Allow users to browse for source while elevated
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Description
This policy setting allows users to search for installation files during privileged installations. If you enable this policy setting, the Browse button in the "Use feature from" dialog box is enabled. As a result, users can search for installation files even when the installation program is running with elevated system privileges. Because the installation is running with elevated system privileges, users can browse through directories that their own permissions would not allow. This policy setting does not affect installations that run in the user's security context. Also, see the "Remove browse dialog box for new source" policy setting. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, by default, only system administrators can browse during installations with elevated privileges, such as installations offered on the desktop or displayed in Add or Remove Programs.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer Value name: AllowLockdownBrowse
Enabled: AllowLockdownBrowse = 1
Disabled: AllowLockdownBrowse = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MSI/AllowLockdownBrowse 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: Allow users to browse for source while elevated
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer]
"AllowLockdownBrowse"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow users to browse for source while elevated
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowLockdownBrowse' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MSI/AllowLockdownBrowse
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow users to browse for source while elevated
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer' -Name 'AllowLockdownBrowse' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow users to browse for source while elevated
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowLockdownBrowse' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow users to browse for source while elevated
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# 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: Allow users to browse for source while elevated
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer' -Name 'AllowLockdownBrowse' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow users to browse for source while elevated
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowLockdownBrowse' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.