Script to modify Local Group Policy Editor?(internet setting autocomplete)

nouvo noz picture nouvo noz · Mar 22, 2013 · Viewed 11.1k times · Source

I am trying to automate the turn off all AutoComplete Internet Settings in Local Group Policy Editor by scripting in innosetup. The idea is that it would modify the computer/server so that the user doesn't have to do these steps manually.

[Local Group Policy Editor] -> User Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Internet Explorer Maintenance -> Advanced (after clicking on preference mode in previous step) -> Uncheck everything in the “AutoComplete” section

I had tried to modify these keys

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"UseFormSuggest"="no"
"FormSuggest Passwords"="no"
"FormSuggest PW Ask"="no"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoComplete] "Append Completion"="no"
"Use AutoComplete"="no"
"AutoSuggest"="no"

But then after had done so, I went back to Local Group Policy Editor, these boxes were still checked. So I wonder if there's any other way to do this beside modifying registry keys or am I even doing this the right way, or missing key,.etc...?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Answer

markus picture markus · May 8, 2015

In Windows 8.1 (haven't tested any other versions) I noticed that either enabling or disabling the setting "Disable AutoComplete for forms" in the Local Group Policy Editor will create two registry values in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main:

  • Use FormSuggest
  • UseFormSuggest

However, if you reset it to "Not configured" only the first one (the one with the space between "Use" and "FormSuggest" will be removed. Apart from this strange behaviour I can confirm that disabling these three (or four) settings will prevent IE to suggest or ask for saving passwords.

  • "Use FormSuggest"="no"
  • "UseFormSuggest"="no"
  • "FormSuggest Passwords"="no"
  • "FormSuggest PW Ask"="no"

NOTE

It also works in a WPF WebView. Make sure you restart your Group Policy Snap-In. I also had to close IE and restart it for the settings to take effect.