Configure protected folders
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
Specify additional folders that should be guarded by the Controlled folder access feature. Files in these folders cannot be modified or deleted by untrusted applications. Default system folders are automatically protected. You can configure this setting to add additional folders. The list of default system folders that are protected is shown in Windows Security. Enabled: Specify additional folders that should be protected in the Options section. Disabled: No additional folders will be protected. Not configured: Same as Disabled. You can enable controlled folder access in the Configure controlled folder access GP setting. Microsoft Defender Antivirus automatically determines which applications can be trusted. You can add additional trusted applications in the Configure allowed applications GP setting.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access Value name: ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_ProtectedFolders
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MicrosoftDefenderAntivirus/ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_ProtectedFolders 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 protected folders
; 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_ProtectedFolders"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\ProtectedFolders]
; List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure protected folders
# 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_ProtectedFolders' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\ProtectedFolders'
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_ProtectedFolders
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<!-- ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_ProtectedFolders: enter one value per line before copying this XML payload. -->Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure protected folders
# 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\ProtectedFolders: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_ProtectedFolders' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure protected folders
# 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_ProtectedFolders' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\ProtectedFolders'
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 protected folders
# 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 protected folders
# 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\ProtectedFolders: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_ProtectedFolders' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure protected folders
# 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_ProtectedFolders' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access\ProtectedFolders'
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.