Synchronize Windows settings
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
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 configures the synchronization of Windows settings between computers. Certain Windows settings will synchronize between computers by default. These settings include Windows themes, Windows desktop settings, Ease of Access settings, and network printers. Use this policy setting to specify which Windows settings synchronize between computers. You can also use these settings to enable synchronization of users' sign-in information for certain apps, networks, and certificates. If you enable this policy setting, only the selected Windows settings synchronize. Unselected Windows settings are excluded from settings synchronization. If you disable this policy setting, all Windows Settings are excluded from the settings synchronization. If you do not configure this policy setting, any defined values will be deleted.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings MDM / Intune (CSP)
Device
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_UserExperienceVirtualization/DisableWindowsOSSettings User
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_UserExperienceVirtualization/DisableWindowsOSSettings 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: Synchronize Windows settings
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings]
"DesktopSettings"=dword:00000001
"EaseOfAccessSettings"=dword:00000001
"ThemeSettings"=dword:00000001
"RoamingCredentialSettings"=dword:00000000
"NetworkPrinters"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Synchronize Windows settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DesktopSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EaseOfAccessSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ThemeSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RoamingCredentialSettings' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NetworkPrinters' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_UserExperienceVirtualization/DisableWindowsOSSettings
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="DesktopSettings" value="1"/>
<data id="EaseOfAccessSettings" value="1"/>
<data id="ThemeSettings" value="1"/>
<data id="RoamingCredentialSettings" value="0"/>
<data id="NetworkPrinters" value="1"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Synchronize Windows settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'DesktopSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'EaseOfAccessSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'ThemeSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'RoamingCredentialSettings' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'NetworkPrinters' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Synchronize Windows settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DesktopSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EaseOfAccessSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ThemeSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RoamingCredentialSettings' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NetworkPrinters' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Synchronize Windows settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# 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: Synchronize Windows settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'DesktopSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'EaseOfAccessSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'ThemeSettings' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'RoamingCredentialSettings' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings' -Name 'NetworkPrinters' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Synchronize Windows settings
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\UEV\Agent\Configuration\WindowsSettings'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DesktopSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EaseOfAccessSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ThemeSettings' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RoamingCredentialSettings' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NetworkPrinters' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.