Microsoft Office 2016 › Writing Assistance
Writing Assistance First Run Experience Mode
Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows10_0 (defined in the Windows templates)
What it does
This policy setting controls the Writing Assistance first run experience (FRE).If you enable this policy setting, choose one of the following options:Skip FRE entirely - Writing Assistance marks the first run experience as completed without showing it.Informational only - Writing Assistance shows the first run experience once without requiring user approval or sign-in. The experience is marked completed immediately, uses Next on page 1 and Okay on page 2, removes No Thanks, and is still completed if the user dismisses it.Approval required - Writing Assistance keeps the existing approval-required first run experience behavior.If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, Writing Assistance uses the existing default first run experience behavior.Note: This policy setting only applies to subscription versions of Office, such as Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant
Why it needs changes for Intune
- Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
- ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE
Options
| Option | Type | Registry value | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configure Writing Assistance First Run Experience ModeDefault: Approval required | Drop-down list | writingassistantfirstrunexperienceadminchoice |
|
Configure and deploy
Choose a state and the option values; 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\writingassistant]
"writingassistantfirstrunexperienceadminchoice"=dword:00000002
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: Writing Assistance First Run Experience Mode
# Name: L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: office16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant' -Name 'writingassistantfirstrunexperienceadminchoice' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 2
- 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_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceADMX 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_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice</LocURI>
</Target>
<Data><enabled/>
<data id="L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceDropID" value="2"/></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: Writing Assistance First Run Experience Mode
# Name: L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: office16.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant' -Name 'writingassistantfirstrunexperienceadminchoice' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 2
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant\writingassistantfirstrunexperienceadminchoice') | Out-Null
}
if ($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 $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Writing Assistance First Run Experience Mode
# Name: L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: office16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant' -Name 'writingassistantfirstrunexperienceadminchoice' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 2
History 1 retained release
- 5568.100010 Aug 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
Template
- Internal name
L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice- Namespace
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows- Template file
office16.admx- Release
- Microsoft 365 Apps 5568.1000 · file set
8be05d876aae137d…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="User" displayName="$(string.L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice)" explainText="$(string.L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceExplain)" key="software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\writingassistant" name="L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice" presentation="$(presentation.L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_WritingAssistance" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows10_0" />
<elements>
<enum id="L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceDropID" valueName="writingassistantfirstrunexperienceadminchoice">
<item displayName="$(string.L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceSkip)">
<value>
<decimal value="0" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceInformationalOnly)">
<value>
<decimal value="1" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceApprovalRequired)">
<value>
<decimal value="2" />
</value>
</item>
</enum>
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoice" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<dropdownList defaultItem="2" noSort="true" refId="L_WritingAssistantFirstRunExperienceAdminChoiceDropID">Configure Writing Assistance First Run Experience Mode</dropdownList>
</presentation>Supported platforms and category
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_WritingAssistance
<category displayName="$(string.L_WritingAssistance)" name="L_WritingAssistance" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem" />
</category>
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows10_0
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows10_0" />
office16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeSystem
<category displayName="$(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_WritingAssistance
<category displayName="$(string.L_WritingAssistance)" name="L_WritingAssistance" 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_WritingAssistance">Writing Assistance</string></strings>