Items displayed in Places Bar
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorer\Common Open File Dialog Description
Configures the list of items displayed in the Places Bar in the Windows File/Open dialog. If enable this setting you can specify from 1 to 5 items to be displayed in the Places Bar. The valid items you may display in the Places Bar are: 1) Shortcuts to a local folders -- (ex. C:\Windows) 2) Shortcuts to remote folders -- (\\server\share) 3) FTP folders 4) web folders 5) Common Shell folders. The list of Common Shell Folders that may be specified: Desktop, Recent Places, Documents, Pictures, Music, Recently Changed, Attachments and Saved Searches. If you disable or do not configure this setting the default list of items will be displayed in the Places Bar. Note: In Windows Vista, this policy setting applies only to applications that are using the Windows XP common dialog box style. This policy setting does not apply to the new Windows Vista common dialog box style.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsExplorer/PlacesBar 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: Items displayed in Places Bar
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar]
"Place0"=""
"Place1"=""
"Place2"=""
"Place3"=""
"Place4"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Items displayed in Places Bar
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place0' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place1' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place2' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place3' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place4' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsExplorer/PlacesBar
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="Places0" value=""/>
<data id="Places1" value=""/>
<data id="Places2" value=""/>
<data id="Places3" value=""/>
<data id="Places4" value=""/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Items displayed in Places Bar
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place0' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place1' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place2' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place3' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place4' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Items displayed in Places Bar
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place0' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place1' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place2' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place3' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place4' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Items displayed in Places Bar
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# 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: Items displayed in Places Bar
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place0' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place1' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place2' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place3' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar' -Name 'Place4' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Items displayed in Places Bar
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place0' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place1' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place2' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place3' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Place4' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.