Originally published on Tutomod.
Its dramatic name comes from old forums, but God Mode is simply an official hidden shortcut: one folder containing every Windows control panel setting, over 200 of them, in a single searchable list.
Updated August 09, 2026, after a fresh review, with updated visuals and links.
It takes ten seconds to create and it turns hunting through Settings menus into Ctrl+F style searching. Here's how.
Photo by Nao Triponez on Pexels
The fast version
- Create a new folder on the desktop. Right click the desktop, New, Folder. Nothing special yet: the name is the whole trick.
- Rename it with the magic string. Name it exactly this: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and press Enter. The icon changes to a control panel symbol instantly.
The thorough version
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Open it and search everything. Double click the new icon: a window lists every administrative setting on the system, grouped by category. Use the search box in the top right to jump straight to things the modern Settings app buries three pages deep.
- Drag any item to the desktop to make a permanent shortcut
- Works with over 200 settings
- Same trick works on Windows 10, 8 and 7
- Use it for the classics. Mouse settings, old style uninstall, device manager, power plans, font settings: the dialogs everyone's muscle memory still expects are all one search away.
Common mistakes, and how to dodge them
- It's a view of existing settings, not a backdoor: nothing here is more dangerous than the regular control panel.
- Screwed up a setting? Same place fixes it. God Mode only adds convenience, no new risk.
Photo by Jo McNamara on Pexels
Small tweaks, big difference
- Rename the folder anything you like after creation (right click, Rename): the powers stay, the name is just flair.
- Pin it to Start or the taskbar for permanent access.
- Combine with the Windows + R classics (appwiz.cpl, devmgmt.msc, ncpa.cpl) for a full power user toolkit.
Before you ask
Is it an official Microsoft feature?
It's an undocumented but official shell shortcut, present since Windows Vista.
Can I delete it?
Sure, it's just a folder. Delete and nothing on the system changes.
Keep reading
- How to Add a Printer in Windows 11 (and Fix It When It Refuses to Print)
- How to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 11 (Before You Panic, Check These 5 Places)
- How to Fix WiFi Problems in Windows 11 (The Ladder of Fixes, From Simple to Nuclear)
That covers it
Ten seconds of renaming for a permanent master index of every setting Windows owns: the rare trick with zero downside.
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