Administrative Templates are a crucial part of managing Group Policy in a Windows environment. They provide a structured way to manage registry-based policy settings. This article will guide you through the process of using Administrative Templates in Windows, including how to create, import, and configure them.

What are Administrative Templates?

Administrative Templates are a collection of registry-based policy settings that appear in the Group Policy Object Editor. They are used to configure and enforce specific settings on user and computer objects within an Active Directory environment.

How to Access Administrative Templates

1. Open Group Policy Management Console (GPMC):

   • Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
   • Type gpmc.msc and press Enter.

2. Create or Edit a Group Policy Object (GPO):

   • In the GPMC, navigate to the domain or organizational unit (OU) where you want to create or edit a GPO.
   • Right-click the domain or OU and select "Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here" or select an existing GPO and click "Edit."

3. Navigate to Administrative Templates:

   • In the Group Policy Management Editor, expand Computer Configuration or User Configuration.
   • Expand Policies and then Administrative Templates.

How to Import Administrative Templates

Sometimes, you may need to import custom Administrative Templates (.adm or .admx files) that are not included by default.

1. Download the Administrative Template Files:

   • Obtain the .adm or .admx files from a trusted source.

2. Copy the Files:

   • For .adm files, copy them to the C:\Windows\inf directory.
   • For .admx files, copy them to the C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions directory.
   • If you have language-specific .adml files, copy them to the corresponding language subfolder within C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions (e.g., C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US).

3. Refresh the Group Policy Management Editor:

   • Close and reopen the Group Policy Management Editor to see the new templates.

How to Configure Settings Using Administrative Templates

1. Navigate to the Desired Setting:

   • In the Group Policy Management Editor, under Administrative Templates, find the setting you want to configure.

2. Configure the Setting:

   • Double-click the setting to open its properties.
   • Select "Enabled," "Disabled," or "Not Configured" as appropriate.
   • Configure any additional options available for the setting.

3. Apply and Save:

   • Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes.

Examples

Example 1: Enabling Remote Desktop via Group Policy

1. Open GPMC and Edit a GPO:

   • Follow the steps to open GPMC and edit an existing GPO or create a new one.

2. Navigate to the Setting:

   • Go to Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Remote Desktop Services -> Remote Desktop Session Host -> Connections.

3. Enable Remote Desktop:

   • Double-click "Allow users to connect remotely using Remote Desktop Services."
   • Select "Enabled" and click "Apply" and "OK."

Example 2: Disabling Control Panel Access

1. Open GPMC and Edit a GPO:

   • Follow the steps to open GPMC and edit an existing GPO or create a new one.

2. Navigate to the Setting:

   • Go to User Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel.

3. Disable Control Panel Access:

   • Double-click "Prohibit access to Control Panel and PC settings."
   • Select "Enabled" and click "Apply" and "OK."

Conclusion

Administrative Templates are a powerful tool for managing policy settings in a Windows environment. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can effectively create, import, and configure Administrative Templates to enforce desired settings across your network.