Category: At least Windows 2000

This policy setting prevents users from locking the system. While locked the desktop is hidden and the system cannot be used. Only the user who locked the system or the system administrator can unlock it. If you enable this policy setting users cannot lock the computer from the keyboard using Ctrl+Alt+Del. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting users will be able to lock the computer from the keyboard using Ctrl+Alt+Del. Tip:To lock a computer without configuring a setting press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and then click Lock this computer.

This policy setting prevents users from changing their Windows password on demand. If you enable this policy setting the ‘Change Password’ button on the Windows Security dialog box will not appear when you press Ctrl+Alt+Del. However users are still able to change their password when prompted by the system. The system prompts users for a new password when an administrator requires a new password or their password is expiring.

Prevents users from changing the desktop icons. By default users can use the Desktop Icon Settings dialog in the Personalization or Display Control Panel to show hide or change the desktop icons. If you enable this setting none of the desktop icons can be changed by the user. For systems prior to Windows Vista this setting also hides the Desktop tab in the Display Control Panel.

Disables the Color (or Window Color) page in the Personalization Control Panel or the Color Scheme dialog in the Display Control Panel on systems where the Personalization feature is not available. This setting prevents users from using Control Panel to change the window border and taskbar color (on Windows 8) glass color (on Windows Vista and Windows 7) system colors or color scheme of the desktop and windows. If this setting is disabled or not configured the Color (or Window Color) page or Color Scheme dialog is available in the Personalization or Display Control Panel. For systems prior to Windows Vista this setting hides the Appearance and Themes tabs in the in Display in Control Panel.

Disables the Display Control Panel. If you enable this setting the Display Control Panel does not run. When users try to start Display a message appears explaining that a setting prevents the action. Also see the “Prohibit access to the Control Panel” (User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel) and “Remove programs on Settings menu” (User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu & Taskbar) settings.

This policy setting controls which Control Panel items such as Mouse System or Personalization are displayed on the Control Panel window and the Start screen. The only items displayed in Control Panel are those you specify in this setting. This setting affects the Start screen and Control Panel as well as other ways to access Control Panel items such as shortcuts in Help and Support or command lines that use control. exe. This policy has no effect on items displayed in PC settings. To display a Control Panel item enable this policy setting and click Show to access the list of allowed Control Panel items. In the Show Contents dialog box in the Value column enter the Control Panel item’s canonical name. For example enter Microsoft. Mouse Microsoft. System or Microsoft. Personalization. Note: For Windows Vista Windows Server 2008 and earlier versions of Windows the module name for example timedate. cpl or inetcpl. cpl should be entered. If a Control Panel item does not have a CPL file or the CPL file contains multiple applets then its module name and string resource identification number should be entered. For example enter @systemcpl. dll-1 for System or @themecpl. dll-1 for Personalization. A complete list of canonical and module names of Control Panel items can be found in MSDN by searching “Control Panel items”. If both the “Hide specified Control Panel items” setting and the “Show only specified Control Panel items” setting are enabled the “Show only specified Control Panel items” setting is ignored. Note: The Display Control Panel item cannot be hidden in the Desktop context menu by using this setting. To hide the Display Control Panel item and prevent users from modifying the computer’s display settings use the “Disable Display Control Panel” setting instead.

Disables all Control Panel programs and the PC settings app. This setting prevents Control. exe and SystemSettings. exe the program files for Control Panel and PC settings from starting. As a result users cannot start Control Panel or PC settings or run any of their items. This setting removes Control Panel from:The Start screenFile ExplorerThis setting removes PC settings from:The Start screenSettings charmAccount pictureSearch resultsIf users try to select a Control Panel item from the Properties item on a context menu a message appears explaining that a setting prevents the action.

Prevents users from adding or changing the background design of the desktop. By default users can use the Desktop Background page in the Personalization or Display Control Panel to add a background design (wallpaper) to their desktop. If you enable this setting none of the Desktop Background settings can be changed by the user. To specify wallpaper for a group use the “Desktop Wallpaper” setting. Note: You must also enable the “Desktop Wallpaper” setting to prevent users from changing the desktop wallpaper. Refer to KB article: Q327998 for more information. Also see the “Allow only bitmapped wallpaper” setting.

Prevents the Screen Saver dialog from opening in the Personalization or Display Control Panel. This setting prevents users from using Control Panel to add configure or change the screen saver on the computer. It does not prevent a screen saver from running.

This setting allows you to display or hide specified Control Panel items such as Mouse System or Personalization from the Control Panel window and the Start screen. The setting affects the Start screen and Control Panel window as well as other ways to access Control Panel items such as shortcuts in Help and Support or command lines that use control. exe. This policy has no effect on items displayed in PC settings. If you enable this setting you can select specific items not to display on the Control Panel window and the Start screen. To hide a Control Panel item enable this policy setting and click Show to access the list of disallowed Control Panel items. In the Show Contents dialog box in the Value column enter the Control Panel item’s canonical name. For example enter Microsoft. Mouse Microsoft. System or Microsoft. Personalization. Note: For Windows Vista Windows Server 2008 and earlier versions of Windows the module name should be entered for example timedate. cpl or inetcpl. cpl. If a Control Panel item does not have a CPL file or the CPL file contains multiple applets then its module name and string resource identification number should be entered for example @systemcpl. dll-1 for System or @themecpl. dll-1 for Personalization. A complete list of canonical and module names can be found in MSDN by searching “Control Panel items”. If both the “Hide specified Control Panel items” setting and the “Show only specified Control Panel items” setting are enabled the “Show only specified Control Panel items” setting is ignored. Note: The Display Control Panel item cannot be hidden in the Desktop context menu by using this setting. To hide the Display Control Panel item and prevent users from modifying the computer’s display settings use the “Disable Display Control Panel” setting instead.