Prevent launch an application
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Tablet PC\Hardware Buttons Description
Prevents the user from launching an application from a Tablet PC hardware button. If you enable this policy, applications cannot be launched from a hardware button, and "Launch an application" is removed from the drop down menu for configuring button actions (in the Tablet PC Control Panel buttons tab). If you disable this policy, applications can be launched from a hardware button. If you do not configure this policy, applications can be launched from a hardware button.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC Value name: PreventButtonApplicationLaunch
Enabled: PreventButtonApplicationLaunch = 1
Disabled: PreventButtonApplicationLaunch = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TabletShell/PreventLaunchApp_2 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 launch an application
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC]
"PreventButtonApplicationLaunch"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent launch an application
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PreventButtonApplicationLaunch' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TabletShell/PreventLaunchApp_2
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent launch an application
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC' -Name 'PreventButtonApplicationLaunch' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent launch an application
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PreventButtonApplicationLaunch' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent launch an application
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# 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 launch an application
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC' -Name 'PreventButtonApplicationLaunch' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent launch an application
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\TabletPC'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PreventButtonApplicationLaunch' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.