Vista Tutorial - Display Settings - Enable or Disable Changing

Information

This will enable or disable the ability to change the Display Settings for all users on the computer. The Display Settings include DPI size, screen resolution, screen refresh rate, and color depth.

NOTE

Changing the Display Settings is enabled by default in Vista.

• How to Change the Screen Resolution in Vista
• How to Change the DPI Scale in Vista
• How to Change the Screen Refresh Rate in Vista
• How to Add or Remove the Theme Option in Vista
• How to Add or Remove the Screen Saver Option in Vista
• How to Enable or Prevent the Desktop Background Wallpaper from being Changed in Vista

NOTE

This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two below for the Vista Basic and Home Premium editions.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane, click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, and Display. (See screenshot below step 5)

3. In the right pane, right click on Hide Settings tab and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Enable Changing the Display Settings -

A) Select (dot) Disabled or Not Configured and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 7)

B) Go to step 8.

5. To Disable Changing the Display Settings -

A) Select (dot) Enabled and click on OK.

6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window. Your done.

NOTE

This will work for all Vista versions.

Through a Download:

1. To Disable Changing the Display Settings -

A) Click on the download button below to download the
Disable_Display_Settings.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Enable Changing the Display Settings -

A) Click on the download button below to download the
Enable_Display_Settings.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

The Manual Way:

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
NOTE: If you do not have System, then right click on Polices and click on New and Key. Type System and press Enter.

5. To Disable Changing the Display Settings -

A) In the right pane of System, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type NoDispSettingsPage and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

B) Right click on NoDispSettingsPage and click on Modify.

C) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

D) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

E) Go to step 7.

6. To Enable Changing the Display Settings -

A) In the right pane of System, right click on NoDispSettingsPage and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)

B) Click on Yes to confirm delete.

7. Close regedit.