Windows 8 & 10 File Explorer Ribbon Customizer (ADM Template)

[jacobjb]

Hello Everyone,

 

As most of you are aware Windows 10 is a massive pain to lock down properly. There are countless missing group policy settings that would be useful to have, that Microsoft could implement. Also I noticed that some of the group policy settings haven't been updated to work properly with windows 8 & 10.

 

For example, this policy 'User Config > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components/File Explorer and set the 'Do not allow Folder Options to be opened from the Options buttons on the View tab of the ribbon' will successfully disable the Folder Options box but users will have full access to enable or disable 'Item check boxes' 'File name extensions' Hidden items' and 'Hide selected items' via the View tab on the Ribbon UI.

 

The main reason why I wanted to disable access to folder options was to prevent users from being able to change these options, yet that policy will allow users to show/hide them via the view tab. It's crazy!

 

 

I came across this post that explains how to 'grey out' anything on the ribbon UI: Server 2012/Windows 8 – Ribbon UI: Disable Icons, Buttons, Shortcuts, Tasks, and Commands | Paper Street Online

 

However this requires editing locked registry keys, great! Some of you may know that you cannot modify locked registry keys easily and you have to change the ownership of the keys to enable you to modify them. There is a exe tool that is mentioned here: Batch Script – Ribbon UI Customization: Take Ownership and Change Permissions of the CommandStore Subkeys in the Registry | Paper Street Online that enables you to unlock registry keys however I couldn't get it to work properly.

 

In frustration I gave up and tried to come up with another solution to disable the show/hide section in the view tab. I remembered that ADM/ADMX (group policy files/templates) has full access to modify/edit the system and locked registry keys, So I decided to create my own custom adm template.

 

After days of work and testing I have made a template that will disable (grey out) pretty much anything on the ribbon UI. Including the View > show/hide section YAY!

 

Please be aware that this only greys out things in the ribbon UI. For example, say you disabled the delete button using my ADM template. It will not disable delete in any other way meaning the user could still right click and press delete or use any keyboard shortcuts to delete the file. So please bare this in mind. Always check group policy to see if there is an official way to disable something before using my ADM template as that is always the best way to go.

 

As everyone's system is different and I can't test on all of your systems (obviously) I have to write this as a little disclaimer:

 

 

I accept no responsibility for any loss or damage caused to the OS. Use at your own risk!

 

 

Big Thanks to Paper Street Online for information on registry keys to edit/add: Server 2012/Windows 8 – Ribbon UI: Disable Icons, Buttons, Shortcuts, Tasks, and Commands | Paper Street Online

 

Windows 8 & 10 Ribbon Customiser.zip

Edited December 24, 2017 by jacobjb

[NagyAnwar]

thanks, but how can I use this .adm file?

[jacobjb]

thanks, but how can I use this .adm file?

 

Once you're in the group policy editor go to 'Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates' Right click on Administrative Templates then click on Add/Remove Templates. A box will come up, click on 'Add' then you will need to navigate to the ADM template that you downloaded from my post. Double click on the ADM template then press close. You will find the new group policy options under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates (ADM)

Hope this helps,

Regards Jacob

[PyROm]

Hi, I have added the following under the network tab category, to get rid of the search active directory button.

POLICY "Disable Search Active Directory"

		KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell\Windows.SearchActiveDirectory"
           
		ACTIONLISTON


             KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell\Windows.SearchActiveDirectory"


             VALUENAME "AttributeMask"


             VALUE NUMERIC 00100000


             KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell\Windows.SearchActiveDirectory"


             VALUENAME "AttributeValue"


             VALUE NUMERIC 00100000
		  
		  
		  KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell\Windows.SearchActiveDirectory"


             VALUENAME "ImpliedSelectionModel"


             VALUE NUMERIC 00000000

		  
           END ACTIONLISTON


           ACTIONLISTOFF


             KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell\Windows.SearchActiveDirectory"


             VALUENAME "AttributeMask"


             VALUE NUMERIC 00000000


             KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell\Windows.SearchActiveDirectory"


             VALUENAME "AttributeValue"


             VALUE NUMERIC 00000000
		  
		  
		  KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell\Windows.SearchActiveDirectory"


             VALUENAME "ImpliedSelectionModel"


             VALUE NUMERIC 00100000
		
		  
		END ACTIONLISTOFF
		
	END POLICY
	
	;BREAK 

[GCA]

Hello, I have added it to my GPO, however they are still showing the settings

[PyROm]

Have you force updated with "gpupdate /force"and logged off and on again, or rebooted?

