Prevent users from adding files to the root of their Users Files folder.
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Policy overview

Key metadata and intent for this policy.

User
Category
Windows Components > File Explorer
Supported on
At least Windows Vista

Supported OS tags: Windows10, Windows10RT, Windows11, Windows7, Windows8, Windows81, WindowsRT, WindowsRT81, WindowsServer2008, WindowsServer2012, WindowsServer2012R2, WindowsServer2016, WindowsVista

This policy setting allows administrators to prevent users from adding new items such as files or folders to the root of their Users Files folder in File Explorer. If you enable this policy setting, users will no longer be able to add new items such as files or folders to the root of their Users Files folder in File Explorer. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, users will be able to add new items such as files or folders to the root of their Users Files folder in File Explorer. Note: Enabling this policy setting does not prevent the user from being able to add new items such as files and folders to their actual file system profile folder at %userprofile%.

Internal name
PreventItemCreationInUsersFilesFolder
Policy ID
5518344e6d0b
Elements
0

Registry values

How enabled and disabled states update the registry.

ScopeRegistry locationTypeEnabled valueDisabled valueCopy
User
Path
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Value name
PreventItemCreationInUsersFilesFolder
REG_DWORD
HKCU
1
HKCU
0
Registry location
Type REG_DWORD · User
Path
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Value name
PreventItemCreationInUsersFilesFolder
Hive
HKCU
Enabled value
1
Disabled value
0

Policy elements

Inputs and configuration options exposed by this policy.

This policy has no additional user input fields.