Microsoft PowerToys › General settings
Allow Experimentation
Supported on PowerToys version 0.68.0 or later
What it does
This policy configures whether PowerToys experimentation is allowed. With experimentation allowed the user sees the new features being experimented if it gets selected as part of the test group. (Experimentation will only happen on Windows Insider builds.) If this setting is enabled or not configured, the user can control experimentation in the PowerToys settings menu. If this setting is disabled, experimentation is not allowed.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
Software\Policies\PowerToys- Value name
AllowExperimentation- When enabled
- DWORD 1
- When disabled
- DWORD 0
Configure and deploy
Choose a state; 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\PowerToys]
"AllowExperimentation"=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: Allow Experimentation
# Name: AllowExperimentation
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: PowerToys.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys' -Name 'AllowExperimentation' -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)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PowerToys/AllowExperimentationADMX SyncML candidate
<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
<SyncBody>
<Replace>
<CmdID>1</CmdID>
<Item>
<Meta>
<Format>chr</Format>
<Type>text/plain</Type>
</Meta>
<Target>
<LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PowerToys/AllowExperimentation</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: Allow Experimentation
# Name: AllowExperimentation
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: PowerToys.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys' -Name 'AllowExperimentation' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys\AllowExperimentation') | Out-Null
}
if ($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 $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Allow Experimentation
# Name: AllowExperimentation
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: PowerToys.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys' -Name 'AllowExperimentation' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 31 retained releases
- 0.83.030 Jul 2024
- Moved Microsoft
[removed: PowerToys][added: PowerToys\General settings]
- Moved Microsoft
- 0.76.04 Dec 2023
- Description
… (Experimentation will only happen on Windows Insider builds.)
If this setting is
[removed: not configured or enabled,][added: enabled or not configured,] the user can control experimentation in the PowerToys settings menu. If this …Whole description, marked
This policy configures whether PowerToys experimentation is allowed. With experimentation allowed the user sees the new features being experimented if it gets selected as part of the test group. (Experimentation will only happen on Windows Insider builds.) If this setting is
[removed: not configured or enabled,][added: enabled or not configured,] the user can control experimentation in the PowerToys settings menu. If this setting is disabled, experimentation is not allowed.
- Description
… (Experimentation will only happen on Windows Insider builds.)
If this setting is
- 0.68.01 Mar 2023
- Added in this release.
23 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
AllowExperimentation- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys- Template file
PowerToys.admx- Release
- Microsoft PowerToys 0.84.0 · file set
97201fc4ab4e9cdf…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.AllowExperimentation)" explainText="$(string.AllowExperimentationDescription)" key="Software\Policies\PowerToys" name="AllowExperimentation" valueName="AllowExperimentation" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:GeneralSettings" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0" />
<enabledValue>
<decimal value="1" />
</enabledValue>
<disabledValue>
<decimal value="0" />
</disabledValue>
</policy>Editor controls
Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:category:GeneralSettings
<category displayName="$(string.GeneralSettings)" name="GeneralSettings" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:PowerToys" />
</category>
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:category:PowerToys
<category displayName="$(string.PowerToys)" name="PowerToys" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:definition:SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0)" name="SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:category:GeneralSettings
<category displayName="$(string.GeneralSettings)" name="GeneralSettings" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:PowerToys" />
</category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:GeneralSettings">General settings</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:category:PowerToys
<category displayName="$(string.PowerToys)" name="PowerToys" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:PowerToys">Microsoft PowerToys</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:definition:SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0)" name="SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_68_0">PowerToys version 0.68.0 or later</string></strings>