16 Ways to Fix Control Panel Not Showing All Programs on Windows 11 24H2

The other day, I ran into a rather perplexing issue on my PC. While attempting to access all the installed programs through the Control Panel, I found many notable programs missing. The sudden disappearance of the pivotal programs put me in deep stress with a huge question mark lingering about where they have all gone. Scaring the dalylights out of me, it also forced to ask questions regarding the security of other sensitive files. Fortunately, I’m not the only one who has run into this terrible Windows 11 Control Panel issue. Having gone into the details, I’m all set to share the 16 most reliable solutions to fix the Control Panel not showing all programs on Windows 11 24H2. Keep reading to…

Fix Control Panel Not Showing All Programs on Windows 11

So, what causes the programs to disappear from the Control Panel. Keep in mind that this problem takes center stage due to a number of reasons including

• Corrupted system files
• Registry corruption
• Windows Installer issues
• Group Policy restrictions
• Third-party uninstaller interference
• Hidden program entries
• Incomplete installations
• Profile corruption
• Outdated Windows version
• Software conflicts

Hence, you will need to tweak some key settings, flush out the malicious sytem files, and even eliminate the conflicting elements. Fret not! It’s not that difficult to get rid of this Windows issue. Hence, you can restore all the vital programs in the Control Panel without having to put a lot of effort.

1. Soft Reset Your PC

On a few occasions, you can bring your malfunctioning Windows 11 control panel back on track by just rebooting your PC. So, dive into the Start menu > Power icon > Choose “Restart” to reboot your device and check if CP has started to behave on the expected lines.

2. Repair the Corrupted System Files With SFC & DISM Scans

Be watchful of the corrupted, missing, or damaged system files as they could be causing the Control Panel to ill-function, preventing it from showing all installed programs.

• To use the System File Checker (SFC) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) to repair corrupted files on your PC,
• Launch the Command Prompt as an administrator and then run the following command to scan and fix system files > then reboot your PC and check if the Control Panel has returned to the normal state.

sfc /scannow

• If the issue continues to haunt your PC, run these DISM commands one by one > reboot your Windows device, and check the Control Panel.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth 

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

3. Unhide All Installed Programs

Ensure that none of the installed programs are buried in the Programs and Features section owing to registry settings or group policies.

1. Press Win + R to fire up the Run dialog > type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Go to:mathematicaCopyEditHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
3. After that, find out if the missing programs appear under this registry path.
4. Just in case they do not show up, head over to:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
5. If the programs show up here, there is a high chance they are hidden due to registry settings. Now, you need to right-click on the Uninstall key > choose Permissions.
6. Next up, make sure that full control has been allowed to Administrators.
7. Up next, reboot your system and take a look at the Control Panel.

4. Make Sure to Run Windows Installer Service

The Windows Installer service is designed to manage program installations and updates. As a result, if it’s disabled on your Windows 11 device, the Control Panel will fail to show up all installed programs.

1. Press Win + R to trigger the Run dialog > type services.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Scroll down to locate Windows Installer and double-click on it.
3. Then, be sure to set the Startup type to Manual or Automatic.
4. Now, click Start if the service is stopped > hit Apply > OK.
5. Restart your PC and check the Control Panel.

5. Group Policy Restriction

If your PC is managed by an organization, group policies might be restricting the display of installed programs.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to:mathematicaCopyEditUser Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Hide specified Control Panel items
3. Double-click Hide specified Control Panel items and set it to Not Configured.
4. Restart the system and check if the programs are visible in the Control Panel.

6. Remove Third-Party Uninstaller Interference

Bear in mind that if a third-party uninstaller like Revo Uninstaller, IObit Uninstaller, or CCleaner had been used on your Windows device, there is a high chance that it might have tweaked how installed programs appear in the Control Panel on your PC.

1. Go to the third-party uninstaller and find out if the missing programs are listed there.
2. If they show up there, it wolld be better to reinstall the missing software and uninstalling it using Windows’ built-in Apps & Features instead of a third-party tool.
3. Once that’s done, make sure to restart your Windows 11 device and check if the programs appear in Control Panel.

