Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Windows Connect Now Description
This policy setting prohibits access to Windows Connect Now (WCN) wizards. If you enable this policy setting, the wizards are turned off and users have no access to any of the wizard tasks. All the configuration related tasks, including "Set up a wireless router or access point" and "Add a wireless device" are disabled. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, users can access the wizard tasks, including "Set up a wireless router or access point" and "Add a wireless device." The default for this policy setting allows users to access all WCN wizards.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\UI Value name: DisableWcnUi
Enabled: DisableWcnUi = 1
Disabled: DisableWcnUi = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsConnectNow/WCN_DisableWcnUi_1 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: Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\UI]
"DisableWcnUi"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\UI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWcnUi' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsConnectNow/WCN_DisableWcnUi_1
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\UI' -Name 'DisableWcnUi' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\UI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWcnUi' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# 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: Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\UI' -Name 'DisableWcnUi' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prohibit access of the Windows Connect Now wizards
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\UI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWcnUi' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.