Group Policy Preferences for Internet Explorer 9 are not (yet?) supported. This post describes the workaround.

When I first read that Group Policy Preferences can't be used for Internet Explorer 9, I thought that was just a misunderstanding. How could it be that such an important feature is not supported for Microsoft's latest web browser? Group Policy and Group Policy Preferences are one of the major reasons why many organizations stick with Internet Explorer even though good browser alternatives are now available.

Group Policy Prefenrences - Internet Explorer 9 - Internet Settings

But after installing the latest updates on Windows Server 2008 R2, I see that Group Policy Preferences are still only available for Internet Explorer 6-8. I don't know what is behind this. Is Microsoft giving up on Group Policy Preferences for Internet Explorer altogether, or will there be an update? A forum entry by MVP Alan Burchill seems to indicate there will be no such update. However, the following workaround allows you to keep working with Group Policy Preferences for Internet Explorer 9.

  1. Configure an Internet Explorer 8 setting in Group Policy Preferences. For instance, you can preset IE's homepage to https://4sysops.com (highly recommended ;-)). Don't forget to hit F6 after you entered the homepage.
    Group Policy Prefenrences - Internet Explorer 9 Homepage
  2. Navigate to Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Scripts (Logon/Logoff) and double-click Logon or Logoff. Next, click "Show Files."
    Group Policy Prefenrences - Internet Explorer 9 - Logon
  3. Navigate up to the User folders.
    Group Policy Prefenrences - Internet Explorer 9 - User
  4. Navigate down to the Preferences\InternetSettings folders.
    Group Policy Prefenrences - Internet Explorer 9 - Folder InternetSettings
  5. Edit (right-click) the InternetSettings files.
  6. Search for "max=9.0.0.0" in the text and replace it with "max=9.1.0.0". Save the file.
    Group Policy Prefenrences - Internet Explorer 9 - InternetSettings

Note that this workaround won't make the "Internet Explorer 9" option appear when you add a new Internet Setting in Group Policy editor. You have to configure Internet Explorer 8 policy settings, which will also be used for Internet Explorer 9. Also note that you have to repeat the procedure described here whenever you create a new Group Policy Object.

4 Comments
  1. Kenny 12 years ago

    First of all let me clarify that I haven’t verified this.
    However, I remebered that I stumbled upon this topic a couple of weeks ago in a IT support forum somewhere.

    The suggested solution from one of the forum members was to install IE9 on the Windows Server 2008 R2 DC.
    The Group Policy Preferences for Internet Explorer 9 would then be installed together with IE9.

  2. Kenny, I just tried that. It appears the information in the forum was wrong. The Group Policy Preferences didn’t change after installing IE9.

  3. Kenny 11 years ago

    Microsoft has released a hotfix for this issue.
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2530309

  4. Soeren P 11 years ago

    Nice hotfix link. Thank you Kenny!

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