Turn on device control for specific device types
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 10, 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
This policy setting controls which device types, identified by their PrimaryIds, will have device control protection turned on. If you enable this setting for certain device types, device control will regulate access to those devices based on the corresponding custom policy. Device control will be turned off for all other types of supported devices, even if custom protection policies are configured for those devices. This setting currently supports these device types: RemovableMediaDevices, CdRomDevices, WpdDevices, and PrinterDevices. If you enable this policy setting but do not specify any PrimaryIds, device control will be turned off across all supported device types. If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, device control will be enforced on all supported devicesbased on their corresponding custom policies.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control 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: Turn on device control for specific device types
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control]
"SecuredDevicesConfiguration"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on device control for specific device types
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SecuredDevicesConfiguration' -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: Turn on device control for specific device types
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control' -Name 'SecuredDevicesConfiguration' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on device control for specific device types
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SecuredDevicesConfiguration' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on device control for specific device types
# 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: Turn on device control for specific device types
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control' -Name 'SecuredDevicesConfiguration' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on device control for specific device types
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Device Control'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SecuredDevicesConfiguration' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.