Getting GPEDIT.MSC Templates back

Robocop · Sep 8, 2025

I had access to gpedit.msc before but it isn't there anymore.

I have run this batch file

@echo off
pushd "%~dp0"
dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~*.mum >gpedit-install.txt
dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~*.mum >>gpedit-install.txt
for /f %%i in ('findstr /i . gpedit-install.txt 2^>nul') do dism /online /norestart /add-package:"%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\%%i"
pause

and it gave me the gpeditor but only showing <software settings & windows setting plus an un-named directory>

I then ran

Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2024 Update (24H2)

from the MS web site but it hasn't changed the GPEDIT screen, even after a reset.

[note: the instal file ran correctly but I can not find that it installed any .admx files]

Under the 'un-named' directory there is no windows update entry.

Is there a simple way to get this back? I feel this is about the 24H2 update because it was OK before.

Any advice?

p.s. I have also found some instructions that say Group Policy Management needs to be checked. I went to 'Turn Windows Features On or Off' but there is no <Group Policy Management> entry

kelper · Sep 8, 2025

Do you have Windows 11 Pro? The Home version does not include the group policy editor.

Please could you fill in your system specs completely?

Robocop · Sep 8, 2025

I am using win 11 Home;
Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 24H2
Installed on ‎06/‎01/‎2025
OS build 26100.4946
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.197.0
It was perfectly OK before as the only reason I use GPEDIT is to stop the automatic updating of Windows Updater, I had it set to 'notify'

kelper · Sep 8, 2025

You can add gpedit to Home, but some features won't work!

kelper · Sep 8, 2025

I meant for you to fill in your system specs in you profile!

Robocop · Sep 8, 2025

kelper said:
You can add gpedit to Home, but some features won't work!

Sorry what do you mean?
I was using it before for the limited amount I need but now the templates are missing.
How do I get these back?

Robocop · Sep 8, 2025

kelper said:
I meant for you to fill in your system specs in you profile!

View attachment 144741

I have a new PC Dell 16 Premium laptop. It was setting up this one that I encountered the GPEDIT issue. When I went back to my existing laptop, Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1, I found it had now developed the same issue

Laptop

kelper · Sep 8, 2025

"
Microsoft does not provide gpedit.msc for Windows 11 Home, and there’s no supported way to add it. Some websites offer scripts or installers that copy the Group Policy Editor files from Pro into Home, but:

They are unofficial and unsupported.
Some functions don’t actually work, because the underlying services and policy processing components are missing in Home.
They may create system instability or be a vector for malware if downloaded from the wrong place.

If you want Group Policy management properly, you need to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro (or higher)."

Robocop · Sep 8, 2025

kelper said:
"
Microsoft does not provide gpedit.msc for Windows 11 Home, and there’s no supported way to add it. Some websites offer scripts or installers that copy the Group Policy Editor files from Pro into Home, but:

They are unofficial and unsupported.

Some functions don’t actually work, because the underlying services and policy processing components are missing in Home.

They may create system instability or be a vector for malware if downloaded from the wrong place.

If you want Group Policy management properly, you need to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro (or higher)."

It was working OK before the latest update.
Is there an official way to stop updates taking over the PC and be notified when there are updates?

pseymour · Sep 8, 2025

Group Policy is just setting this registry value. You can try it, but it’s not guaranteed to work on Home edition.

How did 24H2 install?

HarleyQuinn · Sep 8, 2025

i am using home version and i was able to change group policy manually by editing registry value.

garlin · Sep 8, 2025

When MS provides a copy of Administrative Templates, they never install or extract the files into the proper Windows folders.
This is by deliberate design, there may be previous versions of the template already installed, and the setup should never overwrite them.

In this version, the MSI extracts the files to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 11 Sep 2024 Update (24H2)\PolicyDefinitions"

If you're on Home edition, then you don't need to worry about overwriting the old templates.

1. Uninstall the Admin Templates from the Settings App / Apps / Installed apps
2. Reinstall the MSI, but change the Location to "C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions".

