Disable changing color settings
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 23, 2026
Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Description
Prevents users from changing the default Web page colors. If you enable this policy, the color settings for Web pages appear dimmed. The settings are located in the Colors area in the dialog box that appears when the user clicks the General tab and then clicks the Colors button in the Internet Options dialog box. If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can change the default background and text color of Web pages. If you set the "Disable the General page" policy (located in \User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel), you do not need to set this policy, because the "Disable the General page" policy removes the General tab from the interface. Note: The default Web page colors are ignored on Web pages in which the author has specified the background and text colors.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel Value name: Colors
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: Disable changing color settings
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel]
"Colors"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing color settings
# 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\Control Panel'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Colors' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing color settings
# 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.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel' -Name 'Colors' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing color settings
# 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\Control Panel'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Colors' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing color settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
# 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: Disable changing color settings
# 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.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel' -Name 'Colors' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing color settings
# 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\Control Panel'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Colors' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.