Enforce Show Policies Only
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Description
This policy setting prevents administrators from viewing or using Group Policy preferences. A Group Policy administration (.adm) file can contain both true settings and preferences. True settings, which are fully supported by Group Policy, must use registry entries in the Software\Policies or Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies registry subkeys. Preferences, which are not fully supported, use registry entries in other subkeys. If you enable this policy setting, the "Show Policies Only" command is turned on, and administrators cannot turn it off. As a result, Group Policy Object Editor displays only true settings; preferences do not appear. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the "Show Policies Only" command is turned on by default, but administrators can view preferences by turning off the "Show Policies Only" command. Note: To find the "Show Policies Only" command, in Group Policy Object Editor, click the Administrative Templates folder (either one), right-click the same folder, and then point to "View." In Group Policy Object Editor, preferences have a red icon to distinguish them from true settings, which have a blue icon.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor Value name: ShowPoliciesOnly
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/EnforcePoliciesOnly 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: Enforce Show Policies Only
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor]
"ShowPoliciesOnly"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enforce Show Policies Only
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ShowPoliciesOnly' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/EnforcePoliciesOnly
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enforce Show Policies Only
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor' -Name 'ShowPoliciesOnly' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enforce Show Policies Only
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ShowPoliciesOnly' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enforce Show Policies Only
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# 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: Enforce Show Policies Only
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor' -Name 'ShowPoliciesOnly' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enforce Show Policies Only
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ShowPoliciesOnly' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.