Server 2012/Windows 8 – Ribbon UI: Disable Icons, Buttons, Shortcuts, Tasks, and Commands

To disable a Ribbon UI icon, button, shortcut, task, or command, it requires a combination of registry keys. Some of which must be added to the registry, other keys merely need to be edited if they already exist. In cases where I’ve added the “MUIVerb” column in the table below, the only reason I am adding this key is because once you disable the icon, for whatever reason the icon description is missing so it looks fairly strange to have a grayed out icon without a name under it. Here is the location of the Ribbon UI stuff in the registry:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell

All of these registry keys use the same values throughout so I’m just going to place an X in the column below whether you need to set it or not. Also, I don’t have that kind of time to be able to test every single one of these entries, however, I would like to see this table completely filled at some point and I can only do that with your help. If you figure out an entry that I haven’t documented yet here, please take the time to quickly email me the info containing all the necessary info at webmaster@thisdomain.com with a subject line of “Ribbon UI”. I will ask one more thing of you, since at the time of this writing, this is literally the only place on the internet you will find this information (and I searched online for days) because I figured it out all by myself, if this page helped you out, please give me a thumbs up vote at the bottom of the post. I intend on adding some sortable post rating functionality to the site and I need feedback.

  • First you need to take ownership and grant write permissions to the local SYSTEM account to the CommandStore > shell > Windows.* subkeys in the registry to be able to push these settings out via Group Policy Preferences, or to manually set these keys, take ownership and grant permissions to the user account your logged on as. Currently, I haven’t figured out a way to do this solely with Group Policy without having to call some external batch file that uses some third party software to take ownership and set the registry permissions. Not to worry though fellow tech nerds, I’ve taken all of the guesswork out of the process and went ahead and published my batch script for taking ownership and changing the permissions on the registry keys, you can download that here.
  • Set “AttributeMask” REG_DWORD key to “00100000” hexadecimal.
  • Set “AttributeValue” REG_DWORD key to “00100000” hexadecimal.
  • Set “ImpliedSelectionModel” REG_DWORD key to “00000000” hexadecimal.
  • “ExplorerCommandHandler” REG_SZ key will contain a CLSID value such as “{f7300245-1f4b-41ba-8948-6fd392064494}”. Edit the data and completely delete out the CLSID value, which will set the variable to a null or empty string. ie Set “ExplorerCommandHandler”=””.
  • MUIVerb is the icon’s text description string. As mentioned above, in cases where the icon’s text is removed when it is disabled, you can add this key to set it’s value. Example: Windows.Cleanup – Set REG_SZ “MUIVerb”=”Cleanup”
  • For whatever reason, if you wanted to change the button’s icon, you can set the path in the “Icon” key.
  • The Group Policy Exists column tells whether there is a Group Policy that can control access to this setting at the time of this writing. If it does exist, you should use that instead of hacking the registry so that the command isn’t disabled for all users on the machine. Hacking it to lock it down should be used as a last resort and we should all admonish Microsoft for their lack of thoroughness (except when it comes to spying on people, tracking and cataloging users, building in backdoors, and releasing security updates to the NSA first so they can hack our computers before the patches are released).
Shell Command Name Attribute Mask Attribute Value Implied Selection Model Explorer Command Handler MUIVerb Group Policy Exists Location Comments
Windows.aboutWindows x x x File Tab > Help Menu > About Windows
Windows.AddColumns
Windows.AddDevice
Windows.AddNetworkLocation x x x Computer Tab > Network Column > Add a network location
