Windows 7: Classic Control Panel

When I first saw the control panel in the new Windows 7 I looked for the ‘switch to classic view’ button which seemed to be missing. After poking around I found out how to list all the icons. Just choose ‘All Control Panel Icons’ from the drop down menu.

Now if only I could figure out the problem with my missing icons in the control panel and other places.

14 Replies to “Windows 7: Classic Control Panel”

  1. Thanks for pointing this out,

    had me a bit stumped for a while.

    Greg.

  2. Seems to have been taken out of RC.

  3. Running the RC here and it’s still present…

  4. Thanks! Was a little lost for a while there. =)

  5. If you select one of the icon views it convert to classic control panel all the time.

  6. Iv you change ‘View by:’ to Large icons this setting will be rememebred

  7. Dan The Junior says:

    Thank you Very Much …This was really helpful

  8. Excellent. In the most recent version, there’s drop-down that says “View by:”. The default view is by category; choosing “large icons” or “small icons” will show all.

  9. This is not the same as classic view. In classic view you could have a vertical list with comments to the right for each item, this is missing in Win7…

    I don’t see why MS would remove the descriptions of the items like that, they were useful.
    It isn’t the only thing I dislike about Win7 :(

  10. This view is NOT remembered unless you use the LINK in the control panel area to change to the preferred icon size. Using the dropdown first suggested, then changing the link, isn’t remembered. You must reopen the control panel, use the LINK ONLY to set Small Icons (or Large, if you prefer), then you can close the panel and the view will “stick” for the next time you open.

  11. Sorry, SMC, but I just do not know what you mean by “the link in the control panel area”. I have Windows 7 Home Premium: can you please give me idiot-proof, rigorously step-by-step instructions for getting my preferred Control Panel view (small icons) to stick? Thanks!

  12. Christina Burnham says:

    Thanks, I felt like such an idiot, couldn’t find anything. Glad I wasn’t the only one.

  13. thanks,, muaah !

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