How To Disable Hardware Tab In Properties Window?

The hardware tab is located in each hardware’s properties window on your system. The hard drive, keyboard, mouse, sound, and audio devices, all will have a hardware tab in their properties window. It allows users to access the settings like updating, disabling, rollback, and uninstallation of the driver for that hardware. However, if the computer is shared by multiple users, then other users can also use these settings through the hardware tab. As an administrator, you can simply disable this tab from the properties of all devices. In this article, we will show you methods through which you can easily disable the hardware tab from the properties window.

Hardware tab in the keyboard properties

Some settings are not available in the default Control Panel and Settings app. There is a specific policy setting available for removing the hardware tab on your system. By using the Local Group Policy Editor, we can simply access this setting. However, the Local Group Policy Editor isn’t available for Windows Home users. Therefore, we have also included a Registry method, which will work similarly as the policy method.

Disabling Hardware Tab through the Local Group Policy Editor

The Local Group Policy is a Windows feature that allows users to control the working environment of their operating system. It has user configuration and computer configuration. The setting for removing the hardware tab can be found in the user configuration. Follow the below steps to disable the hardware tab:

Skip this method, if you are using Windows Home Edition and try the Registry Editor method.

1. Press the Windows + R keys together on your keyboard to open a Run dialog. Now type “ gpedit.msc ” in the Run box and press the Enter key to open the Local Group Policy Editor . Opening Local Group Policy Editor
2. Navigate to the following setting in the Local Group Policy Editor: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorer\ Navigating to the setting in the Local Group Policy Editor
3. Double-click on the setting named “ Remove Hardware tab ” in the list of the File Explorer . It will open a new window, now change the toggle options from Not Configured to Enabled . Enabling the setting to disable the hardware tab
4. Click on the Apply/Ok button to save the changes. Now the hardware tab will not show in most hardware properties windows.
5. To enable it back, simply change the toggle option back to Not Configured or Disabled in step 3.

Disabling Hardware Tab through the Registry Editor

The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for both applications and operating systems. The Registry Editor isn’t safe as the Local Group Policy Editor. A single wrong setting can cause the computer unusable or worse. It is best to create a backup before making any changes in the Registry Editor. Also, if you follow the below steps carefully, there will be nothing to worry about.

1. Press the Windows + R keys together on your keyboard to open a Run dialog. Now type “ regedit ” in the Run box and press the Enter key to open Registry Editor . Opening the Registry Editor
2. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
3. Right-click on the right pane of the Explorer key and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name the value as “ NoHardwareTab “. Creating a new value in the Registry Editor
4. Double-click on the value you just created and change the value data to 1 . Note : Value data 1 will enable the value and this value will disable the Hardware tab. Changing the value data
5. After all the configurations, you need to restart the computer to apply the changes to your system.
6. To enable the hardware tab again on your system, simply change the value data back to 0 or remove the value that you created in this method.

How to Fix “Printer is in an error state” Issue?

The “ Cannot change fingerprint or PIN ” problem in Windows 11 happens when the options to change these settings are greyed out in Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options. Even if you are the administrator, you can’t update your Windows Hello credentials. You might also see a message like “ This option is temporarily unavailable. ”

Can’t disable PIN or Fingerprint on Windows 11

This usually happens because Windows Hello’s stored data (in the Ngc folder) is damaged or not in sync. Other reasons include security rules set by your workplace or school, connected work accounts, or restrictions set in the registry or group policy.

Now that you’re aware of the potential causes, let’s go through some steps that have helped other users fix or work around this problem:

1. Change the PIN or Fingerprint the Conventional Way

If your goal is to remove the fingerprint or PIN without setting up another sign-in method, please note that this is not possible on Windows 11.

Windows 11 requires you to have at least one Sign-in option enabled. The Remove button will remain grayed out if you only have one active sign-in method.

Can’t disable PIN or Fingerprint on Windows 11

For example, the Remove button for your PIN will stay unavailable until you add a different sign-in option (like Facial Recognition, Fingerprint, or a Security Key).

If you want to stop using your PIN or Fingerprint, you’ll need to set up an additional way to sign in.

Below are step-by-step instructions to set up a new sign-in option and then remove your current one:

1. Press Windows key + I to open the Settings menu in Windows 11.
2. Inside the Settings menu, click on Accounts from the vertical menu on the left. Accessing the Accounts menu Note: If the left menu is hidden by default, click the menu button (top-left corner) to reveal it.
3. Once in the Accounts menu, move to the right-hand section of the screen and select Sign-in options. Accessing the Sign In Options menu
4. Now, choose which sign-in method you’d like to set as a fallback. Sign-in Options Note: Your available options depend on your device. If your PC doesn’t support facial recognition or you don’t have a security key, you can switch between PIN and fingerprint.
5. After you pick your new sign-in method, follow the on-screen instructions to set it up.
6. Once your second sign-in option is set, you’ll be able to click the Remove button to get rid of your previous sign-in method. You can also choose Change PIN or Change Fingerprint to update, rather than remove, your sign-in credentials. Modify the current PIN or remove one of the configured sign-in options

2. Remove PIN or Fingerprint Requirement by Using a Local Account

If you want to completely remove all sign-in options like PIN or Fingerprint, you will have to switch to a local account .

We generally don’t recommend this unless you really need to, as it can limit the functionality of some built-in Windows features (like Windows Update and the Microsoft Store).

If you still want to remove your PIN or Fingerprint sign-in, you’ll need to set up a local account with a password instead. Keep in mind, this means you’ll need to stop using your Microsoft account on your PC.

Important: This method isn’t available if you’re enrolled in the Windows Insider program.

To change from a Microsoft account with PIN or fingerprint to a local password, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings menu in Windows 11.
2. In the Settings menu, click on Accounts from the menu on the left. Accessing the Accounts menu Note: If you don’t see the left menu, click the menu icon (top-left corner).
3. Inside Accounts , click on Family & other users on the right-hand side. Accessing the Family and other users tab
4. In the Family & other users tab, check for any accounts listed under Other users. If you find any, remove them before moving on.
5. Next, return to the main Accounts menu and click on Your info on the right. Accessing the Your Info tab
6. Scroll down to Account Settings and click on Sign in with a local account instead . Sign in with a local account instead
7. On the next screen, click Next .
8. When prompted, enter your current PIN or use your fingerprint as requested. Inserting the PIN
9. Then, you’ll be asked to create a username and password for your new local account, along with a password hint in case you forget. Configure the local account
10. Finally, click Sign out and finish to complete the switch.