Start Menu and Taskbar
Show the Apps view automatically when the user goes to Start
Supported on Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 only
What it does
This policy setting allows the Apps view to be opened by default when the user goes to Start. If you enable this policy setting, the Apps view will appear whenever the user goes to Start. Users will still be able to switch between the Apps view and the Start screen. If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, the Start screen will appear by default whenever the user goes to Start, and the user will be able to switch between the Apps view and the Start screen. Also, the user will be able to configure this setting.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer- Value name
ShowAppsViewOnStart- When enabled
- DWORD 1
- When disabled
- DWORD 0
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_StartMenu/ShowAppsViewOnStartADMX_StartMenu 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\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"ShowAppsViewOnStart"=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: Show the Apps view automatically when the user goes to Start
# Name: ShowAppsViewOnStart
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: StartMenu.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'ShowAppsViewOnStart' -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_StartMenu/ShowAppsViewOnStartADMX 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_StartMenu/ShowAppsViewOnStart</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: Show the Apps view automatically when the user goes to Start
# Name: ShowAppsViewOnStart
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: StartMenu.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'ShowAppsViewOnStart' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\ShowAppsViewOnStart') | Out-Null
}
if ($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 $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Show the Apps view automatically when the user goes to Start
# Name: ShowAppsViewOnStart
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: StartMenu.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'ShowAppsViewOnStart' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 5 retained releases
- 22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
4 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
ShowAppsViewOnStart- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.StartMenu- Template file
StartMenu.admx- Release
- Windows 11 25H2 · 1.0 · file set
de4e49983ebd651f…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="User" displayName="$(string.ShowAppsViewOnStart)" explainText="$(string.ShowAppsViewOnStart_Help)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" name="ShowAppsViewOnStart" valueName="ShowAppsViewOnStart" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:StartMenu" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only" />
<enabledValue>
<decimal value="1" />
</enabledValue>
<disabledValue>
<decimal value="0" />
</disabledValue>
</policy>Editor controls
Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:StartMenu
<category displayName="$(string.StartMenu)" explainText="$(string.StartMenu_Help)" name="StartMenu" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<or>
<range ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3" />
<range ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3" />
<range ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT" />
</or>
</definition>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:StartMenu
<category displayName="$(string.StartMenu)" explainText="$(string.StartMenu_Help)" name="StartMenu" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:StartMenu">Start Menu and Taskbar</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:StartMenu_Help">Contains settings that allow you to add, remove, or disable items from the Start menu, taskbar, and notification area.</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<or>
<range ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3" />
<range ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3" />
<range ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT" />
</or>
</definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3only">Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 only</string></strings>