Configure allowed applications
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access Description
Add additional applications that should be considered "trusted" by controlled folder access. These applications are allowed to modify or delete files in controlled folder access folders. Microsoft Defender Antivirus automatically determines which applications should be trusted. You can configure this setting to add additional applications. Enabled: Specify additional allowed applications in the Options section.. Disabled: No additional applications will be added to the trusted list. Not configured: Same as Disabled. You can enable controlled folder access in the Configure controlled folder access GP setting. Default system folders are automatically guarded, but you can add folders in the configure protected folders GP setting.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access Value name: ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MicrosoftDefenderAntivirus/ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications Multiple CSP matches are possible; the first one was selected.
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: Configure allowed applications
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access]
"ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\AllowedApplications]
; List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure allowed applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\AllowedApplications'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.Intune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MicrosoftDefenderAntivirus/ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<!-- ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications: enter one value per line before copying this XML payload. -->Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure allowed applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
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
}
# HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\AllowedApplications: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure allowed applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\AllowedApplications'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.SCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure allowed applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
# 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: Configure allowed applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
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
}
# HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\AllowedApplications: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure allowed applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_AllowedApplications' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\AllowedApplications'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.Building a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.