“With great power comes great responsibility.” However, not everyone using your computer should be given that power. The Settings application can be used to configure some powerful system settings, such as controlling your network’s behavior, managing power modes, managing privacy and security settings, etc. This leaves the system vulnerable as it can lead to potential misconfiguration. Thankfully, you can choose to hide some or all of the Settings pages within the app, and what can’t be seen can’t be controlled. This post discusses 3 ways you can choose to show or hide specific pages inside the Settings app to all users on your computer, adding an additional protection layer for your PC.
How to Customize Settings Page Visibility
2 of the methods to control which Settings pages are visible to all users on your PC require you to use the Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) for each page. These URIs are given in the table at the end of this post. Note: The URIs in these methods are used without the “ms-settings:” prefix. Furthermore, you can also choose to hide specific pages from the Settings app and show all others, or show specific pages whilst hiding all others. Note that you cannot hide complete sections or categories in the app; only specific pages. However, if you hide all the pages inside a section, the Settings app automatically hides the category. Open any hidden pages using the URI cmdlet in the command line automatically redirects you to the Settings app Home page. Let us now show you how to show or hide specific Settings pages in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Using Group Policy
Note: This method only works on Windows 10. The Windows 10 Home edition does not come with the Group Policy Editor. Learn how to enable it. Perform the following steps to hide or display Settings pages using the Group Policy Editor: You shall now find that only the specified pages will be hidden/displayed in the Settings app.
From Windows Registry
Note: This method only works on Windows 10. You can also view or hide specific Settings pages using the Windows Registry Editor. Here is how: Note: Misconfiguration of critical values in the system’s registry could be fatal for your operating system. Therefore, we insist that you create a system restore point before proceeding forward with the process. Now open the Settings app and you will see that the configuration has been applied.“About” Settings page hidden If you want to modify the pages to be hidden or displayed, simply amend the Value Data of the “SettingsPageVisibility” Value in the Windows Registry, or delete it entirely, to revert things to default settings.
Using Settings Blocker
Settings Blocker is a third-party freeware that performs the same functions as the methods discussed above. This is a simple, Graphical User Interface (GUI)-based utility that allows you to show or hide specific Settings pages in the Settings app. Not only that, but you can also prevent the Settings app from opening at all. Although the utility’s complete name is “Win10 Settings Blocker,” it works on both Windows 10 and 11. Follow the given steps to use this utility and display/block specific Settings pages: Now when you open the Settings app, you will see that the changes have been implemented. You can change the policy at any time using the Settings Blocker utility, or add and remove pages from the list.
URI List
Below are the details of complete URIs for Windows that you can use to show or hide the Settings pages in the first and second methods discussed above:
SystemDisplay: displayNotifications & actions: notificationsPower & sleep: powersleepBattery: batterysaverBattery > Battery usage by app: batterysaver-usagedetailsStorage: storagesenseTablet mode: tabletmodeMultitasking: multitaskingProjecting to this PC: projectShared Experiences: crossdeviceAbout: aboutDevicesBluetooth & other devices: bluetoothPrinters & scanners: printersMouse: mousetouchpadTouchpad: devices-touchpadTyping: typingPen & Windows Ink: penAutoPlay: autoplayUSB: usbNetwork & InternetStatus: network-statusCellular & SIM: network-cellularWi-Fi: network-wifiWi-Fi > Manage known networks: network-wifisettingsEthernet: network-ethernetDial-up: network-dialupVPN: network-vpnAirplane mode: network-airplanemodeMobile hotspot: network-mobilehotspotData usage: datausageProxy: network-proxyPersonalizationBackground: personalization-backgroundColors: colorsLock screen: lockscreenThemes: themesStart: personalization-startTaskbar: taskbarAppsApps & features: appsfeaturesApps & features > Manage optional features: optionalfeaturesDefault apps: defaultappsOffline maps: mapsApps for websites: appsforwebsitesAccountsYour info: yourinfoEmail & app accounts: emailandaccountsSign-in options: signinoptionsAccess work or school: workplaceFamily & other people: otherusersSync your settings: syncTime & languageDate & time: dateandtimeRegion & language: regionlanguageSpeech: speechGamingGame bar: gaming-gamebarGame DVR: gaming-gamedvrBroadcasting: gaming-broadcastingGame Mode: gaming-gamemodeEase of AccessNarrator: easeofaccess-narratorMagnifier: easeofaccess-magnifierHigh contrast: easeofaccess-highcontrastClosed captions: easeofaccess-closedcaptioningKeyboard: easeofaccess-keyboardMouse: easeofaccess-mouseOther options: easeofaccess-otheroptionsPrivacyGeneral: privacyLocation: privacy-locationCamera: privacy-webcamMicrophone: privacy-microphoneNotifications: privacy-notificationsSpeech, inking, & typing: privacy-speechtypingAccount info: privacy-accountinfoContacts: privacy-contactsCalendar: privacy-calandarCall History: privacy-callhistoryEmail: privacy-emailTasks: privacy-tasksMessaging: privacy-messagingRadios: privacy-radiosOther devices: privacy-customdevicesFeedback & diagnostics: privacy-feedbackBackground apps: privacy-backgroundappsApp diagnostics: privacy-appdiagnosticsUpdate & SecurityWindows Update: windowsupdateWindows Update > Check for updates: windowsupdate-actionWindows Update > Update history: windowsupdate-historyWindows Update > Restart options: windowsupdate-restartoptionsWindows Update > Advanced options: windowsupdate-optionsWindows Defender: windowsdefenderBackup: backupTroubleshoot: troubleshootRecovery: recoveryActivation: activationFind My Device: findmydeviceFor developers: developersWindows Insider Program: windowsinsiderMixed RealityMixed reality: holographicAudio and speech: holographic-audio
Closing Words
The Settings app is a powerful tool if given the right privileges to a user account. Therefore, as an additional layer of security, you can hide some pages from the Settings application to prevent users from making any changes that you do not want them to. Also see:
How to Change Network and Network Adapter Names in Windows 114 Ways To Change Network Type In Windows 10 (Public, Private, Or Domain)3 Ways to Disable Proxy Settings in Windows 104 Ways To Hide And Show The Taskbar In Windows 11/10How to Disable Specific Driver Updates in Windows 11/10
