You can hide specific settings pages or categories in Windows 11 using the Group Policy Editor, primarily available in Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions. This allows administrators to restrict access to certain configuration options for users.
Effectively hiding settings involves configuring the "Settings Page Visibility" policy within the Group Policy Editor.
Steps to Hide Settings Using Group Policy
To hide settings pages, you can follow these steps, which involve configuring a specific policy:
- Open Start.
- Search for
gpeditand click the top result to open the Group Policy Editor. - Browse the following path in the left-hand pane:
- Computer Configuration
- Administrative Templates
- Control Panel
- Double-click the Settings Page Visibility policy on the right side.
Once you open the policy, you can configure it to hide or show specific pages. You have two main options:
- Hide specific pages: Enter a comma-separated list of page identifiers (URIs) that you want to hide. Precede the list with
hide:. For example,hide:network-ethernet,system-about. - Show only specific pages: Enter a comma-separated list of page identifiers (URIs) that you want to be visible. Precede the list with
show:. All other pages will be hidden. For example,show:network-wifi,bluetooth.
Example Policy Configuration:
| Policy Setting | Example Value (to hide Network & About pages) |
|---|---|
| Settings Page Visibility Value | hide:network,system-about |
Note: This policy applies to the Settings app pages. It requires administrator privileges to configure and is typically used in managed environments.
Identifying Settings Page URIs
To effectively use the "Settings Page Visibility" policy, you need the correct URI for each settings page you want to hide or show. These URIs are not always intuitive, but you can often find lists online or by using tools that enumerate the available settings pages.
Common settings page URIs include:
network-statussystem-aboutdisplaybluetoothappsfeaturesaccounts
By listing the specific URIs in the policy, you gain granular control over which parts of the Windows 11 Settings app are accessible to users.
Applying the Policy
After configuring the "Settings Page Visibility" policy, you may need to restart the computer or run gpupdate /force in Command Prompt to ensure the changes take effect immediately.
Using Group Policy provides a robust method for administrators to enforce restrictions and hide potentially sensitive or disruptive settings options in Windows 11.
