Group Policy to disable Printer Preferences

Question

Can someone please advise on how we can disable users being able to open Printer Preferences on network printers that they have added to their computers?

We have deployed around 100 new printers with predefined agreed settings (such as duplex printing on all printers), but there are some clever users who are just adding the new printers and then opening Printer Preferences to change anything that they don't like.

Solution

It's too granular for Microsoft. The print driver can lock certain feature, but it all depend on the print driver used. (as it's the print driver that can block advanced feature, as Microsoft only allow or not a user to the printer)

Like some ricoh can block the color's usage and ask a password.

A workaround I suggest is that GPO:

User Configuration--> Administrative Templates --> Control Panel --> Printers --> Prevent addition of printers --> Enable

If you use GPP in example to deploy your printer, please set it to replace. It will replace existing setting at each GPO refresh's interval. (by default 90 minutes)

Delete and recreate the shared printer connection. The net result of the Replace action overwrites all existing settings associated with the shared printer connection. If the shared printer connection does not exist, then the Replace action creates a new shared printer connection.

In the end, you will block the user to add printer, and each printer added will refresh themselves automatically.

Comments

[Katherine Villyard]

It sounds to me like they have too many permissions on the print queues themselves.

[user5603796]

Hmm sorry, can you explain?

[Katherine Villyard]

It sounds like they have "manage printer" permissions. They probably only need print, with creator/owner having "manage documents."

[yagmoth555]

@KatherineVillyard even with just print right, some settings are often not locked in the general's tab. (those are settings stored in the user profile for each users)

[HBruijn]

The community here tends to vote down overt self-promotion and flag it as spam, as just happened with your answer. Post good, relevant answers, and if some (but not all) happen to be about your product or website, that’s okay. See the policy on our help pages. -|- I don't think your post is in complete violation and although your answer/explanation sounds plausible, it could also be improved though.