List desktop apps first in the Apps view
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 only
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Description
This policy setting allows desktop apps to be listed first in the Apps view in Start. If you enable this policy setting, desktop apps would be listed first when the apps are sorted by category in the Apps view. The other sorting options would continue to be available and the user could choose to change their default sorting options. If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the desktop apps won't be listed first when the apps are sorted by category, and the user can configure this setting.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer Value name: DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView
Enabled: DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView = 1
Disabled: DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView 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: List desktop apps first in the Apps view
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 only
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: List desktop apps first in the Apps view
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 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\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: List desktop apps first in the Apps view
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: List desktop apps first in the Apps view
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 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\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: List desktop apps first in the Apps view
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 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: List desktop apps first in the Apps view
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: List desktop apps first in the Apps view
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 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\Windows\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DesktopAppsFirstInAppsView' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.