Gadgets - Allow or Prevent User Installed Gadgets

How to Allow or Prevent User Installed Gadgets in Windows 7
Published 08 Feb 2009

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How to Allow or Prevent User Installed Gadgets in Windows 7

Information

This will will show you how to allow or prevent all users from being able to install a gadget or from adding a user installed gadget to the desktop in Windows 7. By default, user installed gadgets are allowed in Windows 7.

Note

When user installed gadgets is prevented, all users will only be able to add the default Windows 7 gadgets and not any user installed gadgets. The user installed gadgets are hidden and are not available to be added.

EXAMPLE: "Installation of desktop gadgets is managed by your system administrator."
NOTE: When user installed gadgets is prevented, this is the message all users will see when they try to install a gadget in Windows 7. Users will also see this if the installation of unsigned gadgets is prevented.

EXAMPLE: Gadgets window
NOTE: When user installed gadgets is prevented, any gadget installed by a user will be hidden (left screenshot below) in the gadgets window. All users will only have the default Windows 7 gadgets (right screenshot below) to select from to add to their desktop instead.

OPTION ONE

Using a REG File Download

1. To Allow User Installed Gadgets
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Allow_User_Installed_Gadgets.zip

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Prevent User Installed Gadgets
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Prevent_User_Installed_Gadgets.zip

3. Click on Save, and save the .zip file to the desktop.

4. Open the downloaded .zip file and extract the .reg file to the desktop.

5. Right click on the extracted .reg file and click on Merge.

6. Click on Run, Yes, Yes, and OK when prompted.

7. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to completely apply.
NOTE: User installed gadgets that are currently running may not be disabled until you do step 7.

8. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg and .zip files if you like.

OPTION TWO

Through the Local Group Policy Editor

1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2. In the left pane, click on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Desktop Gadgets. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Turn Off user-installed desktop gadgets and click on Edit. (See screenshot above)

4. To Allow User Installed Gadgets
A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled. (See screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Prevent User Installed Gadgets
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (See screenshot below step 6)

6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window.

8. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to completely apply.
NOTE: User installed gadgets that are currently running may not be disabled until you do step 8.

That's it,
Shawn

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