How to Turn Off the Run Command in Windows 11 and 10

If you know the path of a programme or application, you may use the Run dialogue box to launch it right away. As a result, the Run dialogue box is a very helpful single-line command line interface that greatly simplifies your life. However, if you have other people using your computer, you may not want them to have the ability to utilise the Run command box for security concerns. So, is there a method to make the Run command in Windows 11 or 10 unusable? Yes, absolutely!

In this post, we'll show you how to effortlessly enable and disable the Run command in Windows 11 or 10 using two distinct methods: the Local Group Policy Editor and the Registry Editor.

Note that after you disable the Run command, you won't be able to open the Run window from anywhere, including the Win + R hotkey combination, the Start Menu, Windows Search, and so on. The operation has been aborted due to restrictions in effect on this machine, according to a popup titled Restrictions. If you have any questions, please contact your system administrator.

Method 1: Through Local Group Policy Editor

Step 1: Click on the Search icon on the taskbar.

Step 2: Type in gpedit on the search bar and click on Edit group policy from the Best match section.

Step 3: By double clicking on each folder on the way to expand them, navigate to the following position in the Local Group Policy Editor box.

"User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar"

By clicking on the folder Start Menu and Taskbar, make sure it is chosen. To sort the list, click once on the column name Setting on the right side of the window.

Scroll down to the Remove Run menu from Start Menu setting and double-click it.

Step 4: To disable the Run window, on the properties window, click on the radio button against Enabled.

Hit the Apply button and then the OK button.

Step 5: To open the Run window, press the CTRL + R keys. You'll get the Restrictions window, which means you can't use the run commands.

Note: – What if you wish to reactivate it?

If you want to reactivate the Run window, go back to the properties window and select the Not Configured option.

After that, press the Apply and OK buttons. The changes would be immediate.

Method 2: Using the Registry Editor

We'll make a minor adjustment to your registry settings with this method. It is usually a good idea to back up your registry entries because improper registry settings can result in a highly unstable PC. If something goes wrong, you may always restore your old registry settings using this backup.

Step 1: On the taskbar, click on the Search icon.

Step 2: Search for regedit and click on Registry Editor from the Best match section.

 Step 3: Copy and paste the following address into the navigation bar of the Registry Editor window.

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer"

After that, right-click on the Explorer folder, select New, and then select DWORD (32-bit) Value.

 Step 4: Now, click on the new DWORD value and press the F2 key to change its name. It should now be called "NoRun." Double click on it to open its properties.

You can do this in the properties window. In the Value field, type 1 and then click on the OK button.

Step 5: It's easy to restart your Windows Explorer to make the changes take hold:

To do that, right-click on the Windows Start Menu icon and choose Task Manager from the drop-down menu.

Step 6: Now under the Processes tab, right click on Windows Explorer under the Apps section and click on the Restart option.

Step 7: CTRL+R now: You can't open the Run window.

As a side note: – If you want to change the value back, you can open the DWORD properties again and set the value to 0. Click the "OK" button.

There is a Run dialogue box again, and you can get to it the same way you could before.

That's all. I hope you found the article interesting and that it helped you.