Solve Folder Options Disappeared in Control Panel

In Windows XP Professional, if the Folder Options icon does not appear in the Control Panel, it may be hidden via a local Group Policy setting. If that is the case, here is how to undo this setting.

Steps

  1. Log on to Windows with a user account that has Administrator privileges.
  2. Click on the "Start" button, on the Windows taskbar.
  3. Click on "Run" and place your cursor in the text box.
  4. In the text box, type and click "Ok" to run the group policy editor.
  5. Navigate to the "Control Panel" item under "Administrative Templates" (Local Computer Policy -> User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel).
  6. Check the State of "Hide specified Control Panel applets". If this is enabled, double click it and choose "Disabled". Click on "Ok" to save your changes.
  7. Check "Show only specified Control Panel applets". If this is enabled, double click it and choose "Disabled". Click OK to save your changes.
  8. Close the group policy editor.
  9. Click on the "Start" button, on the Windows taskbar.
  10. Click on "Control Panel". If "Control Panel" is not visible, try clicking on "Settings", then "Control Panel".
  11. Choose "View" from the menu, then "Refresh".

Tips

  • If there is no Run item on the start menu, right click the taskbar, then choose task manager. In the task manager menu, click File, New Task...
  • Folder Options usually can be accessed from any Explorer window, under the Tools menu. These policy settings do not seem to affect this.
  • XP Home does not come with the group policy editor. But you can use regedit.exe and navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer!DisallowCpl
  • If neither of these policy items are enabled, there is some other reason the icon is missing.

Warnings

  • If the computer is part of a domain, the domain may have one or more group policies in effect that are hiding the icon. Your network administrator will be able to fix this.
  • There are other ways to hide Control Panel applets.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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