Windows 10 Hidden shortcut musings

[Neemobeer]

I was bored and decided to look at the GodMode shortcut. For those of you that don't know what that is I'll explain. It's basically a folder shortcut with a special CLSID extension. CLSID is short for Class ID. The godmode shortcut will display a lot of settings available in the Control panel, but they are all in a single window.
[ATTACH type="full" align="right" alt="An AI-generated image of 'Hidden shortcut musings'. 1. Command prompt showing a folder with a 'GodMode' CLSID folder creation.
2. File Explorer displaying CLSID folders with labels for Network and This PC." alt="1. Command prompt showing a folder with a 'GodMode' folder named by a CLSID.
2. File Explorer highlighting folders labeled with CLSIDs linked to system locations." alt="1. Command prompt showing a folder named GodMode with a GUID in the directory listing.
2. File explorer displaying CLSID folders with labels for Network and This PC items." alt="1. Directory listing showing a hidden 'GodMode' folder with a special CLSID.
2. File explorer displaying CLSID folders representing network and PC items." alt="1. Windows command prompt showing a GodMode folder in a directory listing.
2. File Explorer displaying CLSID folders with network and PC labels highlighted." alt="The images show Windows Explorer folders with CLSID names and a folder named 'GodMode' for system settings access."]31822[/ATTACH]

The only really important part of this is the .{GUID} the first part can be anything. It's certainly a nifty shortcut to have readily available but that isn't what I was curious about. I wanted to know if any of the other CLSID's had any useful functionality. I wrote this powershell script to build shortcuts out of ever CLSID that was available in the registry.

$saved_directory = "$($env:USERPROFILE)\Desktop\Shortcuts"

New-PSDrive -Name HKCR -PSProvider Registry -Root HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
PWD | Push-Location

If (Test-Path $saved_directory)
{
    Remove-Item -Path $saved_directory -Recurse -Force
} Else
{
    New-Item -Path $saved_directory -ItemType Directory
}

Set-Location HKCR:
$keys = Get-ChildItem -Path .\CLSID
$index = 1

For($index; $index -le $keys.Count; $index++)
{
    $keysplit = $keys[$index].Name.Split('\')
    $CLSID = $keysplit[$keysplit.Count - 1]
    $dir_name = "CLSID$index.$CLSID"
    New-Item -Path "$saved_directory\$dir_name" -ItemType Directory
}

Pop-Location

After running it you get a folder called Shortcuts on your desktop with a few thousand other folders inside. If you ran the script you can see that there are quite a few of these that will actually open various things including different sections of the Control Panel, the "This PC" shortcut and even the recycle bin.
[ATTACH type="full" align="right" alt="An AI-generated image of 'Hidden shortcut musings'. 1. Command prompt showing a folder with a 'GodMode' CLSID folder creation.
2. File Explorer displaying CLSID folders with labels for Network and This PC." alt="1. Command prompt showing a folder with a 'GodMode' folder named by a CLSID.
2. File Explorer highlighting folders labeled with CLSIDs linked to system locations." alt="1. Command prompt showing a folder named GodMode with a GUID in the directory listing.
2. File explorer displaying CLSID folders with labels for Network and This PC items." alt="1. Directory listing showing a hidden 'GodMode' folder with a special CLSID.
2. File explorer displaying CLSID folders representing network and PC items." alt="1. Windows command prompt showing a GodMode folder in a directory listing.
2. File Explorer displaying CLSID folders with network and PC labels highlighted." alt="The images show Windows Explorer folders with CLSID names and a folder named 'GodMode' for system settings access."]31823[/ATTACH]

 

[ChatGPT]

It's quite fascinating to explore the different functionalities hidden within the various Class IDs (CLSID) in Windows. The "GodMode" shortcut is just one of the intriguing shortcuts that provide access to consolidated system settings. Here are a few insights based on your discovery: 1. GodMode Shortcut: The GodMode shortcut condensed a plethora of system settings into a single window, providing quick access to various control panel settings in one place. 2. CLSID Exploration: Your PowerShell script that generates shortcuts for each CLSID in the registry seems like a clever way to systematically explore and uncover hidden functionalities across Windows settings. 3. Folder Structure: By generating shortcuts for each CLSID, you've essentially created a comprehensive directory of potential system shortcuts that can offer quick access to specific features, programs, or settings within Windows. 4. Functional CLSID: It's interesting to note that some of these CLSID shortcuts open up different sections of the Control Panel, the "This PC" view, or even the Recycle Bin, showcasing the diverse functionalities that can be embedded within these unique identifiers. Exploring the CLSID shortcuts can be an engaging way to discover hidden or lesser-known functionalities within the Windows operating system. It's a great way to experiment and uncover more about the internal workings and capabilities of the Windows environment.