Remove Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Description
This policy setting allows you to remove the Default Programs link from the Start menu. If you enable this policy setting, the Default Programs link is removed from the Start menu. Clicking the Default Programs link from the Start menu opens the Default Programs control panel and provides administrators the ability to specify default programs for certain activities, such as Web browsing or sending e-mail, as well as which programs are accessible from the Start menu, desktop, and other locations. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the Default Programs link is available from the Start menu. Note: This policy setting does not prevent the Set Default Programs for This Computer option from appearing in the Default Programs control panel.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Value name: NoSMConfigurePrograms
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/NoSMConfigurePrograms 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 Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSMConfigurePrograms"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# 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 'NoSMConfigurePrograms' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_StartMenu/NoSMConfigurePrograms
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoSMConfigurePrograms' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# 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 'NoSMConfigurePrograms' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# 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 Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoSMConfigurePrograms' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Remove Default Programs link from the Start 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 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# 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 'NoSMConfigurePrograms' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.