This tutorial will show you how to remove different items (tools, applets) from Windows 8 Control Panel.
As you are used with other Windows versions, the latest OS coming from the Redmond based company, features all the settings, default tools and applets in the Control Panel section. But it doesn’t come by default with some specific options through which you can remove some of the tools and applets that you don’t use too often or you just don’t want to see in this section.
Microsoft has implemented a lot of measures which prevent users from modifying different parameters of this OS. And that’s not valid just for Windows 8 but also for some older versions of this platform. But the access to Control Panel settings has not been restricted, even if here are some important tools which can completely change the behavior of this system. You will be finding in this area, for example, an uninstaller tool which is capable of removing all kind of programs and applications from your operating system. Also you will be able to use different applets to change the graphics of your system.
How to remove Windows 8 Control Panel items (tools and applets)
If Windows 8 your computer is being used by some other persons, too, and you don’t want them mess with those important settings that you have done on it, we will show you how to protect them, by removing those important tools and applets which could be responsible for changing the above mentioned parameters. In order to accomplish this task, you will be using the Local Group Policy Editor which is a Windows 8 module that established the rights of every user account.
How To Remove Different Windows 8 Control Panel Tools & Applets
In order to make use of the above mentioned module, you need to be logged as administrator on your Windows 8 computer.
In the start screen of your Windows 8, you need search “gpedit.msc” in the Apps field. Once your OS has found it, click on it.
You will now be provided with a window which is called “Local Group Policy Editor” . “Open User configuration” tab and head to “Administrative Templates”. Then open the “Control Panel” folder and in the right panel of this window double-click on “Hide specified Control Panel items”. You have to make sure, that the “Enabled” option will be checked.
Click on the “Show” button and insert the name of the tool or applet which you don’t want to be shown in Control Panel. Let’s say that you don’t want the “Personalization” menu to be showed in Windows 8 CP. In the window that will appear after clicking on the “Show” button, you just have to insert Microsoft Personalization and then click on the OK button. And that’s it. In the same way you can exclude other Control Panel features from showing to different users.
Using a normal account, you won’t be able now to access the blocked Control Panel items. They will still appear but they won’t be accessible. When trying to open them you will receive a notification message, saying that the specific program has been blocked by the administrator of the Windows 8 PC.
If you decide to make some of the blocked applets and Control Panel tolls to be accessible again, you just have to reverse the process we have described above and make sure that the after pressing the “Show” button you exclude the needed items from the content window that will appear.
In both cases you need to restart the Windows 8 PC in order for the changes that you have done to become effective.
This was the entire tutorial on how to remove different tools and applets from Windows 8 Control Panel. If you have questions, post them by using the below mentioned comment form.
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