windows 10 Script / automate Windows 10 settings for new user profiles

[Guest EngrJPO]

Every time I create a new user profile in Windows 10, I need to manually configure a number of settings. I would like a faster way of doing this. And my idea for making this happen is through writing a PowerShell script.

 

Expected outcome: Every time I create a new user profile, I run the PowerShell script, and it configures what I need for the profile.

 

 

Help needed: My problem is I don't know how to find what I need in PowerShell for the specific settings I need to tweak. Does anyone know where I can begin looking for this? And how do I start writing the script for what I need?

 

 

 

Constraints: I'm working with my personal machine; this isn't for any corporate or domain-joined setup, so using GPOs isn't an option. I tried tinkering around with Local Policy but it doesn't seem to have the options I need, hence the thought of creating a PowerShell script.

 

 

The following is a list of some, but not yet all, of the settings I want configured for a new user profile, just to give this forum an idea of the settings I want configured.

 

 

Go to Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > File Explorer Options applet > View tab and do the following:

- Check Always show menus

- Select Show hidden files and folders

- Uncheck Hide extension for known file types

- Check Use checkboxes to select items

- Check Expand to open folder

- Check Show all folders

 

 

 

Go to Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > File Explorer Options applet > Search tab and do the following:

- Check Include compressed files (ZIP, CAB...)

- Select Always search file names and contents (this might take several minutes)

 

 

 

Go to Control Panel > Clock, Language, and Region > Region applet > Change date, time, or number formats section and do the following:

- Set the format to English (United States).

- Set the short date format to MM/dd/yyyy by overriding the default format set.

 

 

 

Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options applet > General tab and do the following:

- Set the Address field to about:blank.

- Click the Settings button > History and set the Days to keep pages in history option to 99.

 

 

 

Go to Settings > Privacy and configure the settings as follows:

- General: Turn off advertising ID.

- Location: Leave turned on; turn off for all Modern Apps.

- Speech, inking & typing: Leave everything off.

- Call history: Turn off; turn off for all Modern Apps.

 

 

 

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options and configure settings as follows:

- Choose to also get updates for other Microsoft products.

- Choose how updates are delivered: Turn off all options.

 

 

 

Go to Settings > System > Storage.

- Turn on Storage sense.

- Set the default save location of new apps to the D: partition.

 

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