7. Reinstall Missing Programs

It’s also important to remember that the programs that were installed incorrectly or incompletely may not show up in Control Panel. Thus, it would apt to reinstall all the missing programs from their origianl setup files.

1. After you have gone through reinstallation successfully, navigate to the Control Panel > Programs and Features and check if they have started to appear there.
2. If they still don’t appear in the Control Panel, make use of a registry cleaner to wipe out the corrupt installation entries.

8. Registry Issues with Installed Programs

Keep an eye on on the missing or incorrect registry entries as they tend to block the installed programs from showing up.

1. Fire up the Registry Editor on your PC (Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter).
2. Navigate to:mathematicaCopyEditHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
3. Note that if the missing programs have not been listed here, they might not have proper registry entries.
4. Try reinstalling them or manually adding their registry entries if you are comfortable editing the registry.

9. Create a New User Profile

Be watchful of the corrupted user profile as it might be causing the certain programs to disappear from Control Panel. To ward off this issue, create a new user profile and set it up from scratch.

• Dive into the Settings app > Choose Accounts and click on Other users.

• After that, click Add account > go through the on-screen instructions > Sign in to your new account > Check if the Control Panel displays all programs.
• If the problem has been sorted out, migrate your files to the new account and delete the old one.

10. Outdated Windows Version

Do not overlook a miscellaneous Windows 11 but as it might cause programs to go into hiding or altogether disappear.

1. Open Settings app on your PC and dive straight into the familiar Windows Update tab located in the left sidebar.
2. Hit the Check for updates option to check for and install any available updates.

11. Windows Apps Settings Issue

Do you know that Windows 11 gives more privacy to the Settings > Apps & Features over the Control Panel? That means, some programs might only be listed there.

• Navigate to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

• Scroll through the list to check if missing programs appear here instead of Control Panel.
• If they are listed, use Apps & Features for managing installations rather than Control Panel.

12. Software Conflicts

Certain security software or system optimization tools can interfere with how Control Panel displays installed programs.

1. Therefore, temporarily disable any antivirus, security suites, or system optimizers.
2. Next up, restart the PC and check if Control Panel displays all programs.
3. If the issue is resolved, adjust settings in your security software or switch to a different program.

13. System Restore

If the issue started recently, a System Restore can help revert Windows to a previous state where all programs were visible.

1. Press Win + R, type rstrui, and hit Enter.
2. Select a restore point from a date when the programs were correctly displayed.
3. Click Next, then Finish, and wait for the process to complete.
4. Restart your PC and check the Control Panel.

14. Rebuild the Icon Cache

If the Control Panel is not showing all programs, the icon cache may be corrupted, affecting how installed programs appear.

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Run the following commands one by one:taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F cssCopyEditDEL /A /Q "%localappdata%\IconCache.db" cssCopyEditDEL /A /F /Q "%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache*"
3. Restart your PC and check the Control Panel.

15. Check the Windows Features Settings

Be sure none built-in Windows features might be disabled, preventing certain programs from appearing in the Control Panel.

1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.
2. Ensure essential features like .NET Framework and Windows Installer are enabled.
3. Click OK, restart your PC, and check if the programs appear in Control Panel.

16. Perform an In-Place Upgrade

Haven’t yet been able to restore the full functionality of your Windows 11 Control Panel? No worries, mate! Now is the right time to perform an in-place upgrade. For folks who are unaware, an in-place upgrade allows you to reinstall Windows 11 while keeping your files and apps safe, thereby fixing missing program entries.

1. To get it done, you have to first download the latest Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft’s official website.
2. Then, run the setup.exe file and select the Upgrade this PC now option.
3. Up next, run through the official on-screen instructions and choose Keep personal files and apps when prompted.
4. Make sure to complete whole the installation process meticulously and check if the Control Panel now shows all installed programs.

Wrapping up…

There you have it, folks! I hope these solutions have helped you bring all the missing programs back to life. It would be great to know the tips have rescued your programs. So, feel free to let your invluable thoughts come across via the comments section below – as always!