Remove programs on Settings menu
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Description
This policy setting allows you to remove programs on Settings menu. If you enable this policy setting, the Control Panel, Printers, and Network and Connection folders are removed from Settings on the Start menu, and from Computer and File Explorer. It also prevents the programs represented by these folders (such as Control.exe) from running. However, users can still start Control Panel items by using other methods, such as right-clicking the desktop to start Display or right-clicking Computer to start System. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the Control Panel, Printers, and Network and Connection folders from Settings are available on the Start menu, and from Computer and File Explorer. Also, see the "Disable Control Panel," "Disable Display in Control Panel," and "Remove Network Connections from Start Menu" policy settings.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Value name: NoSetFolders
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/NoSetFolders 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: Remove programs on Settings menu
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSetFolders"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove programs on Settings menu
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoSetFolders' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/NoSetFolders
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove programs on Settings menu
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoSetFolders' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove programs on Settings menu
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoSetFolders' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove programs on Settings menu
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and 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: Remove programs on Settings menu
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoSetFolders' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove programs on Settings menu
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NoSetFolders' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.