Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Description
Determines whether users can delete remote access connections. If you enable this setting (and enable the "Enable Network Connections settings for Administrators" setting), users (including administrators) cannot delete any remote access connections. This setting also disables the Delete option on the context menu for a remote access connection and on the File menu in the Network Connections folder. Important: If the "Enable Network Connections settings for Administrators" is disabled or not configured, this setting will not apply to administrators on post-Windows 2000 computers. If you disable this setting or do not configure it, all users can delete their private remote access connections. Private connections are those that are available only to one user. (By default, only Administrators and Network Configuration Operators can delete connections available to all users, but you can change the default by using the "Ability to delete all user remote access connections" setting.) Important: When enabled, this setting takes precedence over the "Ability to delete all user remote access connections" setting. Users cannot delete any remote access connections, and the "Ability to delete all user remote access connections" setting is ignored. Note: LAN connections are created and deleted automatically when a LAN adapter is installed or removed. You cannot use the Network Connections folder to create or delete a LAN connection. Note: This setting does not prevent users from using other programs, such as Internet Explorer, to bypass this setting.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections Value name: NC_DeleteConnection
Enabled: NC_DeleteConnection = 0
Disabled: NC_DeleteConnection = 1
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_NetworkConnections/NC_DeleteConnection 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: Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections]
"NC_DeleteConnection"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
# 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\Windows\Network Connections'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NC_DeleteConnection' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_NetworkConnections/NC_DeleteConnection
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections' -Name 'NC_DeleteConnection' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
# 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\Windows\Network Connections'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NC_DeleteConnection' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
# 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: Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections' -Name 'NC_DeleteConnection' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit deletion of remote access connections
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
# 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\Windows\Network Connections'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NC_DeleteConnection' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.