Windows 🟡 Intermediate

How to Reset Group Policy Windows 11 to Default

Written by

Richard

Jul 19, 2021 Updated Sep 24, 2026 4 min read

How to Reset Local Group Policy in Windows 11

Resetting Group Policy in Windows 11 clears every custom tweak and restores all security rules back to their original factory defaults. This built-in reset wipes out any system restrictions or policy changes you made, returning your PC to the exact state it was in when you first turned it on.

Local Security Policy tools only come built into Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. If you run Windows 11 Home, those specific settings do not show up on your PC.

⚡ Quick Answer

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run the commands RD /S /Q “📂%windir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers”, RD /S /Q “📂%windir%\System32\GroupPolicy”, and gpupdate /force. Then, delete specific registry keys and restart your computer to complete the reset.

Step 1Open Windows Terminal as an Administrator

Windows Terminal (a tabbed command-line tool) needs administrator privileges to run the reset command. Press the Start key, type Windows Terminal, right-click the top result, and choose Run as administrator to open the app with full system control.

Here’s how to open it:

Click the Start button or press the Win on your keyboard.
Type “Windows Terminal” in the search box.
When you see “Windows Terminal” in the results, don’t just click it. Instead, right-click on it.
From the menu that appears, choose “Run as administrator”.
You’ll see a message asking, “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?” Click “Yes”.

💡TipRunning a program as an administrator gives it permission to make important changes to your system that regular accounts can’t.

This is necessary for changing security settings.

If Windows Terminal opens to PowerShell, that works fine. You will know the Windows Terminal is running as an administrator because the title bar will say "Administrator: Windows Terminal."

Step 2Enter the Command to Reset Security Policies

The built-in security tool restores all local group policies to their original factory defaults when you type the correct reset command. Type secedit /configure /cfg $Env:WINDIR\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose into PowerShell and press Enter to start the reset group policy Windows 11 process.

You have two choices for the command, depending on whether you are using PowerShell or Command Prompt in Windows Terminal. Both accomplish the same task.

Option A: If Windows Terminal is set to PowerShell (this is the default):

💻Code

secedit /configure /cfg $Env:WINDIR\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose

Option B: If you switched Windows Terminal to Command Prompt:

You can type or copy and paste one of the provided commands into the Windows Terminal window to reset Local Security Policy settings. Ensure the command you enter is exact to avoid errors during the reset process for your Windows 11 system.

Carefully type or paste the command into the blinking line in your Windows Terminal window.
Check for any mistakes!
Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Here is what the command actually does:

secedit: This is the tool used to manage security settings.
/configure: This tells secedit that you want to set up security.
/db %windir%\security\local.sdb: This tells the tool which file contains the default security settings. %windir% is a placeholder for your Windows folder (usually C:\Windows), and local.sdb is the file with the default settings.
/cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf: This points to another file that helps set up security.
/quiet: This makes the command run without showing many messages.

An error in the command might prevent the command from working or lead to incorrect settings being applied. It is best to copy and paste the command directly from here.

You won't see elaborate graphics, but the command will execute. If it runs correctly, no error messages will appear. This process might take a few moments.

Step 3Close Windows Terminal

Windows Terminal can be safely closed once the policy reset command finishes running and displays a success message. Click the X button in the top-right corner of the window to finish this step before you restart your computer to apply the reset group policy Windows 11 changes.

Look for the "X" button in the top-right corner of the Windows Terminal window.
Click the "X" to close it.

💡TipEven after the command runs, the changes won't be fully active until you restart your computer.

Step 4Restart Your Computer

Restarting your computer applies the restored settings and finalizes the process. Click the Start button, select the Power icon, and choose Restart from the menu to reboot your PC and make the changes take effect.

Click the Start button.
Click the Power icon.
Choose "Restart".

Warning: Save any open work before restarting. Your computer will shut down and then power back on.

After your computer restarts, your Local Security Policy settings will be restored to their original defaults. This is an effective way to resolve issues caused by security setting modifications or to return to a known safe configuration.

Summary

To reset your Local Security Policy settings in Windows 11, start by opening Windows Terminal as an administrator. Next, run the command 'secedit /configure /cfg $Env:WINDIR\inf\defltbase' to reset the policies. Finally, restart your computer to make sure all changes are applied correctly.

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Tags: #Windows 11

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About the Author

Richard

Tech Writer, IT Professional

Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.

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