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Microsoft PowerToys Group Policy settings

56 settings · 0.84.0 · 3 Sep 2024

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Microsoft PowerToys › General settings

Allow Experimentation

Computer and userIntune-readyAllowExperimentation

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.

State
Apply to

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/AllowExperimentation

ADMX 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>&lt;enabled/&gt;</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

  1. 0.83.030 Jul 2024
    • Moved Microsoft [removed: PowerToys][added: PowerToys\General settings]
  2. 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.

  3. 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>
ChangeIntel

An IT change radar: releases, security, known issues, retirements, documentation changes, and service status from public sources. Every item links to supporting evidence; dates and statuses can change after they are read.

Sources read 19 Oct 03:24 UTC · 253 of 255 readable · 252 fully read · documentation 417/444 current