Configure Controlled folder access: registry value EnableControlledFolderAccessComputerHKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access

Policy ID: ExploitGuard_ControlledFolderAccess_EnableControlledFolderAccess
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › Microsoft Defender Antivirus › Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard › Controlled Folder Access

Registry

EnableControlledFolderAccess

-Computer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access Current key

EnableControlledFolderAccess

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Configure the guard my folders feature

Options
Item	Stored value
Disable (Default)	0
Block	1
Audit Mode	2
Block disk modification only	3
Audit disk modification only	4

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access]

; Options (use only one)
; Disable (Default)
"EnableControlledFolderAccess"=dword:00000000
; Block
"EnableControlledFolderAccess"=dword:00000001
; Audit Mode
"EnableControlledFolderAccess"=dword:00000002
; Block disk modification only
"EnableControlledFolderAccess"=dword:00000003
; Audit disk modification only
"EnableControlledFolderAccess"=dword:00000004

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Disable (Default)
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access" /v "EnableControlledFolderAccess" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
:: Block
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access" /v "EnableControlledFolderAccess" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Audit Mode
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access" /v "EnableControlledFolderAccess" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
:: Block disk modification only
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access" /v "EnableControlledFolderAccess" /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
:: Audit disk modification only
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access" /v "EnableControlledFolderAccess" /t REG_DWORD /d 4 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Disable (Default)
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'EnableControlledFolderAccess' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null
# Block
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'EnableControlledFolderAccess' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Audit Mode
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'EnableControlledFolderAccess' -PropertyType DWord -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null
# Block disk modification only
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'EnableControlledFolderAccess' -PropertyType DWord -Value 3 -Force | Out-Null
# Audit disk modification only
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Controlled Folder Access' -Name 'EnableControlledFolderAccess' -PropertyType DWord -Value 4 -Force | Out-Null