Windows.AddPrinter
Windows.AddRemovePrograms x x x x Computer Tab > System Column > Uninstall or change a program
Windows.AddToFavorites Home Tab > New Column > Easy access Dropdown > Add to favorites
Windows.Autoplay x x x x  Manage Tab > Media Column > AutoPlay
Windows.Backup
Windows.BitLocker Manage Tab > Protect Column > BitLocker
Windows.BitLocker.Encrypt
Windows.BitLocker.Manage
Windows.BitLocker.ResetPasswordPin
Windows.burn x x x Share Tab > Send Column > Burn to disc
Windows.Burn.Action
Windows.ChangedIndexedLocations
Windows.change-passphrase
Windows.change-pin
Windows.ChooseColumns
Windows.CleanUp x x x x Cleanup
Windows.ClearAddressBarHistory
Windows.ClearFrequentHistory
Windows.clearRecentDocs
Windows.closewindow
Windows.cmd
Windows.cmdPromptAsAdministrator
Windows.CompressedFile.extract
Windows.CompressedFile.ExtractTo
Windows.CompressedFolder.extract
Windows.CompressedItem.extract
Windows.Computer.Manage x x x x
Windows.connectNetworkDrive x x x x
Windows.copy
Windows.copyaspath
Windows.CopyToBrowser
Windows.CopyToMenu
Windows.CscSync
Windows.CscWorkOfflineOnline
Windows.cut
Windows.Defragment x x x x Optimize
Windows.delete
Windows.Dialog.DisconnectNetworkDrive x x x x
Windows.DiscImage.burn  x  x  x Manage Tab > Manage Column > Burn
Windows.DisconnectNetworkDrive
Windows.DiskFormat x x x
Windows.DriveFolder.DisconnectNetworkDrive
Windows.edit  x  x x Home Tab > Open Column > Edit
Windows.Eject x x x
Windows.email x x x
Windows.encrypt-bde
Windows.encrypt-bde-elev
Windows.Enqueue
Windows.EraseDisc
Windows.EraseDiscAction
Windows.fax x x x
Windows.FinishBurn x x x
Windows.folderoptions
Windows.GroupByColumn
Windows.help
Windows.HideSelected x x x x View Tab > Show/hide Column > Hide selected items
Windows.HistoryVaultRestore
Windows.HomeGroupCPL
Windows.HomeGroupJoin
Windows.HomeGroupPassword
Windows.HomeGroupSharing
Windows.HomeGroupTroubleshooter
Windows.IconSize
Windows.includeinlibrary
Windows.invertselection x  x x Home Tab > Select Column > Invert selection
Windows.layout
Windows.LibraryChangeIcon
Windows.LibraryDefaultSaveLocation
Windows.LibraryIncludeInLibrary
Windows.LibraryManageLibrary
Windows.LibraryOptimizeLibraryFor
Windows.LibraryPublicSaveLocation
Windows.LibraryRestoreDefaults
Windows.LibrarySelChangeIcon
Windows.LibrarySelDefaultSaveLocation
Windows.LibrarySelManageLibrary
Windows.LibrarySelOptimizeLibraryFor
Windows.LibrarySelPublicSaveLocation
Windows.LibrarySelRestoreDefaults
Windows.LibrarySelShowInNavPane
Windows.LibraryShowInNavPane
Windows.location.cmd  x  x  x File Tab > Open command prompt Menu > Open command prompt
Windows.location.cmdPromptAsAdministrator  x  x x File Tab > Open command prompt Menu > Open command prompt as administrator
Windows.location.opennewprocess
Windows.location.opennewwindow
Windows.location.Powershell  x  x  x File Tab > Open Windows PowerShell Menu > Open Windows PowerShell
Windows.location.PowershellAsAdmin  x x  x File Tab > Open Windows PowerShell Menu > Open Windows PowerShell as administrator
Windows.manage-bde
Windows.manage-bde-elev
Windows.ManageDefaultPrinters
Windows.MapNetworkDrive x x x x Computer Tab > Network Column > Map network drive Dropdown > Map network drive
Windows.menubar
Windows.mount x  x x Manage Tab > Manage Column > Mount
Windows.MoveToBrowser
Windows.MoveToMenu
Windows.MultiVerb.cmd
Windows.MultiVerb.cmdPromptAsAdministrator
Windows.MultiVerb.opennewprocess
Windows.MultiVerb.opennewwindow
Windows.MultiVerb.Powershell
Windows.MultiVerb.PowershellAsAdmin
Windows.navpane x x x View Tab > Panes Column > Navigation Pane Dropdown > Navigation pane
Windows.NavPaneExpandToCurrentFolder x x x x View Tab > Panes Column > Navigation Pane Dropdown > Expand to open folder
Windows.NavPaneShowAllFolders x x x x  View Tab > Panes Column > Navigation Pane Dropdown > Show all folders
Windows.NavPaneShowFavorites x x x x  View Tab > Panes Column > Navigation Pane Dropdown > Show favorites
Windows.NavPaneShowLibraries x x x x  View Tab > Panes Column > Navigation Pane Dropdown > Show libraries
Windows.NetworkAndSharing
Windows.NetworkViewDeviceWebpage
Windows.newfolder
