The Group Policy Editor in Windows 11 and Windows 10 is a Microsoft Management Console that allows users access to the Computer and User Management Settings that could be changed. One can access settings such as changing the processes a user on the computer could open, manage the apps, and a lot more. Not to be visible to an average user, this option is hidden. So if you are interested in opening it, Here’s how you can open a Group Policy Editor on Windows 11/10.
Note: Group Policy Editor is not available for Windows 11/10 Home version. To enable it, follow this guide.
How to Open Group Policy Editor in Windows 11/10
This tool is not meant for beginners, and thus so the location of the tool is hidden and is not directly available through the Start Menu. Here’s the list of methods we will be following in the below guide to open Group Policy Editor on Windows 10
- Search Box
- Settings Panel
- Control Panel
- Run Dialog
- Command Prompt
- Create a Shortcut for Group Policy Editor on Windows.
Group Policy can enable or disable many things in Windows, so make sure you understand what you plan to change on the computer. Also, Group Policy Editor creates an entry in the registry and is a safer way instead of directly changing via a registry entry.
1] Search Box
The Search Box is used for searching files across the drive and could perform our required function as well. To open the Windows Group Policy Editor via the Search Box, Fire up the search box by either clicking the ‘Windows’ Logo or clicking on it.
Next, Search for Edit Group Policy or gpedit.msc would bring up the Group Policy Editor as the main result. Tap on the required application, and you are good to go.
2] Run Dialog
We all do use the Run Dialog to launch applications or a specified location quickly. We could also use the Run Dialog in this case. Here’s how:
Quickly launch the Run Dialog by pressing the Win + R button simultaneously or head over to the search box and open it via there. Next, in the Run Dialog, type in gpedit.msc and press Enter to run it.
3] Command Prompt
While you can use the Command Prompt for executing queries and commands, here’s how you can use it to complete our required function of opening the Windows Group Policy Editor.
Fire up the Command Prompt or a Powershell window using the Search Box, the Run Dialog, or any other method. Next, In the command line, type in gpedit.msc and press Enter to run the command.
4] Windows Settings
As discussed earlier, you can also use the Group Policy Editor on Windows 11/10 to change/modify the settings, and hence as the name suggests, it could be accessed from the Settings Panel. To do so, Open the Settings Panel either via the Search Box or directly from the Start Menu. In the Search Box, type in Group Policy Editor and select the main listed result.
5] Control Panel
Another way to access the Group Policy Editor on Windows 11/10 is via the classic Control Panel. So, open the Control Panel first. At the top right corner, click on the search box, and search for Group Policy Editor. In the results, under the Administrative Tools menu, you’ll find the result for the Edit Group Policy, click on it, and you’re good to go.
A point here to be noted is, although the Windows Group Policy Editor is available under the Administrative Menu in the search results, if you open the Control Panel and head over to the Administrative Menu directly, you won’t be in a position to find it. So, the only method to access it via the Contol Panel is using the Search Box.
6] Create a Shortcut to the Group Policy Editor on the Desktop
If you are a person, who keeps accessing the Group Policy Editor often, we would recommend you create a shortcut on the Desktop using the method attached to save some time. On the Desktop, in a blank space, make a Right-Click. In the menu that pops up, Under the New options, select Create New Shortcut.
This will open a new menu to create a shortcut. In the menu, type in gpedit.msc and click Next. This will create a shortcut on the Desktop.
I hope the post was useful, and you were able to learn multiple ways to open Group Policy Editor in Windows 11/10.
How do I edit Group Policy in Windows?
Once the Policy editor is open, locate the policy. Then you can choose between Not configured, enabled, or disabled. Click on Finish to commit the changes.
Does Windows Home have Group Policy Editor?
It is not enabled by default for the Home version. However, it is still possible to enable it using a built-in tool. It will download the Group Policy Editor, and you can then find and launch it.
Why Does Gpedit MSC Not Work?
Make sure to launch it with admin permission if the tool doesn’t show the UAC prompt when you open it.
How Do I Fix Setup Blocked by Group Policy?
- Open the Group Policy Editor.
- Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System.
- Locate the Don’t run specified Windows applications policy.
- Click on the Show button.
- Remove the blocked program or application from the disallowed list.
- Relaunch the program.
Related: How to launch a program with advanced run options with a right-click with admin permission.
Thanks! Good job.
I wanted to change language settings on my privet laptop with Windows 10, Home Edition – a thing witch should be possible with few clicks. But no, there is a myriad of options. I tried some of them with no result. Trying another option, I tried open the Group Policy Editor (as if a group policy as such had anything to do with my private account). Doing that I tried all the options listed above, with no result either (e.g., I get replay of the form: ‘gpedit.msc’ is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet).
Thus, even simplest changes prove to be impossible. I am requested to login to the useless MS account and to verify my data to no effect. MS silts up a new machine in view months and makes working very hard. And now, we do not have even a local control over our accounts. The situation is getting worse and worse, though it was never good.
Read our guide on how you can enable it on Windows 10 Home. I have also added the link to the post.