Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
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 prevent the installation of devices that are not specifically described by any other policy setting. NOTE: This policy setting has been replaced by the "Apply layered order of evaluation for Allow and Prevent device installation policies across all device match criteria" policy setting to provide more granular control. 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 instead of this policy setting. If you enable this policy setting, Windows is prevented from installing or updating the driver package for any device that is not described by either the "Allow installation of devices that match any of these device IDs", the "Allow installation of devices for these device classes", or the "Allow installation of devices that match any of these device instance IDs" policy setting. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows is allowed to install or update the driver package for any device that is not described by the "Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs", "Prevent installation of devices for these device classes" policy setting, "Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device instance IDs", or "Prevent installation of removable devices" policy setting.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions Value name: DenyUnspecified
Enabled: DenyUnspecified = 1
Disabled: DenyUnspecified = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/DeviceInstallation/PreventInstallationOfDevicesNotDescribedByOtherPolicySettings 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: Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions]
"DenyUnspecified"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
# 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 'DenyUnspecified' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/DeviceInstallation/PreventInstallationOfDevicesNotDescribedByOtherPolicySettings
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions' -Name 'DenyUnspecified' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
# 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 'DenyUnspecified' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
# 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: Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions' -Name 'DenyUnspecified' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings
# 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 'DenyUnspecified' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.