Edit a Group Policy object from GPMC

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To edit a Group Policy object

  1. Open Group Policy Management.

  2. In the console tree, double-click Group Policy Objects in the forest and domain containing the Group Policy object (GPO) that you want to edit.

    Where?

    • Forest name/Domains/Domain name/Group Policy Objects
  3. Right-click the GPO, and then click Edit.

  4. In the Group Policy Object Editor console, edit the settings as appropriate.

    Important

    • Avoid editing the default domain policy. If you need to apply Group Policy settings to the entire domain, create a new GPO, link it to the domain, and create the settings in that GPO.

    • The default domain policy and default domain controllers policy are vital to the health of any domain. You should not edit the Default Domain Controller policy or the Default Domain policy, except in the following cases:

      It is recommended that account policy be set in the Default Domain Policy.

      If you install applications on domain controllers that require modifications to User Rights or Audit Policies, the modifications must be made in the Default Domain Controllers Policy.

Notes

  • To edit a GPO, you must have edit permissions for the GPO that you want to edit.

  • To edit IPSec policy settings from within a GPO, you must be a member of the domain administrators group. Otherwise, you can only assign or unassign an existing IPSec policy.

  • You can also edit a GPO by clicking any link to the GPO in the console tree and following the above steps. When using Group Policy Object Editor to edit the settings in the GPO, any changes that you make are global to the GPO, so they will impact all locations where the GPO is linked.

  • To edit the local Group Policy object, you must open it by clicking Start, clicking Run, typing gpedit.msc, and then clicking OK.

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

Group Policy Management Console Overview
Start Group Policy Management Console