This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable simplify Quick Settings layout for all users in Windows 11.
The group policy in this tutorial no longer works since Quick Settings is now scrollable.
Quick Settings (Win+A) gives you quick access from the taskbar corner to commonly used settings and apps like Volume, Brightness, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, Rotation lock, Battery saver, Accessibility, Night light, Mobile hotspot, Nearby sharing, Cast, and Project. Directly above your Quick Settings, you will see media playback controls when playing music or videos in Microsoft Edge or streaming music in apps like Spotify.
You can enable the Simplify Quick Settings Layout policy to reduce Quick Settings (Win+A) to only having the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Accessibility buttons, the brightness and volume sliders, battery indicator, and Settings link. Users will not be able to edit Quick Settings when simplified.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable simplify Quick Settings layout.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable Simplified Quick Settings in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Simplified Quick Settings using REG file
EXAMPLE: Quick Settings and Simplified Quick Settings on taskbar corner
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two to configure the same policy.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
2 Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
3 In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Simplify Quick Settings Layout policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you want.
5 Enable Simplified Quick Settings
A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7. (see screenshot below)
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6 Disable Simplified Quick Settings
This is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7. (see screenshot below)
7 Close the Local Group Policy Editor.
8 Either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
2 Enable Simplified Quick Settings
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Simplified_Quick_Settings.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"SimplifyQuickSettings"=dword:000000013 Disable Simplified Quick Settings
This is the default setting
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Simplified_Quick_Settings.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"SimplifyQuickSettings"=-4 Save the REG file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 Either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
8 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Enable or Disable Quick Settings in Windows 11
- Open Quick Settings in Windows 11
- Rearrange Quick Actions in Quick Settings in Windows 11
- Add or Remove Quick Settings in Windows 11
- Backup and Restore Quick Settings in Windows 11
- Reset Quick Settings in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Editing Quick Settings in Windows 11
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