How to Reset Local Group Policies in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you've ever fallen down the rabbit hole of configuring Local Group Policies—tweaking every setting conceivable—you're not alone. Group Policies provide incredible customization power over your Windows OS. But all that control comes with a downside: it’s easy to lose track of what you’ve changed, especially when things start breaking or behaving strangely. So, what do you do when you want to hit the reset button and return all those intricate configurations to their default, out-of-the-box state?
Windows 11 offers several ways to reset Local Group Policy settings, each catering to a different skill level and use case. Whether you’re comfortable clicking through menus in the Group Policy Editor or you prefer the command line, there’s a method for you. Let’s dive into three methods to reset your Group Policy settings back to square one.

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Method 1: Reset via Local Group Policy Editor​

Let’s start with the most straightforward approach: the Local Group Policy Editor. This method requires a bit of manual effort but allows you to selectively reset policies to their “Not Configured” state.

Resetting Computer Configuration Policies​

The "Computer Configuration" section controls settings at a system-wide level. Here's how to reset these policies:

1. Launch the Local Group Policy Editor:
   • Hit Start, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to Administrative Templates:
   • Follow this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > All Settings.
3. Sort by Policy State:
   • Click the 'State' column header to organize policies by ones set to Enabled or Disabled.
4. Modify Each Policy:
   • Double-click a policy you’ve previously modified.
   • Set its state to “Not Configured.”
   • Hit Apply > OK.
5. Repeat:
   • Continue resetting each modified policy until all are back to "Not Configured."

Pro Tip: Sorting the policies makes it easier to identify modified settings at a glance.

Resetting User Configuration Policies​

Now let’s address the "User Configuration" settings which apply to individual user accounts:

1. Repeat Steps 1-3, but navigate to:
   User Configuration > Administrative Templates > All Settings.
2. Reset Individual Policies:
   Double-click and set each to "Not Configured" just as you did earlier.

While this method offers fine-grained control, it can be time-consuming on systems with many modified policies. It’s ideal if you want to keep track of precisely what gets reset, one policy at a time.

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Method 2: Reset Group Policies via Command Prompt​

For those who love the simplicity of typing commands (and getting it done faster), the Command Prompt method is for you. Here’s how you can zap all your Group Policy alterations into oblivion.

Steps to Reset Group Policies Using Command Prompt​

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
   • Hit Start, type cmd, then right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
2. Run the Reset Command:
   Paste the following command and hit Enter:
   

   bash
   
      RD /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers" && RD /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy"

   • This removes the folders storing Group Policy Objects (GPOs) for both user and system policies.
3. Reapply Default Policies:
   Update the Local Group Policy cache with:
   

   bash
   
      gpupdate /force

4. Restart Your Computer:
   • After running these commands, restart to apply the changes.

What’s Really Happening Here?
This method simply deletes the directories where custom Group Policies are stored. Windows will recreate these directories upon reboot, but the policies will return to their pristine factory state.

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Method 3: Reset Group Policies Using PowerShell​

Last but not least is PowerShell—Windows' more modern command-line tool, beloved by many IT pros. It provides similar functionality to Command Prompt but uses a slightly different syntax.

Steps to Reset Group Policies with PowerShell​

1. Run PowerShell as Administrator:
   • Search for PowerShell in the Start Menu, right-click it, and select Run as Administrator.
2. Execute This Command:
   

   powershell
   
      Remove-Item -Path "$env:windir\System32\GroupPolicy", "$env:windir\System32\GroupPolicyUsers" -Recurse -Force

   • This command deletes the same Group Policy directories as in the Command Prompt method.
3. Update Changes:
   Run:
   

   powershell
   
      gpupdate /force

4. Reboot!
   Restart your machine to finalize the reset process.

Both the Command Prompt and PowerShell methods are excellent for users looking to reset everything in one swift action. However, be cautious—once you nuke these settings, there’s no easy way to recover them without reapplying them manually.

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Key Differences Between Methods​

| Method | Complexity | Speed | Best For |
|---------------------------------|----------------|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Local Group Policy Editor | Moderate | Slower | Selectively resetting individual policies. |
| Command Prompt | Easy | Lightning fast | Quickly wiping all policies; ideal for non-technical users. |
| PowerShell | Moderate | Lightning fast | Advanced users familiar with modern scripting environments. |

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Important Caveats​

1. Active Directory Dominated Systems:
   If your machine is part of an organization’s network managed via Active Directory, you won’t be able to reset certain policies. Network administrators control these settings remotely.
2. Local Security Policy Settings:
   This guide doesn’t cover settings under "Windows Security," such as firewall configurations and account policies. These are managed separately.
3. Backup First:
   While resetting policies is straightforward, it’s irreversible. If you have unique configurations that you may want later, consider exporting your policies before resetting them.

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Why Reset Group Policies Anyway?​

Sometimes the road to troubleshooting Windows issues leads straight to your Local Group Policies. Here are common scenarios where a reset can save your bacon:

• Misconfigurations have rendered your system unstable.
• Security settings have locked down useful features.
• You're debugging why some applications aren’t working as intended.
• You want to prepare a device for a fresh start without reinstalling the OS.

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Final Thoughts​

Resetting Local Group Policies in Windows 11 doesn’t have to be a monumental task. Whether you choose the manual approach of the Group Policy Editor or go full ninja mode with Command Prompt or PowerShell, Windows has made it accessible for every user level. Just remember—this is a powerful move. Know why you’re resetting and ensure it’s the best path for your situation.
If you have questions or have faced any interesting Group Policy scenarios, share your experiences over in the WindowsForum.com comments section. Let’s troubleshoot and geek out together!

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Source: Windows Central How to reset Local Group Policy settings to defaults on Windows 11