the control panel options. What this does is place them in a categorized list which some find easier to navigate. This can be faster since each icon will take you directly to the options you are looking for, but that’s it.
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