How to Disable App Installations on Non-System Drives in Windows 11

This article explains how to prevent installing or moving apps on non-system drives in Windows 11.

Why Control Where Apps Install?

There are two main types of apps you can install in Windows. Apps from the Microsoft Store and standalone apps that come with their own installers from third-party vendors.

By default, apps from the Microsoft Store install on your C: drive. Users can choose to move apps apps already installed from the Microsoft Store to a different internal or external drive if they want.

Users can choose to install new apps on internal or external drives in Windows 11.

If you want to prevent users from installing apps on non-system drives, you can disable this feature using either Group Policy or the Registry Editor.

Method 1: Disable Installing Apps Using Group Policy

⚠️ Admin privileges required for this method.

To access the local group policy editor and make this change, follow the steps below.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. Search for “Edit group policy” on the Start menu.
2. Navigate to the folders in this order:
   • Computer Configuration
   • Administrative Templates
   • Windows Components
   • App Package Deployment
3. In the App Package Deployment pane on the right, find and double-click “Disable installing Windows apps on non-system volumes”.

4. Choose one of these three options:
   • Not Configured (default) – Apps can be moved or installed on other drives.
   • Enabled – Apps cannot be moved or installed on drives other than the system drive.
   • Disabled – Apps can be moved or installed on other drives.
5. Click OK to save your changes.

Method 2: Disable Installing Apps Using Registry Editor

⚠️ Admin privileges required for this method.

Another way to prevent installing apps on non-system drives is to use the Windows Registry Editor.

Important: Remember to back up your registry before making any changes or create a System Restore point as a precaution.

1. Open the Windows Registry and navigate to this folder path:Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx
2. Right-click Appx, select New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value.
3. Name the new DWORD RestrictAppToSystemVolume.
4. Double-click RestrictAppToSystemVolume to open it. Type 1 to prevent installing apps on non-system drives.

What Happens When You Enable This Setting?

When you set RestrictAppToSystemVolume to 1, users cannot install or move apps to any drive except the system drive (usually C:).

How to Restore Default Behavior

To allow users to install apps on non-system drives again, delete the RestrictAppToSystemVolume value you created above.

You may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Summary

Preventing the installation or movement of apps on non-system drives in Windows 11 can be managed using either Group Policy or the Registry Editor. Here are the key points:

• Two App Types: Apps come from the Microsoft Store or from standalone installers.
• Default Behavior: Apps install on the C: drive, but users can move them to other drives.
• Group Policy Method: Use the Local Group Policy Editor to disable installations on non-system drives. Set the option to Enabled.
• Registry Method: Modify the Windows Registry to restrict app installations to the system volume. Create a DWORD named RestrictAppToSystemVolume and set its value to 1.
• Backup First: Always back up your registry or create a System Restore point before making changes.
• Reboot Required: You may need to restart your computer for changes to take effect.