Turn on an external converter as the default for a file extension

ComputerNeeds changes for IntuneL_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT

Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows7 (defined in the Windows templates)

5568.1000

What it does

This policy setting allows you to enable an external file format converter as the default for a particular file extension on a computer. To set this policy you need to specify the file extension (e.g. "odp") for Value Name and the external file format converter via the converter's classname (e.g. "TestConverter") for Value. If you enable this policy setting for a particular file extension, the file format converter specified for that extension is used as the default converter for loading the files. If you do not configure this policy setting for a particular file extension, Microsoft PowerPoint processes files with that extension in an application defined manner. Note: This policy can only be specified once per file extension.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry key: software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\presentation converters\defaults

Why it needs changes for Intune

Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE

Options

Option	Type	Registry value	Allowed values
List of external file format converters to customize	List of values		Name and value pairs

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\presentation converters\defaults]

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: Turn on an external converter as the default for a file extension
# Name: L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: ppt16.admx

Clear-RegistryKeyValues -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\presentation converters\defaults'

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.
The generated payload is incomplete because one or more ADMX element values were not supplied: L_listOfExternalConvertersPPT

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ppt16/L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT

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: Turn on an external converter as the default for a file extension
# Name: L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: ppt16.admx

$keyPath = 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\presentation converters\defaults'
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $keyPath) {
    $propertyNames = (Get-Item -LiteralPath $keyPath).Property
    if ($propertyNames.Count -gt 0) {
        $reasons.Add('Key should be empty: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\presentation converters\defaults') | 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: Turn on an external converter as the default for a file extension
# Name: L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: ppt16.admx

Clear-RegistryKeyValues -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\presentation converters\defaults'

History 1 retained release

5568.100010 Aug 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

Template

Internal name: L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT
Namespace: ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows
Template file: ppt16.admx
Release: Microsoft 365 Apps 5568.1000 · file set 8be05d876aae137d…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT)" explainText="$(string.L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPTExplain)" key="software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\presentation converters\defaults" name="L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT" presentation="$(presentation.L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ConvertersMachinePPT" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
      <elements>
        <list explicitValue="true" id="L_listOfExternalConvertersPPT" />
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="L_externalConverterAsDefaultForFileExtensionPPT" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <listBox refId="L_listOfExternalConvertersPPT">List of external file format converters to customize</listBox>
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ConvertersMachinePPT
<category displayName="$(string.L_ConvertersMachinePPT)" name="L_ConvertersMachinePPT" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine" />
    </category>
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ConvertersMachinePPT
<category displayName="$(string.L_ConvertersMachinePPT)" name="L_ConvertersMachinePPT" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ConvertersMachinePPT">Converters</string></strings>
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPointMachine">Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 (Machine)</string></strings>