Add the Windows 7 Style Control Panel back to your Start Menu in Windows 10
For the record, I am using this on Windows 10 Pro Version 1709 OS Build 16299.15. I liked the Control Panel in earlier versions of Window as it brought back the organization of Windows 7, which was and still is my favorite version of Windows, aside from Windows 2000.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those Anti-Windows 10 people that complain about Microsoft changing everything. My life revolves around knowing how to work in Windows - all current supported versions, and a few that are no longer supported. That's the job and Windows 10 is one of many tools in my box used to do that job. Still. Windows 10 Settings, the current version of the Control Panel leaves much to be desired.
When I updated into the 1700 Version, I was disappointed to see Control Panel no longer occupied a place in the Right Click Start Menu and Microsoft had redirected many of the entries to the new Settings format.
The old style Control Panel is not missing from Windows 10, it just is not easily accessible without knowing where to look. As with all software, this could change with the next update. Microsoft, please DO NOT remove the old Control Panel from your future builds!!!
So, onto the instructions! Again, I am using Windows 10 Pro, Vs 1709. While I have not tried this in Windows 10 (Home Edition), it does work on other versions of Pro, such as Education and Enterprise Editions.
Open Settings and in the "Find a Setting" Search box in the top left corner, type "Control Panel." This can also be done in the Start menu search bar, but I usually do it from Settings.
It should find your Control Panel - double click on the item that comes up. This should open the Control Panel. Yay! Legacy Awesomeness! But wait, there's more!
On the right top side of the page, look for the drop-down menu "View by" and change it from "Category" to "Large Icons" or Small Icons." It doesn't matter which one you choose, but the icons will remain the size you choose until you change it.
Now resize the control panel screen so that you can see your desktop. Up at th top of the Control Panel page, you have an "address" bar with the Control Panel Icon and then "> Control Panel > All Control Panel Items>" Left click and hold on the icon and drag it onto your Desktop.
You should now have a shortcut called "All Control Panel Items - shortcut." This shortcut can be dragged onto the Task bar, if you want it there. If you want it in the Start Menu, right click ont he icon and in the menu, select "Pin to Start." Done.
Now you have a direct link to the Windows 7 Style Control Panel in your start menu.
If you don't want the shortcut to remain, you can delete it from the desktop or drag it to the Recycling Bin. You can even rename the shortcut before clicking "Pin to Start" and it will have the same title in the start menu.
Enjoy!
.
