Remove the Desktop Cleanup Wizard

UserNative Intune settingNoDesktopCleanupWizard

Supported on Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP only

22H2 · 1.0

What it does

Prevents users from using the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. If you enable this setting, the Desktop Cleanup wizard does not automatically run on a users workstation every 60 days. The user will also not be able to access the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. If you disable this setting or do not configure it, the default behavior of the Desktop Clean Wizard running every 60 days occurs. Note: When this setting is not enabled, users can run the Desktop Cleanup Wizard, or have it run automatically every 60 days from Display, by clicking the Desktop tab and then clicking the Customize Desktop button.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Value name: NoDesktopCleanupWizard
When enabled: DWORD 1
When disabled: value removed

Why it needs changes for Intune

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

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Desktop/NoDesktopCleanupWizardADMX_Desktop on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows builds listed: 10.0.22000, 10.0.19043.1202, 10.0.19042.1202, 10.0.19041.1202.

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Configure and deploy

Choose a state; 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\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDesktopCleanupWizard"=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: Remove the Desktop Cleanup Wizard
# Name: NoDesktopCleanupWizard
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: Desktop.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoDesktopCleanupWizard' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.

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_Desktop/NoDesktopCleanupWizard

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>./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Desktop/NoDesktopCleanupWizard</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: Remove the Desktop Cleanup Wizard
# Name: NoDesktopCleanupWizard
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: Desktop.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoDesktopCleanupWizard' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoDesktopCleanupWizard') | 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: Remove the Desktop Cleanup Wizard
# Name: NoDesktopCleanupWizard
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: Desktop.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'NoDesktopCleanupWizard' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 2 retained releases

22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
1607 · 2.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

Template

Internal name: NoDesktopCleanupWizard
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.WindowsDesktop
Template file: Desktop.admx
Release: Windows 10 22H2 · 1.0 · file set bc15f6a5271783ee…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="User" displayName="$(string.NoDesktopCleanupWizard)" explainText="$(string.NoDesktopCleanupWizard_Help)" key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" name="NoDesktopCleanupWizard" valueName="NoDesktopCleanupWizard" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:Desktop" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly" />
    </policy>

Editor controls

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:Desktop
<category displayName="$(string.Desktop)" explainText="$(string.Desktop_Help)" name="Desktop" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly)" name="SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP" />
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" />
        </or>
      </definition>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:Desktop
<category displayName="$(string.Desktop)" explainText="$(string.Desktop_Help)" name="Desktop" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:Desktop">Desktop</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:Desktop_Help">Contains settings to manage behavior of the user's desktop, as well as which default icons are displayed on that desktop.</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly)" name="SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP" />
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" />
        </or>
      </definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_WindowsXPOrServerOnly">Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP only</string></strings>