Disable changing connection settings
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 23, 2026
Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Description
Prevents users from changing dial-up settings. If you enable this policy, the Settings button on the Connections tab in the Internet Options dialog box appears dimmed. If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can change their settings for dial-up connections. If you set the "Disable the Connections 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 Connections page" policy removes the Connections tab from the interface.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel This policy sets several registry values:
Connection Settings Enabled:
Connection Settings = 1 Connwiz Admin Lock Enabled:
Connwiz Admin Lock = 1 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 connection settings
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel]
"Connection Settings"=dword:00000001
"Connwiz Admin Lock"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing connection settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Connection Settings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Connwiz Admin Lock' -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 connection settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel' -Name 'Connection Settings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel' -Name 'Connwiz Admin Lock' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing connection settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Connection Settings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Connwiz Admin Lock' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing connection 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 connection settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel' -Name 'Connection Settings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel' -Name 'Connwiz Admin Lock' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable changing connection settings
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Connection Settings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Connwiz Admin Lock' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.