Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 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 security zone settings. A security zone is a group of Web sites with the same security level. If you enable this policy, the Custom Level button and security-level slider on the Security tab in the Internet Options dialog box are disabled. If you disable this policy or do not configure it, users can change the settings for security zones. This policy prevents users from changing security zone settings established by the administrator. Note: The "Disable the Security page" policy (located in \User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel), which removes the Security tab from Internet Explorer in Control Panel, takes precedence over this policy. If it is enabled, this policy is ignored. Also, see the "Security zones: Use only machine settings" policy.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings Value name: Security_options_edit
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DoNotAllowUsersToChangePolicies 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: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
"Security_options_edit"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Security_options_edit' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DoNotAllowUsersToChangePolicies
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings' -Name 'Security_options_edit' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Security_options_edit' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
# 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: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings' -Name 'Security_options_edit' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 5.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Security_options_edit' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.