Policy Plus ADMX Files.

Mitch · Oct 22, 2023

Hello, We have a couple of PC's running Windows 10 and 11 Home and we would like to install the Policy Plus application to give us a similar control as Group Policy in Windows Pro. After downloading the program from GitHub, we are asked to download ADMX Files (from within Policy Plus) to bring the program up to date. I believe the ADMX files are downloaded to C:/WindowsPolicyDefinitions. We are wary of downloading these files through the program and want to download them from Microsoft directly. I think the site is microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=105390. (Ver 3) July 2023.
Can we download the Policy Plus program from GitHub, and download the ADMX files separately from Microsoft and save them to C:/WindowsPolicyDefinitions. Would Policy Plus still work or would the ADMX files need to be downloaded from within Policy Plus?
Would appreciate any advice.
Thanks Jim.

FreeBooter · Oct 22, 2023

In this video guide, you’ll learn the steps to get started with Policy Plus to change advanced settings on Windows Home Edition.

In this guide, i will guide you to install the Group Policy Editor for Windows 11 and Windows 10 Home edition.

Mitch · Oct 22, 2023

Thanks for the videos. My concern is allowing Policy Plus to download ADMX Files after the program is running. Does Policy Plus download these files directly from Microsoft and is it safe to allow the program to download and install them? Is there another option to download the files myself from Microsoft and have Policy Plus recognise them?
Thanks for your help.

FreeBooter · Oct 22, 2023

I have no clue but something telling me it's from Microsoft server.

garlin · Oct 22, 2023

There isn't a single set of ADMX templates. Templates exist for a variety of different product, including:
- base Windows
- Office products
- Edge
- OneDrive

Each of the template sets must be installed, or extracted/copied into place so your editor of choice (Policy Plus, or GP Editor) can find them. For the record, Policy Plus is currently using the 21H2 download:

PolicyPlus/PolicyPlus/DownloadAdmx.vb at master · Fleex255/PolicyPlus

Code:

Imports System.ComponentModel
Public Class DownloadAdmx
    Const MicrosoftMsiDownloadLink As String = "https://download.microsoft.com/download/4/e/0/4e0fe8d7-ba82-4354-9cc2-18ac02cfd6b5/Administrative%20Templates%20(.admx)%20for%20Windows%2010%20November%202021%20Update.msi"
    Const PolicyDefinitionsMsiSubdirectory As String = "\Microsoft Group Policy\Windows 10 November 2021 Update (21H2)\PolicyDefinitions"

22H2 version is more up-to-date:
Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) - v3.0

Mitch · Oct 23, 2023

Thanks for replying. The ADMX files which I downloaded from within Policy Plus don't seem to be downloaded to C/Windows/PolicyDefinitions as the files in this folder are have been there for a long time. Does Policy Plus download them to another location? Policy Plus isn't installed as such - the .exe file is downloaded to downloads, and double clicked every time it's used. Seems like a good alternative to Group Policy but just want to be sure it's safe to use and that the ADMX files are being downloaded directly from Microsoft.
Thanks.

garlin · Oct 23, 2023

I tried this just now. If you ask Policy Plus to download templates from Help / Acquire ADMX Files, it will overwrite C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions with extracted 21H2 files. This may not be the right version, depending on your W11 release (21H2, 22H2, 23H2).

Look at the file dates under that folder.

I don't understand this line of questioning. You don't bother to review Policy Plus's source code as provided on GitHub (where the URL is exposed), and you're willing to trust a 3rd-party tool to edit GPO's, but won't trust it because you think it's not downloading from MS??

Again, you're free to search for and download the correct Windows ADMX templates from MS and copy them to \Windows\PolicyDefinitions yourself without using Policy Plus.