Windows.newitem
Windows.open x x x x Open Computer Tab > Location Column > Open -AND- Home Tab > Open Column > Open
Windows.OpenContainingFolder.opencontaining
Windows.OpenControlPanel x x x x Computer Tab > System Column > System properties
Windows.opennewprocess
Windows.opennewwindow
Windows.OpenPrinterServerProperty
Windows.OpenPrintQueue
Windows.OpenSearch.openfilelocation
Windows.OpenSearchViewSite
Windows.OpenWith
Windows.organize
Windows.paste
Windows.pastelink
Windows.PermanentDelete
Windows.pintostartscreen
Windows.play
Windows.playall
Windows.playmusic
Windows.playto
Windows.Powershell
Windows.PowershellAsAdmin
Windows.previewpane x x x View Tab > Panes Column > Details pane The shell name is misleading, it actually controls the Details pane button and not the Preview pane button like you would think.
Windows.print x x x Share Tab > Send Column > Print
Windows.properties x x x Computer Tab > Location Column > Properties -AND- Home Tab > Open Column > Properties
Windows.readingpane x x x View Tab > Panes Column > Preview pane The shell name is misleading, it actually controls the Preview pane button and not the Details pane button like you would think.
Windows.recycle
Windows.RecycleBin.Empty
Windows.RecycleBin.Location.properties
Windows.RecycleBin.properties
Windows.RecycleBin.RestoreAll
Windows.RecycleBin.RestoreItems
Windows.RecycleBin.Selection.properties
Windows.redo
Windows.remotedesktop
Windows.RemoveMediaServer
Windows.removeproperties x x x
Windows.rename x x x Computer Tab > Location Column > Rename -AND- Home Tab > Organize Column > Rename
Windows.RibbonDelete
Windows.RibbonPermissionsDialog
Windows.RibbonShare
Windows.RibbonSync.MakeAvailableOffline
Windows.RibbonSync.SyncThisFolder
Windows.RibbonSync.WorkOfflineOnline
Windows.rotate270
Windows.rotate90
Windows.runas
Windows.runasuser
Windows.SearchActiveDirectory
Windows.SearchClearMru
Windows.SearchCloseTab
Windows.SearchFilterDate
Windows.SearchFilterKind
Windows.SearchFilterMoreProperties
Windows.SearchFilterSize
Windows.SearchMru
Windows.SearchOpenLocation
Windows.SearchOptionCompressed
Windows.SearchOptionContents
Windows.SearchOptionDeep
Windows.SearchOptionShallow
Windows.SearchOptionSystem
Windows.SearchSave
Windows.SearchSendTo
Windows.SearchSendToComputer
Windows.selectall  x x x Home Tab > Select Column > Select all
Windows.SelectionCheckboxes  x  x  x x View Tab > Show/hide Column > Item check boxes
Windows.selectnone  x x x Home Tab > Select Column > Select none
Windows.separator
Windows.setdesktopwallpaper
Windows.Share
Windows.ShareHomegroupFullAccess
Windows.ShareHomegroupNoAccess
Windows.ShareHomegroupReadAccess
Windows.SharePrivate
Windows.ShareSpecificUsers
Windows.Shortcut.opencontaining
Windows.ShowFileExtensions x x x x View Tab > Show/hide Column > File name extensions Checkbox
Windows.ShowHiddenFiles x x x x View Tab > Show/hide Column > Hidden items Checkbox
Windows.SizeAllColumns
Windows.slideshow
Windows.SortAscending
Windows.SortByColumn
Windows.SortDescending
Windows.SortGroupsAscending
Windows.SortGroupsDescending
Windows.StartScan
Windows.statusbar
Windows.Sync
Windows.SystemProperties x x x x Computer Tab > System Column > Manage
Windows.taskbarpin
Windows.ToggleRecycleConfirmations
Windows.topviewrestoredefault
Windows.Troubleshoot
Windows.undo
Windows.UpdatePrinterDriver
Windows.View.OptionsGallery x x x x x View Tab > Next to Show/hide Column > Unnamed Column > Options This button accesses Folder Options in the Control Panel
Windows.ViewRemotePrinters
Windows.zip x x x
Windows.Zip.Action

One Reply to “Server 2012/Windows 8 – Ribbon UI: Disable Icons, Buttons, Shortcuts, Tasks, and Commands”

  1. One thing you might have to watch out for is that if Windows Updates make any changes to the aforementioned registry keys, the registry permissions that we had to run the script for might get lost and you may have to run it over again at some point. If this is the case, you should see one or more entries in the Event Viewer depending on how many buttons you have disabled squawking about not having permission to update the keys.

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