Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10  

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    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10

    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10

    How to Hide or Show Pages from Settings in Windows 10
    Published by Category: General Tips
    11 Nov 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Hide or Show Pages from Settings in Windows 10


    The Settings app is where you can change most settings at in Windows 10. Settings will eventually replace the Control Panel.

    Settings is organized into separate System, Devices, Network & Internet, Personalization, Apps, Accounts, Time & language, Gaming, Ease of Access, Privacy, Update & security, and Mixed reality categories. Each category has its own pages of settings. Each settings page is represented by an identifier. The identifier for any given settings page is the published URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) for that page, minus the "ms-settings:" protocol part at the beginning of its URI command.

    If you like, you can specify a list of pages to show or hide from the System Settings app starting with Windows 10 build 15002. If all pages in a category are listed to be hidden, then the category will be hidden as well.

    See also: How to use the Settings app Group Policy on Windows 10 | Microsoft Support

    This tutorial will show you how to specify a list of Settings pages to show or hide for all users in Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to hide or show Settings pages.



    Contents

    • Option One: To Hide or Show Settings Pages in Local Group Policy Editor
    • Option Two: To Hide or Show Settings Pages in Registry Editor



    EXAMPLE: Settings
    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10-settings.jpg






    OPTION ONE

    To Hide or Show Settings Pages in Local Group Policy Editor


    The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

    All editions can use Option Two below.


    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\Control Panel

    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10-settings_page_visibility_gpedit-1.jpg

    3 In the right pane of Control Panel in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Settings Page Visibility policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

    4 Do step 5 (all), step 6 (hide), or step 7 (show only) below for what you would like to do.


    5 To Show All Default Settings Pages

    A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below step 7)

    Not Configured is the default setting.


    6 To Specify a List of Settings Pages to Hide

    A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below step 7)

    B) In the Settings Page Visibility field, enter this below, click/tap on OK when finished, and go to step 8 below.

    hide:pageURI;pageURI;pageURI

    Substitute pageURI in the command above with the URI command (click on link) minus the "ms-settings:" protocol part for each settings page you want to hide with each page separated by a semicolon.

    You can specify one or more settings pageURI to hide.

    For example: To hide the Bluetooth (ms-settings:bluetooth), VPN (ms-settings:network-vpn), and Proxy (ms-settings:network-proxy) pages in the Settings app, I would enter this below into the Settings Page Visibility field.

    hide:bluetooth;network-vpn;network-proxy


    7 To Specify a List of Settings Pages to Only Show

    A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below)

    B) In the Settings Page Visibility field, enter this below, click/tap on OK when finished, and go to step 8 below.

    showonly:pageURI;pageURI;pageURI

    Substitute pageURI in the command above with the URI command (click on link) minus the "ms-settings:" protocol part for each settings pages you want to show with each page separated by a semicolon.

    You can specify one or more settings pageURI to show.

    Any settings pageURI you do not list to show will be hidden in Settings.

    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10-settings_page_visibility_gpedit-2.jpg

    8 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

    9 If Settings is currently open, then close and reopen Settings to apply.






    OPTION TWO

    To Hide or Show Settings Pages in Registry Editor


    1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

    2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10-settings_page_visibility_regedit-1.jpg

    3 Do step 4 (all), step 5 (hide), or step 6 (show only) below for what you would like to do.


     4. To Show All Default Settings Pages

    This is the default setting.

    A) In the right pane of the Explorer key, right click or press and hold on the SettingsPageVisibility string value (if available), and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below step 2)

    B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10-confirm.jpg


     5. To Specify a List of Settings Pages to Hide

    A) In the right pane of the Explorer key, double click/tap on the SettingsPageVisibility string value (REG_SZ) to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)

    If you do not have a SettingsPageVisibility string value, then right click or press and hold on an empty space in the right pane of the Explorer key, click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type SettingsPageVisibility for the name, and press Enter.


