2 Ways to Fix Group Policy Editor (gpedit) Missing on Windows

Quick Tips

• The Local Group Policy Editor is a tool available only on Windows Pro and Enterprise editions.
• You can still access the tool on Windows Home by executing a batch file using Notepad.
• Alternatively, you can run a couple of commands in Command Prompt to enable the Local Group Policy Editor.

Why Can’t I Find the Group Policy Editor on Windows PC?

The main reason you can’t find the Group Policy Editor on your Windows computer is that it’s only available in the Pro and Enterprise editions. This means if you’re running Windows Home, common for personal computers, you’ll see the Windows cannot find ‘gpedit.msc’ message when you try searching it.

However, there’s no need to worry. Even with Windows Home, there are workarounds to enable group policy settings on your computer. Let’s look at those options.

Method 1: Enable the Local Group Policy Editor By Running a Batch File

The quickest way to enable the Local Group Policy Editor is by running a batch file on your computer. But before getting into the process, you must take a backup of everything on your computer. Once you’ve done that, follow the below steps:

Step 1: Open the Start menu and search for Notepad. Click on the Notepad application to launch it.

Step 2: Copy and paste the following code into the blank Notepad window. Then, click the File option in the top-left corner and choose Save as.

@echo off

pushd "%~dp0"

dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~3*.mum >List.txt

dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~3*.mum >>List.txt

for /f %%i in ('findstr /i . List.txt 2^>nul') do dism /online /norestart /add-package:"%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\%%i"

pause

Step 3: In the File name field, type Group Policy Editor.bat and choose All Files from the Save as type dropdown menu. Then, click Save.

Step 4: Navigate to the location where you have saved the file, right-click on it, and choose Run as administrator.

A command prompt window will appear and will start installing the Group Policy Editor on your computer. Once it’s finished, you’ll see a message prompting you to press any key to continue.

So, press any key on your keyboard to close the window and then you’ll be able to access the Local Group Policy Editor by searching for gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box.

Method 2: Enable the Group Policy Editor Using Command Prompt

One other way to enable the Local Group Policy Editor is by running commands in the Command Prompt window. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Open the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, and then choose Run as administrator.

Step 2: In the elevated Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each command:

FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~*.mum") DO ( DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F" )

FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~*.mum") DO (
DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F")

After running the commands, restart your computer. You should be able to access the Local Group Policy Editor through the Run dialog box.

Also Read: How to see what group policies are applied to your Windows 11