Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Management Console\Restricted/Permitted snap-ins\Group Policy Description
Permits or prohibits use of the Group Policy tab in property sheets for the Active Directory Users and Computers and Active Directory Sites and Services snap-ins. If you enable this setting, the Group Policy tab is displayed in the property sheet for a site, domain, or organizational unit displayed by the Active Directory Users and Computers and Active Directory Sites and Services snap-ins. If you disable the setting, the Group Policy tab is not displayed in those snap-ins. If this setting is not configured, the setting of the "Restrict users to the explicitly permitted list of snap-ins" setting determines whether this tab is displayed. -- If "Restrict users to the explicitly permitted list of snap-ins" is enabled, users will not have access to the Group Policy tab. To explicitly permit use of the Group Policy tab, enable this setting. If this setting is not configured (or disabled), the Group Policy tab is inaccessible. -- If "Restrict users to the explicitly permitted list of snap-ins" is disabled or not configured, users will have access to the Group Policy tab. To explicitly prohibit use of the Group Policy tab, disable this setting. If this setting is not configured (or enabled), the Group Policy tab is accessible. When the Group Policy tab is inaccessible, it does not appear in the site, domain, or organizational unit property sheets.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\{D70A2BEA-A63E-11D1-A7D4-0000F87571E3} Value name: Restrict_Run
Enabled: Restrict_Run = 0
Disabled: Restrict_Run = 1
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MMCSnapins/MMC_GroupPolicyTab 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: Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\{D70A2BEA-A63E-11D1-A7D4-0000F87571E3}]
"Restrict_Run"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# 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\MMC\{D70A2BEA-A63E-11D1-A7D4-0000F87571E3}'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Restrict_Run' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MMCSnapins/MMC_GroupPolicyTab
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\{D70A2BEA-A63E-11D1-A7D4-0000F87571E3}' -Name 'Restrict_Run' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# 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\MMC\{D70A2BEA-A63E-11D1-A7D4-0000F87571E3}'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Restrict_Run' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# 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: Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\{D70A2BEA-A63E-11D1-A7D4-0000F87571E3}' -Name 'Restrict_Run' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Group Policy tab for Active Directory Tools
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# 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\MMC\{D70A2BEA-A63E-11D1-A7D4-0000F87571E3}'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Restrict_Run' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.