Standard warning:
While you can play with GPE on Home edition, almost all GPO's are ignored by the release. Some changes can be implemented by using a reg key equivalent, which your typical ElevenForum or TenForums tutorial will detail.

kelper · Sep 8, 2025

Use the registry edit;

Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

(If WindowsUpdate or AU doesn’t exist, create them as new keys).

In the AU key, right-click the right pane → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Name it:

NoAutoUpdate

Double-click it, set Value data to 1, and press OK.

Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC.

kelper · Sep 8, 2025

If the keys don't exist, try this

Here’s a .reg file that will create the missing keys and disable automatic updates for you.

Copy the text below into Notepad, then save the file as DisableAutoUpdate.reg (be sure to select All Files in the “Save as type” dropdown, not .txt). After saving, double-click the file and allow it to merge into the registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU]
"NoAutoUpdate"=dword:00000001

Effect

This creates the WindowsUpdate\AU keys if they don’t exist.

It sets NoAutoUpdate = 1, which disables automatic updates.

You’ll still be able to run Check for updates manually.

Robocop · Sep 9, 2025

garlin said:
When MS provides a copy of Administrative Templates, they never install or extract the files into the proper Windows folders.
This is by deliberate design, there may be previous versions of the template already installed, and the setup should never overwrite them.

In this version, the MSI extracts the files to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 11 Sep 2024 Update (24H2)\PolicyDefinitions"

View attachment 144759

If you're on Home edition, then you don't need to worry about overwriting the old templates.

1. Uninstall the Admin Templates from the Settings App / Apps / Installed apps
2. Reinstall the MSI, but change the Location to "C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions".

Standard warning:
While you can play with GPE on Home edition, almost all GPO's are ignored by the release. Some changes can be implemented by using a reg key equivalent, which your typical ElevenForum or TenForums tutorial will detail.

I did this and it had no effect. I checked in c:\windows\policydefinitions and there are no new .admx files

Robocop · Sep 9, 2025

kelper said:
Use the registry edit;

Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

(If WindowsUpdate or AU doesn’t exist, create them as new keys).

In the AU key, right-click the right pane → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Name it:

NoAutoUpdate

Double-click it, set Value data to 1, and press OK.

Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC.

Thanks I can follow this but before I try it can you change it for 'tell me there are updates' but not to download automatically. I think if I remember correctly (?? - aged 75) then the option was number 2

pseymour · Sep 9, 2025

NoAutoUpdate only accepts a 0 or 1, on or off. For the notify option, you need the AUOptions value I linked in post #10.

Edit: MS Docs: Manage additional Windows Update settings

garlin · Sep 9, 2025

Robocop said:
I did this and it had no effect. I checked in c:\windows\policydefinitions and there are no new .admx files

I just tried it on a test system, and it worked for me. There were new folders created for the non-English template files.

Robocop · Sep 10, 2025

garlin said:
I just tried it on a test system, and it worked for me. There were new folders created for the non-English template files.

Apologies you are absolutely correct. I checked again and like you said there are new directories. What I didn't see was any change to the EN-GB entry and no additional .admx files. I assumed it hadn't worked because there was no change to the GPEDIT.MSC when I opened it.

I must be missing something here because I used gpedit.msc to stop MS Updater taking control. I had previously found the entry where you could select 'notification of update', as I said I think it was option 2, and you could then do the updates as suited.

I know I am not familiar with the ins-and-outs of Windows; getting too old. I can see that KELPERs solution would stop the AUTOUPDATE but it seems that it wouldn't tell me there were any to download.

I have a win 10 desktop that gpedit.msc works on, see screen shot, and this is how it looked previously on my win 11 laptop when I enabled it. The trouble here is that I don't remember how I sorted out GPEDIT not being in win 11 when I first got this laptop.

What I am trying to do is replicate the actions that produced the screen shot on my laptop originally

Getting GPEDIT.MSC Templates back

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