How to Add and Edit Registry Values via Group Policy

In this article, I am going to explain how to add and edit registry values into group of computers via Group Policy. This is a very common task in GPO based Active Directory environment for either all of your user’s computer or to a certain group of user’s computer. You can do it easily via Group Policy‘s Computer Preferences setting Registry (SampleGPOComputer ConfigurationPreferencesWindows SettingsRegistry). You can update existing registry value, add new registry value, create new registry key and import existing registry values from one computer and update imported registry values into group of computers via Group Policy.

Summary

Update existing Registry Value via Group Policy

Before configuring Group Policy, group the computers those you want to deploy registry settings and move into single OU so that we can easily link new gpo into that OU.

Follow the below steps to update existing registry value through gpo:

1. Open the Group Policy Management console by running the command gpmc.msc.


2.  Expand the tree and right-click on the OU you want this policy to be applied to. Now, I am going to apply computers which are under the OU ManagementTeam. so right-click on the OU ManagementTeam, and click Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here…

how to add or update registry key and registry value through gpo

3. Give the new policy name and click OK. Here, I am giving new policy name Deploy Registry Policy
  

how to add or update registry value through gpo

4. Now right-click on the newly created gpo Deploy Registry Policy and click edit.

how to update registry value via group policy



5. In the Group Policy Management Editor window, expand Computer Configuration and go to the node Registry (Computer Configuration/Preferences/Windows Settings/Registry).

6. Right-click on the node Registry, click New > Registry Item.

how to update registry value via group policy

7. In new window, select the Registry Hive where your registry key exist and click browse () button to select existing registry value.

how to update existing registry value through GPO

8. Select the registry value which you want update new value. Here, I have selected the registry value Debug from SoftwareMorganApp.

how to update existing registry value through GPO

9. Set new value data (I have set it as 1) and click Apply to complete process.

how to update existing registry value through gpo

10. That’s all, now you can login into any one of the computer which is located under the OU where this group policy is linked and see the updated registry value. If you already logged-in, just run the command gpupdate/force to refresh GPO settings and see the updated registry value.

how to update existing registry value using gpo

Add new Registry Value through Group Policy

Adding new registry value via GPO is same process like updating existing registry value. Here, we are just giving new registry value and its value data instead of selecting registry value.

1. Open the Group Policy in which you want to configure deploy registry settings.
2. In the Group Policy Management Editor window, expand Computer Configuration and go to the node Registry (Computer Configuration/Preferences/Windows Settings/Registry).
3. Right-click on the node Registry, click New > Registry Item.

how to add new registry value through gpo

4. In new window, select the Registry Hive where your registry key is exist.
5. Type existing registry key path (SoftwareMorganApp) and type new registry value. Here, I have given new registry value ‘Description‘.
6. Set new value data (I have set it as ‘This is new description‘) and click Apply to complete process.

how to add new registry value through gpo

7. That’s all, now you can login into any one of the computer which is located under the OU where this group policy is linked and see the created new registry value. If you already logged-in, just run the command gpupdate/force to refresh GPO settings and see the newly created registry value.

how to add new registry value through gpo

Deploy Registry settings by Importing Registry via Group Policy

This method will be very useful if you want to update group of related registry values. Just configure the required registry values in local machine (The machine where you are editing GPO) and you can import the registry settings via import wizard in GPO.

1. Open the Group Policy in which you want to configure deploy registry settings.
2. In the Group Policy Management Editor window, expand Computer Configuration and go to the node Registry (Computer Configuration/Preferences/Windows Settings/Registry).
3. Right-click on the node Registry, click New > Registry Wizard.

how to apply registry settings by resgistry import through gpo

4. In new window, select Local Computer and click Next.
5. Expand My Computer and Registry Hive, select the Registry setting which you want to import (I have selected MorganApp1 and its registry values) and click Finish to complete process.

how to apply registry settings by resgistry import through gpo

6. That’s all, now you can login into any one of the computer which is located under the OU where this group policy is linked and see the created new registry settings. If you already logged-in, just run the command gpupdate/force to refresh GPO settings and see the newly created registry settings.

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