Open the Local Group Policy Editor

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

You can open the Local Group Policy Editor by using the command line or by using the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

To open the Local Group Policy Editor from the command line

• Click Start , type gpedit.msc in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER .

To open the Local Group Policy Editor as an MMC snap-in

1. Open MMC. (Click Start , click in the Start Search box, type mmc , and then press ENTER .)
2. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in .
3. In the Add or Remove Snap-ins dialog box, click Group Policy Object Editor , and then click Add .
4. In the Select Group Policy Object dialog box, click Browse .
5. Click This computer to edit the Local Group Policy object, or click Users to edit Administrator, Non-Administrator, or per-user Local Group Policy objects.
6. Click Finish .

Block user access to printer settings in Windows 7/8

I have a small computer lab set up. It is half Mac and half Windows. On the Macs, I am using the built-in parental controls to stop users from changing printing preferences. However, on the Windows machines, users (for whatever reason) keep trying to add network printers. Unfortunately, there are other printers on the network that are only for staff. Is there a way (using built-in or third-party software) to require the user to input an administrator password before adding/removing printers?

On the workstations (or on the domain controller if there is one) you will need to change this Group Policy:

User Configuration--> Administrative Templates --> Control Panel --> Printers --> Prevent addition of printers --> Enable

This is what it does. Keep in mind that it does not prevent them from craftily using PowerShell or NET USE to add the printer.

Prevents users from using familiar methods to add local and network printers.

This setting removes the Add Printer option from the Start menu. (To find the Add Printer option, click Start, click Printers, and then click Add Printer.) This setting also removes Add Printer from the Printers folder in Control Panel.

Also, users cannot add printers by dragging a printer icon into the Printers folder. If they try, a message appears explaining that the setting prevents the action.

However, this setting does not prevent users from using the Add Hardware Wizard to add a printer. Nor does it prevent users from running other programs to add printers.

This setting does not delete printers that users have already added. However, if users have not added a printer when this setting is applied, they cannot print.

Note: You can use printer permissions to restrict the use of printers without specifying a setting. In the Printers folder, right-click a printer, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.

If this policy is disabled, or not configured, users can add printers using the methods described above.