Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Device Installation\Device Installation Restrictions Description
This policy setting will change the evaluation order in which Allow and Prevent policy settings are applied when more than one install policy setting is applicable for a given device. Enable this policy setting to ensure that overlapping device match criteria is applied based on an established hierarchy where more specific match criteria supersedes less specific match criteria. The hierarchical order of evaluation for policy settings that specify device match criteria is as follows: Device instance IDs > Device IDs > Device setup class > Removable devices Device instance IDs 1. Prevent installation of devices using drivers that match these device instance IDs 2. Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device instance IDs Device IDs 3. Prevent installation of devices using drivers that match these device IDs 4. Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device IDs Device setup class 5. Prevent installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes 6. Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes Removable devices 7. Prevent installation of removable devices NOTE: This policy setting provides more granular control than the "Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings" policy setting. If these conflicting policy settings are enabled at the same time, the "Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria" policy setting will be enabled and the other policy setting will be ignored. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the default evaluation is used. By default, all "Prevent installation..." policy settings have precedence over any other policy setting that allows Windows to install a device.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions Value name: AllowDenyLayered
Enabled: AllowDenyLayered = 1
Disabled: AllowDenyLayered = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/DeviceInstallation/EnableInstallationPolicyLayering Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions]
"AllowDenyLayered"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowDenyLayered' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/DeviceInstallation/EnableInstallationPolicyLayering
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions' -Name 'AllowDenyLayered' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowDenyLayered' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions' -Name 'AllowDenyLayered' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 2106
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowDenyLayered' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.