Define device control policy groups
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 12, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Device Control Description
Please follow the device control policy groups xml schema to fill out the policy groups data. Alternatively you could use a file path containing the XML groups data.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control\Policy Groups 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: Define device control policy groups
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control\Policy Groups]
"PolicyGroups"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Define device control policy groups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control\Policy Groups'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PolicyGroups' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Define device control policy groups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control\Policy Groups' -Name 'PolicyGroups' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Define device control policy groups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control\Policy Groups'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PolicyGroups' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Define device control policy groups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
# 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: Define device control policy groups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control\Policy Groups' -Name 'PolicyGroups' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Define device control policy groups
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control\Policy Groups'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PolicyGroups' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.