Sometimes users get an error message that Windows cannot find gpedit.msc. This error can be due to several reasons. We’ll discuss some of them in this article and offer a solution to this issue.
Good to know concepts
Before we move forward, let’s make sure we understand a few concepts: Group policy is a way to configure computer and user settings for a local computer or network joined computer (using Active Directory). It can be used to configure almost all aspects of the Operating System, including software and Windows Settings, network and security policies, etc. Group Policy Editor is a configuration manager for Windows, which makes it easier to configure group policies. Gpedit is like God Mode of Windows, where we can configure all settings of Windows. Making changes to system settings using the Group Policy Editor is easier and less risky than configuring the Windows Registry. Gpedit.msc is the command to open the Group Policy Editor in Windows. By going to Run –> gpedit.msc will open the local group policy editor. Most local group policies require changes to the Windows Registry. Instead of going through Windows Registry, the user can configure different aspects of the Windows Operating System through a group policy editor.
Fix Windows cannot find ‘gpedit.msc’
If the group policy editor is missing or corrupt in your system, it will give you the following error: There are a couple of reasons why this error may occur:
You are running an edition of Windows which does not include gpedit.mscGpedit.msc has become corrupted or has been deleted from your computer
Let’s go through the solution for both these problems:
Install gpedit.msc in Windows Home Edition
Windows Home Edition does not include the Group Policy Editor by default. Microsoft has omitted most network related tools from the Home edition, and that is understandable, because most Home users will only connect to the Internet individually. There’s no need for inter-networking. However, the local group policy editor should not have been removed, as it also caters to local policies that can be applied to the same computer. The good news is that Windows 10/11 Home Edition includes Group Policy feature on default installation, but this feature is disabled by default. You just have to enable the feature to bring back gpedit.msc. To confirm that you are using Windows Home Edition, follow the steps below:
Open Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R.Type winver and click OK.
This will show you the Windows version you’re running. Alternatively, if you are running Windows 11 or Windows 10, you can use the following command:
Open Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R.Type ms-settings:about and press OK.You can find your Windows edition under Windows Specifications.
Once you are sure you are running Windows 10 Home or Windows 11 Home Edition, please follow the steps below to install the group policy editor: Run Command Prompt as administrator and copy/paste the following commands: These two commands will install the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) in your Windows 10 Home/Windows 11 Home edition.
Repair corrupted gpedit.msc
If you are running Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise edition, you should run gpedit.msc without any errors. If you are still getting errors while opening gpedit.msc, you should make sure that the file exists in C:\Windows\System32. If the file exists, that means the file has become corrupted and is not opening. To repair the file, you will need to run the SFC Scan. Follow the steps below:
Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R simultaneously.Type sfc/scannow and click OK.Complete the scan and it should repair and restore the system files.
You can also restore and repair system files using the following command (run Command Prompt as administrator)
Fix Administrator has disabled gpedit.msc
Please note that gpedit.msc can only be opened and configured by a user who is a member of the administrator group of your local computer. If you are an administrator and still getting this error that gpedit.msc has been disabled by your administrator, you should follow the steps below to fix this issue: This should recreate the group policy files and reset gpedit.msc. Now if you try to open gpedit.msc, it should open without any issues. Also see:
How to Enable Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) In Windows 10 Home EditionHow To Enable Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc) in Windows 11 HomeFix SafeSearch Not Turning Off In Windows 11/104 Ways To Fix Right-click Not Working on Taskbar And Start Menu In Windows 10Fix Pause Windows Updates Option Grayed Out In Windows 11/10
