windows-itpro-docs/windows/client-management/manage-settings-app-with-group-policy.md

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title	description	ms.prod	ms.mktglfcycl	ms.sitesec	author	ms.date	ms.reviewer	manager	ms.author	ms.topic
Manage the Settings app with Group Policy (Windows 10 and Windows 11)	Find out how to manage the Settings app with Group Policy so you can hide specific pages from users.	w10	manage	library	dansimp	09/14/2021		dansimp	dansimp	article

Manage the Settings app with Group Policy

Applies to

• Windows 10
• Windows 11
• Windows Server 2016

You can now manage the pages that are shown in the Settings app by using Group Policy. When you use Group Policy to manage pages, you can hide specific pages from users. Before Windows 10, version 1703, you could either show everything in the Settings app or hide it completely. To make use of the Settings App group policies on Windows server 2016, install fix 4457127 or a later cumulative update.

Note

Each server that you want to manage access to the Settings App must be patched.

If your company uses one or the PolicyDefinitions folder of the Domain Controllers used for Group Policy management, to centrally manage the new policies, copy the ControlPanel.admx and ControlPanel.adml file to Central Store.

This policy is available for both User and Computer depending on the version of the OS. Windows Server 2016 with KB 4457127 applied will have both User and Computer policy. Windows 10, version 1703, added Computer policy for the Settings app. Windows 10, version 1809, added User policy for the Settings app.

Policy paths:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Settings Page Visibility.

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Settings Page Visibility.

Configuring the Group Policy

The Group Policy can be configured in one of two ways: specify a list of pages that are shown or specify a list of pages to hide. To do this, add either ShowOnly: or Hide: followed by a semicolon-delimited list of URIs in Settings Page Visibility. For a full list of URIs, see the URI scheme reference section in Launch the Windows Settings app.

Note

When you specify the URI in the Settings Page Visibility textbox, don't include ms-settings: in the string.

Here are some examples:

• To show only the Ethernet and Proxy pages, set the Settings App Visibility textbox to ShowOnly:Network-Proxy;Network-Ethernet.
• To hide the Ethernet and Proxy pages, set the Settings App Visibility textbox to Hide:Network-Proxy;Network-Ethernet.