Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorer\Previous Versions Description
This policy setting lets you suppress the Restore button in the previous versions property page when the user has selected a previous version of a local file, in which the previous version is stored on a backup. If you enable this policy setting, the Restore button is disabled when the user selects a previous version corresponding to a backup. If you disable this policy setting, the Restore button remains active for a previous version corresponding to a backup. If the Restore button is clicked, Windows attempts to restore the file from the backup media. If you do not configure this policy setting, it is disabled by default. The Restore button is active when the previous version is of a local file and stored on the backup.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions Value name: DisableBackupRestore
Enabled: DisableBackupRestore = 1
Disabled: DisableBackupRestore = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PreviousVersions/DisableBackupRestore_1 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: Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions]
"DisableBackupRestore"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
# 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\PreviousVersions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBackupRestore' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PreviousVersions/DisableBackupRestore_1
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions' -Name 'DisableBackupRestore' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
# 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\PreviousVersions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBackupRestore' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
# 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: Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions' -Name 'DisableBackupRestore' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent restoring previous versions from backups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Supported Windows Vista through Windows 7
# 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\PreviousVersions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBackupRestore' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.