How to Reset Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11

This post shows students and new users how to factory reset the local group policy editor settings to the default in Windows 11.

Windows system’s local group policy editor (gpedit. msc) is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in available in Windows, including Windows 11, where users can manage all Computer Configuration and User Configuration local settings to control how Windows functions and turn features on or off.

In a centralized environment, the Computer Configuration container settings apply to the computer, regardless of who logs on to the system. Settings in the User Configuration container apply to users, regardless of which computer they log on to.

Sometimes, we make mistakes and can set the incorrect settings in the policy editor. And because the group policy editor has thousands of individual settings, it can be difficult to go through all configuration settings and find the specific change configured incorrectly.

Sometimes, resetting all the settings to their default state and starting over is okay. If you find yourself in situations where you need to reset its GPO editor, the steps below should be handy.

To get started resetting Windows 11 local group policy editor, follow the steps below:

Reset the local group policy settings in Windows 11

When you want to reset all the system’s settings in the local group policy editor, use the steps below. First, you must be logged on as an administrator, or your account must be a member of the administrator’s group.

When you sign in, open Windows Command Prompt as administrator. Click on Start and use the search box to search for Command Prompt. Then, please select it from the relevant search results as highlighted below.

When the Command Prompt app opens, copy and paste the lines below and press Enter.

RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"
RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicy"
gpupdate /force

REG DELETE "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /f

REG DELETE "HKCU\Software\Policies" /f

REG DELETE "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Policies" /f

REG DELETE "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /f

REG DELETE "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /f

REG DELETE "HKLM\Software\Policies" /f

REG DELETE "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Policies" /f

REG DELETE "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" /f

REG DELETE "HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /f

That will reset the local group policy editor in Windows 11. In most cases, settings are applied correctly when you reboot Windows. So restart your Windows computer for all the settings to be fully applied.

For some Windows 11 users, group policy editors might not be available. I believe the Windows group policy editor is unavailable on Windows Home Editions.

It is available on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

If you run the command and it returns a message that the system cannot find the specified file, there are no changes in your system’s group policy editor settings, or you’re using Windows Home Edition.

The system cannot find the file specified.

The relevant file should be created whenever you make changes to the GPO.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Resetting the local group policy editor in Windows 11 can help resolve configuration issues caused by incorrect settings.
• Ensure that you are logged in as an administrator to execute the reset commands successfully.
• The commands will clear your group policy settings and apply default values.
• Restarting your computer is necessary for the changes to take full effect.
• Note that the local group policy editor is not available in Windows Home Editions, but it is accessible in Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
• Regularly reviewing group policy settings can help maintain optimal system performance and functionality.