Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10  

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10

    How to Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Apps & Features
    14 Apr 2021
    Designer Media Ltd



    How to Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10


    Windows 10 provides a wealth of data access to make apps useful and valuable to you. These capabilities, which are security constructs that gate access to personal data, include things like Calendar, Contacts, Call History, and more. Each capability has its own privacy settings page so that you can control it and what apps and services can use that capability.

    In Windows 10, users can allow or deny apps access to read and send messages via text or MMS (aka: "Messaging").

    Starting with Windows 10 build 17063, you can now allow or deny Windows 10 and apps access to messaging on your device (PC) for all users.

    If you allow access, users on your PC will be able to turn on or off if their apps have access to messaging. If you turn on to let apps access messaging, you can choose to turn on (allow) or off (deny) access for individual apps.

    This tutorial will show you how to change Privacy settings to allow or deny Windows and apps access to messaging for all users or only your account in Windows 10.


    Contents

    • Option One: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Messaging for All Users in Settings
    • Option Two: Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Messaging for All Users using a REG file
    • Option Three: Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Messaging in Settings
    • Option Four: Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Messaging using a REG file
    • Option Five: Turn On or Off Let Specific Apps Access Messaging Info in Settings
    • Option Six: Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts in Local Group Policy Editor
    • Option Seven: Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts using a REG file






    OPTION ONE

    Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Messaging for All Users in Settings


    This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 17063.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

    2 Click/tap on Messaging on the left side, click/tap on the Change button on the right side, and turn On (default) or Off Messaging access for this device for what you want. (see screenshots below)

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-messaging_access_for_device-1.jpg Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-messaging_access_for_device-2.jpg






    OPTION TWO

    Allow or Deny Windows and Apps Access to Messaging for All Users using a REG file


    This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 17063.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

    The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\chat

    Value string value

    Deny = Off
    Allow = On


    1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Turn On Allow Windows and Apps Access to Messaging for All Users

    This is the default setting.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_ON_Windows_and_apps_access_to_messaging_for_device.reg

    Download


     3. To Turn Off Allow Windows and Apps Access to Messaging for All Users

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_OFF_Windows_and_apps_access_to_messaging_for_device.reg

    Download

    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 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.






    OPTION THREE

    Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Messaging in Settings


    The setting in this option will be grayed out unless Messaging access for this device is turned on from Option One or Option Two above.


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

    2 Click/tap on Messaging on the left side, and turn On (default) or Off Allow apps to read or send messages on the right side for what you want. (see screenshots below)

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-messaging_access_for_apps-1.jpg Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-messaging_access_for_apps-2.jpg






    OPTION FOUR

    Turn On or Off Let Apps Access Messaging using a REG file


    This option will not get applied until Messaging access for this device is turned on from Option One or Option Two above.

    The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\chat

    Value string value

    Deny = Off
    Allow = On


    1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Turn On Let Apps Access Messaging

    This is the default setting.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_ON_apps_access_to_messaging_for_current_account.reg

    Download


     3. To Turn Off Let Apps Access Messaging

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_OFF_apps_access_to_messaging_for_current_account.reg

    Download


    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 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.






    OPTION FIVE

    Turn On or Off Let Specific Apps Access Messaging in Settings


    The settings in this option will be grayed out unless Allow apps to read and send messages is turned on from Option Three or Option Four above.

    The settings for this option are stored in the subkeys in the registry key below. Each subkey represents a listed app.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\chat

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-choose_which_apps_can_read_or_send_messages_registry.jpg


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

    2 Click/tap on Messaging on the left side, turn On or Off apps you want under Choose which apps can read and send messages on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    Note that each legacy app will not appear individually in the list like Store apps do, but they will respect the toggle starting with Windows 10 build 17063.

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-messaging_access_for_specific_apps.jpg






    OPTION SIX

    Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts in Local Group Policy Editor


    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

    This option will override Option One and Option Two above.

    Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. All editions can use Option Seven below to do this using a .reg file instead though.


    1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

    2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

    Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\App Privacy

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-messaging_access_for_apps_gpedit-1.jpg

    3 In the right pane of App Privacy in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Let Windows apps access messaging policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

    4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


     5. To Enable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts

    This is the default setting

    A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)


     6. To Disable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts

    A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Force Deny in the "Default for all apps" drop menu under Options, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

    Allow or Deny OS and Apps Access to Messaging in Windows 10-messaging_access_for_apps_gpedit-2.png


    7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






    OPTION SEVEN

    Enable or Disable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts using a REG file


    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

    Setting this option to disable will gray out and override Option One and Option Two above.

    The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD and hex values in the registry key below.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy

    LetAppsAccessMessaging DWORD value

    (delete) = Enable
    2 = Disable

    LetAppsAccessMessaging_UserInControlOfTheseApps hex value
    LetAppsAccessMessaging_ForceAllowTheseApps hex value
    LetAppsAccessMessaging_ForceDenyTheseApps hex value

    (delete) = Enable
    hex(7):00,00 = Disable


    1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Enable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts

    This is the default setting.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Enable_Let_apps_access_messaging.reg

    Download


     3. To Disable Let Windows Apps Access Messaging for All Accounts

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Disable_Let_apps_access_messaging.reg

    Download


    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 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn


    Related Tutorials



  1. Windows 11 Tutorials



  2. Paul Black
    Posts : 17,406
    Win 10 Pro 64-bit v1909 - Build 18363 Custom ISO Install
       New #1

    Hello @Brink,

    I am performing some customising and I noticed that you have used the REG file in Option 2.3 for Option 4.3.

    Option 4.3 should be . . .

    Code:
    
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Created by: Shawn Brink
; Created on: February 22nd 2018
; Tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/104815-allow-deny-os-apps-access-messaging-windows-10-a.html


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\chat]
"Value"="Deny"

    I think it is just linked to the wrong REG file => Turn_OFF_Windows_and_apps_access_to_messaging_for_device.

      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  3. Brink
    Posts : 64,502
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #2

    Thank you @Paul Black.

    Yep, it had the wrong link. Now corrected.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  5. Paul Black
    Posts : 17,406
    Win 10 Pro 64-bit v1909 - Build 18363 Custom ISO Install
       New #3

    Brink said:
    Thank you @Paul Black.

    Yep, it had the wrong link. Now corrected.
    You are VERY welcome as always.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

 

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