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Do Not Show Anchor

Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026

Windows 11 25H2

Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only

Path in the GPO console

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\User Interface

Description

Prevents the anchor window from being displayed when Windows Media Player is in skin mode. This policy hides the anchor window when the Player is in skin mode. In addition, the option on the Player tab in the Player that enables users to choose whether the anchor window displays is not available. When this policy is not configured or disabled, users can show or hide the anchor window when the Player is in skin mode by using the Player tab in the Player. When this policy is not configured and the Set and Lock Skin policy is enabled, some options in the anchor window are not available.

Registry

HKCU Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer

Value name: DoNotShowAnchor

Enabled: DoNotShowAnchor = 1

Disabled: DoNotShowAnchor = 0

MDM / Intune (CSP)

./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsMediaPlayer/DoNotShowAnchor
User Since Windows 10, version 2004 with KB5005101 [10.0.19041.1202] and later | Windows 10, version 20H2 with KB5005101 [10.0.19042.1202] and later | Windows 10, version 21H1 with KB5005101 [10.0.19043.1202] and later | Windows 11, version 21H2 [10.0.22000] and later Official mapping (Microsoft Learn)

Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)

Export Builder

BETA

Configure 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: Do Not Show Anchor
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer]
"DoNotShowAnchor"=dword:00000001
More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)

PowerShell

# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do Not Show Anchor
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# 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\WindowsMediaPlayer'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DoNotShowAnchor' -Value 1 -Type DWord

Building a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.

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