[GCA]

Yes done all three, I am trying to remove the View part of the ribbon as it keeps allow out pupils to show hidden files. It might be as it trying to do this at a computer config and not a user config in GPO ??

[PyROm]

The gpo above is computer side only. It doesnt actually remove the tab, but greys out all the options within in, so they cant click them.

[GCA]

Can it be done at a user level or only a computer level. Problem is, if we do this it effects Admin's as well when they log in. It is a really silly mistake from MS as there is nothing in GPO that can do this.

[GCA]

Also how do you remove the setting after it has been applied? Simply disable or not configure does not work. The settings still stay.

[3s-gtech]

Can it be done at a user level or only a computer level. Problem is, if we do this it effects Admin's as well when they log in. It is a really silly mistake from MS as there is nothing in GPO that can do this.

 

I believe not, however admins can still access these settings from elsewhere (in places that can be restricted at user level) so it shouldn't cause issues (never has for me).

[GCA]

sorted it, my mistake on the disable / not configure. This is really useful!

[pbad]

Just added this now on Windows 10 x64 1607 LTSB. Works great!

 

I can't believe Microsoft haven't thought of this. Absolutely useless software company.

[ozydave]

you are a star, just been hitting my head against a brick wall with this.

 

Cheers

[sonofsanta]

Just made use of all this--thank you muchly, @jacobjb, you're a star

[Arthur]

@jacobjb. Do you have the templates in ADMX/ADML format?

 

My central store is ADM free at the moment.

 

Edit. If not, I might try and convert it myself.

Edited July 11, 2018 by Arthur

[tri_94]

Great ADM really useful.

 

Do you know any way to disable or grey out the "New Item" under File menu. As they can now create shortcuts via this method.

 

Thanks

[tri_94]

Sorry just found it.

 

Thanks

 

Great ADM really useful.

 

Do you know any way to disable or grey out the "New Item" under File menu. As they can now create shortcuts via this method.

 

Thanks

[tri_94]

Used this and works great. However I've come to need to enable some previously disabled setting. Like Bitlocker but even if I set to "disabled" it still isn't enabling the icon as its still greyed out.

 

Thanks

[simpsonj]

@jacobjb. Do you have the templates in ADMX/ADML format?

 

My central store is ADM free at the moment.

 

Edit. If not, I might try and convert it myself.

 

Did you get any further with this @Arthur?

 

Looking at implementing this at one of my schools to solve the Hidden Files issue...

[Arthur]

Did you get any further with this?

It took much longer than expected, but I finally managed to convert @jacobjb's ADM to ADMX format. The attachment below also contains @PyROm's addition from post #4 and en-GB/en-US ADMLs.

 

Windows 8.x and 10 Ribbon Customiser v1.0 (ADMX).zip

[Jaan]

Is there anyway of removing the "up arrow" in file explorer also?

 

In reference to this issue i'm having:

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/197528-user-folder-desk-only-when-clicking-up-arrow-i-file-explorer.html

[Jaan]

Just something i've observed.

 

I'm unable to create a "new folder" via the ribbon button, but right clicking and selecting new---folder works fine.

 

Anybody else having this?

 

on 1809 so it could be a "feature"

[tri_94]

Used this and works great. However I've come to need to enable some previously disabled setting. Like Bitlocker but even if I set to "disabled" it still isn't enabling the icon as its still greyed out.

 

Thanks

 

Anyone able to help with this?

 

Thanks

[10101010]

Awesome work - thank you for this.