Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on July 10, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016\Writing Assistance Description
This policy setting controls whether Writing Assistance is not installed, installed without launching automatically at startup and locked off, installed without launching automatically at startup but still user-controllable, installed and allowed to launch automatically at startup and locked on, or installed with startup on by default but still user-controllable. If you enable this policy setting, choose one of the following options: - Not installed: Writing Assistance is removed and should not appear in Start. - Installed, don't launch at startup: Writing Assistance remains installed, but automatic startup launches are blocked and users cannot turn startup back on. - Installed, don't launch at startup by default (users can enable): Writing Assistance remains installed, automatic startup launches are off by default, and users can turn startup on later. - Installed, launch at startup: Writing Assistance remains installed, automatic startup launches are allowed, and users cannot turn startup off. - Installed, launch at startup by default (users can disable): Writing Assistance remains installed, automatic startup launches are on by default, and users can turn startup off later. If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, Writing Assistance follows its default install and startup behavior, and users can control startup themselves. Note: This policy setting only applies to subscription versions of Office, such as Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise.
Registry
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant 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: Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant]
"writingassistantinstallandstartupadminchoice"=dword:00000002More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# 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\office\16.0\writingassistant'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'writingassistantinstallandstartupadminchoice' -Value 2 -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: Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant' -Name 'writingassistantinstallandstartupadminchoice' -Expected 2 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# 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\office\16.0\writingassistant'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'writingassistantinstallandstartupadminchoice' -Value 2 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# 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: Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant' -Name 'writingassistantinstallandstartupadminchoice' -Expected 2 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Writing Assistance installation and startup
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# 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\office\16.0\writingassistant'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'writingassistantinstallandstartupadminchoice' -Value 2 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.