How to Enable or Disable Installation of Removable Devices on Windows 10, 8, and 7?

In windows, if you want to allow external storage media but want to disallow other storage media from installing on your PC, It’s possible with the help of a group policy editor or through Registry Editor in Windows 10/8/7. When you connect external storage like a USB  flash drive, USB hard disk, etc., Windows allow installing the removable device by default.

You can stop Windows from installing removable devices through some settings. After that, removable device drivers will work on only exiting media available on it. Windows will not update removable device drivers.

In this risewindows article, we will guide you on how to Enable or Disable the Installation of Removable Devices in Windows 10, 8, and 7.

There are at least two methods to Enable or Disable the Installation of Removable Devices in Windows 10, 8, and 7. These are as follows:-

1. Using Local Group Policy Editor
2. Through Registry Editor

How to Allow or Prevent Installation of Removable Devices using Local Group Policy Editor?

To Allow or Prevent Installation of Removable Devices using Local Group Policy Editor, do the following steps:-

Step 1. Firstly, Open Local Group Policy Editor.

Step 2. Then, In the Local Group Policy Editor window that opens, navigate to the following path from the left side pane:-

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > De

Step 3. Now, On the right-side pane of “Device Installation Restrictions,” double click the policy “Prevent installation of removable devices” to open its settings.

Step 4. After that, Select Enabled radio button.

Step 5. Then, Click the Apply button.

Step 6. Click the OK button.

Step 7. At last, reboot your computer to apply the policy.

When the above steps are completed, installing removable devices on your Windows PC is prohibited. The drivers for the existing external devices also will not be updated.

If you want to allow removable devices on Windows PC, repeat the above steps, and in step 4, select the Not Configured option.

How to Allow or Prevent Installation of Removable Devices via Registry Editor?

To Allow or Prevent Installation of Removable Devices via Registry Editor, do the following steps:-

Step 1. Firstly, Open the Registry Editor.

Step 2. Then, On the left side of the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following key:-

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Step 3. Next, right-click on the Windows key and select the New and then Key option. Name it DeviceInstall.

Step 4. After that, right-click on the DeviceInstall key; select New and then Key. Name it Restrictions.

Step 5. Then, On the right side pane of the Restrictions key, right-click on free space, select New, and then DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it DenyRemovableDevices.

Step 6. Then, On the right-side pane, double-click on DenyRemovableDevices to open it.

Step 7. Set the following value:-

• 0 = Disabled
• 1 = Enabled

Step 8. Click OK.

Step 9. After that, Close the Registry Editor.

Step 10. At last, Restart your PC to apply the policy.

That’s it!