    B) Enter this below, click/tap on OK when finished, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

    hide:pageURI;pageURI;pageURI

    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10-settings_page_visibility_regedit-2.jpg

    Substitute pageURI in the command above with the URI command (click on link) minus the "ms-settings:" protocol part for each settings page you want to hide with each page separated by a semicolon.

    You can specify one or more settings pageURI to hide.

    For example: To hide the Bluetooth (ms-settings:bluetooth), VPN (ms-settings:network-vpn), and Proxy (ms-settings:network-proxy) pages in the Settings app, I would enter this below as the value data for the Settings Page Visibility string value.

    hide:bluetooth;network-vpn;network-proxy


     6. To Specify a List of Settings Pages to Only Show

    A) In the right pane of the Explorer key, double click/tap on the SettingsPageVisibility string value (REG_SZ) to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)

    If you do not have a SettingsPageVisibility string value, then right click or press and hold on an empty space in the right pane of the Explorer key, click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type SettingsPageVisibility for the name, and press Enter.


    B) Enter this below, click/tap on OK when finished, and go to step 7 below.

    showonly:pageURI;pageURI;pageURI

    Substitute pageURI in the command above with the URI command (click on link) minus the "ms-settings:" protocol part for each settings pages you want to show with each page separated by a semicolon.

    You can specify one or more settings pageURI to show.

    Any settings pageURI you do not list to show will be hidden in Settings.


    7 You can now close Registry Editor if you like.

    8 If Settings is currently open, then close and reopen Settings to apply.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 44
    ten 64
       #1

    Probably must have a minimum version of ten

    in 14393 pro 64 en , do not work the registry way either the policy way
    in gpedit.msc even I don't have/see the policy to configure it
    I have only the 3 folders above.

    c
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,655
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello C, :)

    Even though the group policy doesn't state any restrictions, it appears that this policy isn't available until Windows 10 build 15002.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 1,728
    Windows 10 Pro (+ Windows 10 Home VMs for testing)
       #3

    Brink, you are a star! I am so pleased that I've been able to get rid of the Gaming entry. Thank you. :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,655
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    You're most welcome Rick. I'm glad it could help. :)
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 44
    ten 64
       #5

    more registry values for settings entries here
    c
    Last edited by Brink; 16 Aug 2017 at 07:47. Reason: updated link
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,655
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Hello @oneLess,

    Those are linked in the steps. :)
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 1
    Windows 10
       #7

    Hello, how hide a search box "Find a setting"?
    Also on the main page of Settings.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,655
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Hello filiphk, and welcome to Ten Forums.

    I'm not aware of a way to remove the search box on the Settings home page. It's a part of it to be able to search for settings.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 1,728
    Windows 10 Pro (+ Windows 10 Home VMs for testing)
       #9

    Brink said:
    It looks like it was last updated on March 19, 2018, so it's not too far off now.
    Unfortunately it's no longer working for me in 1809.

    In 1803 this works perfectly (and immediately... no re-boot required, just a close/re-open of Settings):
    Code:
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    ; Settings - Phone entry - Turn OFF
    
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
    "SettingsPageVisibility"="hide:mobile-devices"
    ... but has no effect in 1809. Gah!

    I had a look at the updated Launch the Windows Settings app info (amended 01/08/2019) and, just in case, changed it to:
    Code:
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    ; Settings - Phone entry - Turn OFF
    
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
    "SettingsPageVisibility"="hide:mobile-devices;mobile-devices-addphone;mobile-devices-addphone-direct"

    Registry now looks like this (which looks fine to me):
    Hide or Show Pages on Settings in Windows 10-settings-phone-entry-registry.png

    However, no matter how often I close and re-open Settings the Phone entry is still there. As the entry is written under Policies I even tried a gpupdate /force from an elevated command prompt... to no avail. I'm obviously doing something wrong. Any ideas?

    For info: Windows 10 Pro x64 1809 (Build 17763.168); logged in locally with an account in the Administrators group.

    Edit: Even tried a reboot... no joy. (Note: I deliberately haven't tried using Local Group Policy Editor because I want a method for Windows 10 Home users.)

    Further edit: Didn't work using Local Group Policy Editor either.
      My Computer


 

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