Microsoft Office 2016 › Tools | Options | Spelling › Proofing Data Collection
Improve Proofing Tools
Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows7 (defined in the Windows templates)
What it does
This policy setting controls whether the Help Improve Proofing Tools feature sends usage data to Microsoft. The Help Improve Proofing Tools feature collects data about use of the Proofing Tools, such as additions to the custom dictionary, and sends it to Microsoft. After about six months, the feature stops sending data to Microsoft and deletes the data collection file from the user's computer. If you enable this policy setting, this feature is enabled if users choose to participate in the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP). If your organization has policies that govern the use of external resources such as the CEIP, allowing the use of the Help Improve Proofing Tools feature might cause them to violate these policies. If you disable this policy setting, the Help Improve Proofing Tools feature does not collect proofing tool usage information and transmit it to Microsoft. If you do not configure this policy setting, the behavior is the equivalent of setting the policy to "Enabled".
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\ptwatson- Value name
ptwoptin- When enabled
- DWORD 1
- When disabled
- DWORD 0
Why it needs changes for Intune
- Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
- ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE
Configure and deploy
Choose a state; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.
Enabled · User · template defaults
Registry file (.reg)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\ptwatson]
"ptwoptin"=dword:00000001
PowerShell
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Improve Proofing Tools
# Name: L_ImproveProofingTools
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: office16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\ptwatson' -Name 'ptwoptin' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
- The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
- Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_office16/L_ImproveProofingToolsADMX SyncML candidate
<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
<SyncBody>
<Replace>
<CmdID>1</CmdID>
<Item>
<Meta>
<Format>chr</Format>
<Type>text/plain</Type>
</Meta>
<Target>
<LocURI>./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_office16/L_ImproveProofingTools</LocURI>
</Target>
<Data><enabled/></Data>
</Item>
</Replace>
<Final/>
</SyncBody>
</SyncML>Intune remediation scripts
Detection
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
function Test-RegistryValueExists {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}
function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
$valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
return $false
}
$actual = $valueObject.$Name
switch ($Kind) {
'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
'MultiString' {
$actualArray = @($actual)
$expectedArray = @($Expected)
if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
'Binary' {
$actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
$expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
}
}
# Policy: Improve Proofing Tools
# Name: L_ImproveProofingTools
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: office16.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\ptwatson' -Name 'ptwoptin' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\ptwatson\ptwoptin') | Out-Null
}
if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1
Remediation
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Improve Proofing Tools
# Name: L_ImproveProofingTools
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: office16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\ptwatson' -Name 'ptwoptin' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 1 retained release
- 5568.100010 Aug 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
Template
- Internal name
L_ImproveProofingTools- Namespace
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows- Template file
office16.admx- Release
- Microsoft 365 Apps 5568.1000 · file set
8be05d876aae137d…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="User" displayName="$(string.L_ImproveProofingTools)" explainText="$(string.L_ImproveProofingToolsExplain)" key="software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\ptwatson" name="L_ImproveProofingTools" valueName="ptwoptin" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ProofingDataCollection" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
<enabledValue>
<decimal value="1" />
</enabledValue>
<disabledValue>
<decimal value="0" />
</disabledValue>
</policy>Editor controls
Supported platforms and category
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ProofingDataCollection
<category displayName="$(string.L_ProofingDataCollection)" name="L_ProofingDataCollection" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ToolsOptionsSpelling" />
</category>
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ToolsOptionsSpelling
<category displayName="$(string.L_ToolsOptionsSpelling)" name="L_ToolsOptionsSpelling" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem" />
</category>
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem">Microsoft Office 2016</string></strings>
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ProofingDataCollection
<category displayName="$(string.L_ProofingDataCollection)" name="L_ProofingDataCollection" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ToolsOptionsSpelling" />
</category>
<strings><string id="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ProofingDataCollection">Proofing Data Collection</string></strings>
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ToolsOptionsSpelling
<category displayName="$(string.L_ToolsOptionsSpelling)" name="L_ToolsOptionsSpelling" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem" />
</category>
<strings><string id="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ToolsOptionsSpelling">Tools | Options | Spelling</string></strings>