Do not synchronize Windows Apps
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft User Experience Virtualization User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft User Experience Virtualization Description
This policy setting defines whether the User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) Agent synchronizes settings for Windows apps. By default, the UE-V Agent synchronizes settings for Windows apps between the computer and the settings storage location. If you enable this policy setting, the UE-V Agent will not synchronize settings for Windows apps. If you disable this policy setting, the UE-V Agent will synchronize settings for Windows apps. If you do not configure this policy setting, any defined values are deleted. Note: If the user connects their Microsoft account for their computer then the UE-V Agent will not synchronize Windows apps. The Windows apps will default to whatever settings are configured in the Sync your settings configuration in Windows.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration Value name: DontSyncWindows8AppSettings
Enabled: DontSyncWindows8AppSettings = 1
Disabled: DontSyncWindows8AppSettings = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_UserExperienceVirtualization/DisableWin8Sync ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_UserExperienceVirtualization/DisableWin8Sync 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. ⓘ
Applying both scopes creates an ambiguous configuration (computer takes precedence over user). Only do this intentionally.
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Do not synchronize Windows Apps
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration]
"DontSyncWindows8AppSettings"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not synchronize Windows Apps
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DontSyncWindows8AppSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_UserExperienceVirtualization/DisableWin8Sync
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not synchronize Windows Apps
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration' -Name 'DontSyncWindows8AppSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not synchronize Windows Apps
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DontSyncWindows8AppSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not synchronize Windows Apps
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
# 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: Do not synchronize Windows Apps
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration' -Name 'DontSyncWindows8AppSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not synchronize Windows Apps
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DontSyncWindows8AppSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.