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Microsoft PowerToys Group Policy settings

81 settings · 0.101.2362.0 · 25 Aug 2026

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Microsoft PowerToys › General settings

Configure the run at startup setting

Computer and userIntune-readyConfigureRunAtStartup

Supported on PowerToys version 0.89.0 or later

What it does

This policy configures the "run at startup" setting of PowerToys. If you enable this setting, the "run at startup" setting will be always enabled and the user won't be able to disable it. If you disable this setting, the "run at startup" setting will be always disabled and the user won't be able to enable it. If you don't configure this setting, users are able to enable or disable "run at startup" at will. Note: This only controls the PowerToys method that creates a scheduled task to start PowerToys at login. It doesn't control other custom auto-start methods that the user might try to use outside of PowerToys or manually creating/deleting a scheduled task.

What it writes

Hive
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key
Software\Policies\PowerToys
Value name
ConfigureRunAtStartup
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]
"ConfigureRunAtStartup"=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: Configure the run at startup setting
# Name: ConfigureRunAtStartup
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: PowerToys.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys' -Name 'ConfigureRunAtStartup' -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/ConfigureRunAtStartup

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/ConfigureRunAtStartup</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: Configure the run at startup setting
# Name: ConfigureRunAtStartup
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: PowerToys.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys' -Name 'ConfigureRunAtStartup' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys\ConfigureRunAtStartup') | 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: Configure the run at startup setting
# Name: ConfigureRunAtStartup
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: PowerToys.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\PowerToys' -Name 'ConfigureRunAtStartup' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 63 retained releases

  1. 0.89.05 Mar 2025
    • Added in this release.

24 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name
ConfigureRunAtStartup
Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys
Template file
PowerToys.admx
Release
Microsoft PowerToys 0.101.2362.0 · file set d5e4003f3cfc59f8…
Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.ConfigureRunAtStartup)" explainText="$(string.ConfigureRunAtStartupDescription)" key="Software\Policies\PowerToys" name="ConfigureRunAtStartup" valueName="ConfigureRunAtStartup" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:GeneralSettings" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_89_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_89_0
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_89_0)" name="SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_89_0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:category:GeneralSettings
<category displayName="$(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="$(string.PowerToys)" name="PowerToys" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:PowerToys">Microsoft PowerToys</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:definition:SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_89_0
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_89_0)" name="SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_89_0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.PowerToys:SUPPORTED_POWERTOYS_0_89_0">PowerToys version 0.89.0 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 20:27 UTC · 258 of 260 readable · 256 fully read · documentation 417/444 current