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Windows XP Taskbar - Toolbar - Start Menu

Access Control Panel from Start Menu as Submenu

SUMMARY: Access the Control Panel as a submenu from the Windows XP Start Menu.

To access Windows XP's Control Panel, you normally have to click the "Start" button, select "Control Panel", wait for the Control Panel to load, and then choose your desired configuration option.

However, if you regularly tweak your system settings, you might rather have Control Panel options displayed on the Start Menu as a submenu, just like the submenu for "All Programs". To make this change:

Viewing the Control Panel as a submenu from the Windows XP "Start" menu

1. Right-click an empty area of the Taskbar and choose "Properties".

2. When the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the "Start Menu" tab.

3. Make sure that the "Start Menu" radio button is selected, then click the "Customize" button.

Customizing the Windows XP Start Menu

4. The "Customize Start Menu" multi-tabbed dialog box will appear. Click the "Advanced" button.

5. Underneath "Start menu items" and underneath "Control Panel", click the "Display as a menu" radio button.

7. Click "OK" on the dialog boxes to close them.

Now, if you click "Start" - "Control Panel", all of your options are easily accessible.

Thanks to MalekTips reader Elaine Small for catching a previous error in this tip.