en-US windows user

File menu: Disable Open menu option

Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 23, 2026

Windows 11 25H2

Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0

Path in the GPO console

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus

Description

Prevents users from opening a file or Web page from the File menu in Internet Explorer. If you enable this policy, the Open dialog box will not appear when users click the Open command on the File menu. If users click the Open command, they will be notified that the command is not available. If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can open a Web page from the browser File menu. Caution: This policy does not prevent users from right-clicking a link on a Web page, and then clicking the Open or Open in New Window command. To prevent users from opening Web pages by using the shortcut menu, set the "Disable Open in New Window menu option" policy, which disables this command on the shortcut menu, or the "Turn off Shortcut Menu" policy, which disables the entire shortcut menu.

Registry

HKCU Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions

Value name: NoFileOpen

Export Builder

BETA

Configure 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: File menu: Disable Open menu option
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions]
"NoFileOpen"=dword:00000001
More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)

PowerShell

# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: File menu: Disable Open menu option
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
# 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\Internet Explorer\Restrictions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoFileOpen' -Value 1 -Type DWord

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