The Programs and Feature page in Control Panel lists all the programs installed on a computer. All the programs are arranged alphabetically on this page. Users can access this page to view, change, repair, or uninstall the programs. If an organization or the administrator doesn’t want the users to know what programs are installed on the computer, they can simply hide this page from standard users. They will also be unable to uninstall or repair the installed programs through Programs and Features. In this article, we will show you methods through which you can easily hide the Programs and Feature page from standard users.

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Hiding the installed programs

The setting for hiding the Programs and Feature can be found in the Group Policy Editor. However, the Group Policy Editor isn’t available on all versions of the Windows operating system. That is why, we have also included the Registry Editor method, which can be accessed through any Windows edition.

Method 1: Using the Local Group Policy Editor

The Local Group Policy Editor got all those settings that cannot be found in the Control Panel and Settings app. The Programs and Feature page in the Control Panel can also be configured in the Group Policy Editor. There is a specific policy setting that can hide the Programs and Feature page in the Control Panel. The setting is listed only under the User Configuration category. Follow the below steps and hide the Programs and Feature page by using the Group Policy Editor:

Note : Skip this method, if you are a Windows 10 Home user. That is because the Group Policy Editor is only available for Windows 10 Pro, Education, and Enterprise editions.

  1. Press the Windows and R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Now type “ gpedit.msc ” and press the Enter key to open the Local Group Policy Editor . Opening the Group Policy Editor
  2. In the Local Group Policy Editor window, go to the following location: User Configuration\ Administrative Templates\ Control Panel\ Programs\ Navigating to the setting
  3. Double-click on the setting named “ Hide Programs and Features page ” and it will open in another window. Now in this window, change the toggle option from Not Configured to Enabled . Hiding the Programs and Feature page
  4. Click on the Apply button and then the Ok button to save the changes. It will automatically update the changes and hide the Programs and Features page.
  5. However, if it doesn’t automatically update the group policy, then open the Command Prompt as an administrator .
  6. Now type the following command in Command Prompt (Admin) and press the Enter key to force the group policy update. You can also do this by restarting the computer. gpupdate /force Force updating group policy
  7. You can always unhide it back by changing the toggle option to Not Configured or Disabled in step 3.

Method 2: Using the Registry Editor

Another method for hiding the Programs and Features page is by using the Registry Editor. If you already used the Group Policy Editor method, then this will already be configured. However, if you are using this method directly, then you need to create the missing key and value for the setting. It is also the only available method for Windows 10 Home users. We have also included the step for creating a registry backup. You can skip it if you don’t want to create a registry backup. Follow the below steps to hide the Programs and Features page:

  1. Hold the Windows key and press R to open the Run command box. Now type “ regedit ” in the box and press the Enter key to open the Registry Editor window. Note: if prompted by UAC (User Account Control), then click on the Yes button. Opening the Registry Editor
  2. You can also create a backup before making any new changes in Registry. Click on the File menu in the menu bar and choose the Export option. Name the file and provide the path where you want to save it, then click on the Save button. Creating a registry backup Note : You can restore the backup by clicking on the File menu and then choosing the Import option. Then select the file that you saved previously.
  3. In the Registry Editor window, go to the following location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Programs Note : If any of the following keys are missing, right-click on the existing key and choose the New > Key option to create them.
  4. Right-click on the right pane of the Programs key and choose the New > DWORD (32-bit) Value option. Now name the value as “ NoProgramsAndFeatures “. Creating a new value
  5. Double-click on the NoProgramsAndFeatures value to open it and then change the value data to 1 . Changing the value data
  6. After making all these changes, make sure to reboot the computer to apply the changes.
  7. You can always unhide it back by changing the value data to 0 or by simply removing the NoProgramsAndFeatures value from the Registry.

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. ”

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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.

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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.