Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Device Installation\Device Installation Restrictions Description
This policy setting allows you to specify a list of device setup class globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) for driver packages that Windows is allowed to install. This policy setting is intended to be used only when the "Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria" policy setting is enabled, however it may also be used with the "Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings" policy setting for legacy policy definitions. When this policy setting is enabled together with the "Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria" policy setting, Windows is allowed to install or update driver packages whose device setup class GUIDs appear in the list you create, unless another policy setting at the same or higher layer in the hierarchy specifically prevents that installation, such as the following policy settings: - Prevent installation of devices for these device classes - Prevent installation of devices that match these device IDs - Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device instance IDs If the "Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria" policy setting is not enabled with this policy setting, then any other policy settings specifically preventing installation will take precedence. NOTE: The "Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings" policy setting has been replaced by the "Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria" policy setting for supported target Windows 10 versions. It is recommended that you use the "Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria" policy setting when possible. Alternatively, if this policy setting is enabled together with the "Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings" policy setting, Windows is allowed to install or update driver packages whose device setup class GUIDs appear in the list you create, unless another policy setting specifically prevents installation (for example, the "Prevent installation of devices that match these device IDs" policy setting, the "Prevent installation of devices for these device classes" policy setting, the "Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device instance IDs" policy setting, or the "Prevent installation of removable devices" policy setting). If you enable this policy setting on a remote desktop server, the policy setting affects redirection of the specified devices from a remote desktop client to the remote desktop server. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, and no other policy setting describes the device, the "Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings" policy setting determines whether the device can be installed.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions Value name: AllowDeviceClasses
Enabled: AllowDeviceClasses = 1
Disabled: AllowDeviceClasses = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/DeviceInstallation/AllowInstallationOfMatchingDeviceSetupClasses 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: Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions]
"AllowDeviceClasses"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions\AllowDeviceClasses]
; List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI. More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowDeviceClasses' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions\AllowDeviceClasses'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI. Intune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/DeviceInstallation/AllowInstallationOfMatchingDeviceSetupClasses
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<!-- DeviceInstall_Classes_Allow_List: enter one value per line before copying this XML payload. --> Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
# HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions\AllowDeviceClasses: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions' -Name 'AllowDeviceClasses' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowDeviceClasses' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions\AllowDeviceClasses'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI. SCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# 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: Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
# HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions\AllowDeviceClasses: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions' -Name 'AllowDeviceClasses' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow installation of devices using drivers that match these device setup classes
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowDeviceClasses' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions\AllowDeviceClasses'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI. Building a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.