Create and Edit a Group Policy Object

Applies To: Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

You can use the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) to create and edit Group Policy objects (GPOs).

Creating and editing a Group Policy object

  • Create a Group Policy object

  • Edit a Group Policy object

Note

You can also create a GPO from a Starter GPO. For more information, see Create a New GPO from a Starter GPO.

To create a Group Policy object

  1. In the GPMC console tree, right-click Group Policy Objects in the forest and domain in which you want to create a GPO.

  2. Click New .

  3. In the New GPO dialog box, specify a name for the new GPO, and then click OK .

To edit a Group Policy object

  1. In the GPMC console tree, double-click Group Policy Objects in the forest and domain containing the GPO that you want to edit.

  2. Right-click the GPO, and then click Edit .

  3. In the console tree, edit the settings as appropriate.

Important

The Default Domain Policy GPO and Default Domain Controllers Policy GPO are vital to the health of any domain. As a best practice, you should not edit the Default Domain Controllers Policy GPO or the Default Domain Policy GPO, except in the following cases:

  - Account policy settings are required to be configured in the Default Domain GPO.  
      
  - If you install applications on domain controllers requiring modifications to User Rights or Audit policy settings, you must modify the policy settings in the Default Domain Controllers Policy GPO.  
      

Additional considerations

  • When you create a GPO, it will not have an effect until it is linked to a site, domain, or organizational unit (OU).

  • By default only domain administrators, enterprise administrators, and members of the Group Policy creator owners group can create and edit GPOs.

  • To edit IPSec policy settings from within a GPO, you must be a member of the domain administrators group.

  • You can also edit a GPO by right-clicking the name of the GPO in any container in which it is linked, and then clicking Edit .

Additional references

Working with Group Policy Objects