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How to Configure Client Settings in Configuration Manager

 

Updated: May 14, 2015

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1

You manage all client settings in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager from the Client Settings node in the Administration workspace of the Configuration Manager console. Modify the default settings when you want to configure settings for all users and devices in the hierarchy that do not have any custom settings applied. If you want to apply different settings to just some users or devices, create custom settings and deploy these to collections.

Note

You can also use configuration items to manage clients to assess, track, and remediate the configuration compliance of devices. For more information, see Compliance Settings in Configuration Manager.

Use one of the following procedures to configure client settings:

  • How to Configure the Default Client Settings

  • How to Create and Deploy Custom Client Settings

  • How to View Resultant Client Settings (System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Only)

How to Configure the Default Client Settings

Use the following procedure to configure the default client settings for all clients in the hierarchy.

To configure the default client settings

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

  2. In the Administration workspace, click Client Settings, and then select Default Client Settings.

  3. On the Home tab, click Properties.

  4. View and configure the client settings for each group of settings in the navigation pane. For more information about each setting, see About Client Settings in Configuration Manager.

  5. Click OK to close the Default Client Settings dialog box.

Client computers will be configured with these settings when they next download client policy. To initiate policy retrieval for a single client, see the Initiate Policy Retrieval for a Configuration Manager Client section in the How to Manage Clients in Configuration Manager topic.

How to Create and Deploy Custom Client Settings

Use the following procedure to configure and deploy custom settings for a selected collection of users or devices. When you deploy these custom settings, they override the default client settings.

Note

Before you begin this procedure, ensure that you have a collection that contains the users or devices that require these custom client settings.

To configure and deploy custom client settings

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

  2. In the Administration workspace, click Client Settings.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Create group, click Create Custom Client Settings, and then click one of the following options depending on whether you want to create custom client settings for devices or for users:

    - **Create Custom Client Device Settings**

- **Create Custom Client User Settings**

  4. In the Create Custom Device Settings or Create Custom User Settings dialog box, specify a unique name for the custom settings, and an optional description.

  5. Select one or more of the available check boxes that display a group of settings.

  6. Click the first group settings from the navigation pane, and then view and configure the available custom settings. Repeat this process for any remaining group settings. For information about each client setting, see About Client Settings in Configuration Manager.

  7. Click OK to close the Create Custom Device Settings or Create Custom User Settings dialog box.

  8. Select the custom client setting that you have just created. On the Home tab, in the Client Settings group, click Deploy.

  9. In the Select Collection dialog box, select the collection that contains the devices or users to be configured with the custom settings, and then click OK. You can verify the selected collection if you click the Deployments tab in the details pane.

  10. View the order of the custom client setting that you have just created. When you have multiple custom client settings, they are applied according to their order number. If there are any conflicts, the setting that has the lowest order number overrides the other settings. To change the order number, on the Home tab, in the Client Settings group, click Move Item Up or Move Item Down.

Client computers will be configured with these settings when they next download client policy. To initiate policy retrieval for a single client, see the Initiate Policy Retrieval for a Configuration Manager Client section in the How to Manage Clients in Configuration Manager topic.

How to View Resultant Client Settings (System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Only)

When multiple client settings have been deployed to the same device, user, or user group, the prioritization and combination of settings can be complex. Use the following procedure to view the calculated resultant client settings.

To view the resultant client settings

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Assets and Compliance.

  2. In the Assets and Compliance workspace, click Devices, Users, or User Collections.

  3. Select a device, user, or user group and in the Client Settings group, select Resultant Client Settings. Alternately, you can right click the device, user, or user group, select Client Settings, and click Resultant Client Settings.

  4. Select a client setting from the left pane, and the resultant settings are displayed.

    Note

    To view the resultant client settings, the logged on user must have read access to Client Settings.

    Note

    The displayed resultant settings are read only. To modify any settings, use the above procedures.