IE11 Enterprise Mode Template missing from GPMC

Want to share a scenario I worked on recently that may help others understand what could cause Enterprise Mode not show in GPMC.

Condition:

  • You want to manage IE11 Enterprise Mode GPO from a Central location using your Central Store Group Policies configuration
  • You have already installed IE11 on the machine you are using to manage these group policies
  • You have already install the require IE Cumulative update that introduces Enterprise Mode MS14-018

When you open GPMC on your Domain controller you do not see the 2 new Enterprise Mode Group Policy entries:

  • Let Users turn on and use Enterprise Mode from the Tools menu
  • Use the Enterprise Mode IE website list

Reason:

  • You have not copied the new IE11 Enterprise Mode ADMX templates on your Sysvol Policies PolicyDefinitions  directory
  • You had GPMC opened when copying the files

Actions taken to get your IE 11 Enterprise Mode GPO settings show in GPMC when using Central Store Group Policy Configuration

Minimum requirement: Install Microsoft Security Bulletin MS14-018 - Critical April 8, 2014 - https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/ms14-018.aspx and preferably the latest IE Cumulative update to get the latest inetres.admx and inetres.adml files. To see all Security Bulleting go to https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/dn631937.aspx.

NOTE: You need to get the inetres.admx and interest.adml files from a machine with IE11 installed !

  • Make sure GPMC is close!
  • Copy both the new IE11 Templates into its respective policy folders.
    • Copy inetres.admx from C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions  to  the Domain Sysvol\Domain\policies\PolicyDefinitions folder.
    • Copy inetres.adml  from C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US to the Domain Sysvol\Domain\policies\PolicyDefinitions\en-US policy folder.

NOTE: Verify, the new files have the new EMIE entries present.

  • Open GPMC to confirm the new IE11 Enterprise Mode GPOs are present

The key to this scenario was to make sure that GPMC console was closed and validate the new files were copied successfully to the Central Store!

Here are the EMIE entries we need to have in the templates. You can search for it.

Inetres.adm entries: EnterpriseModeEnable and EnterpriseModeSiteList

 <policy name="EnterpriseModeEnable" class="Both" displayName="$(string.EnterpriseModeEnable)" explainText="$(string.IE_ExplainEnterpriseModeEnable)" presentation="$(presentation.EnterpriseModeEnable_1)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\EnterpriseMode">
      <parentCategory ref="InternetExplorer" />
      <supportedOn ref="SUPPORTED_IE11" />
      <elements>
        <text id="EnterReportBackPrompt" valueName="Enable" />
      </elements>
    </policy>

<policy name="EnterpriseModeSiteList" class="Both" displayName="$(string.EnterpriseModeSiteList)" explainText="$(string.IE_ExplainEnterpriseModeSiteList)" presentation="$(presentation.EnterpriseModeSiteList_1)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\EnterpriseMode">
      <parentCategory ref="InternetExplorer" />
      <supportedOn ref="SUPPORTED_IE11" />
      <elements>
        <text id="EnterSiteListPrompt" valueName="SiteList" required="true" />
      </elements>
    </policy> 

Inetres.adml entries: EnterpriseModeEnable and EnterpriseModeSiteList

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, users can pin sites.</string>
      <string id="EnterpriseModeEnable">Let users turn on and use Enterprise Mode from the Tools menu</string>
      <string id="IE_ExplainEnterpriseModeEnable">This policy setting lets you decide whether users can turn on Enterprise Mode for websites with compatibility issues. Optionally, this policy also lets you specify where to get reports (through post messages) about the websites for which users turn on Enterprise Mode using the Tools menu.

If you turn this setting on, users can see and use the Enterprise Mode option from the Tools menu. If you turn this setting on, but don't specify a report location, Enterprise Mode will still be available to your users, but you won't get any reports.

If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the menu option won't appear and users won't be able to run websites in Enterprise Mode.</string>
      <string id="EnterpriseModeSiteList">Use the Enterprise Mode IE website list</string>
      <string id="IE_ExplainEnterpriseModeSiteList">This policy setting lets you specify where to find the list of websites you want opened using Enterprise Mode IE, instead of Standard mode, because of compatibility issues. Users can't edit this list.

If you enable this policy setting, Internet Explorer downloads the website list from your location (HKCU or HKLM\Software\policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\EnterpriseMode), opening all listed websites using Enterprise Mode IE.

<presentation id="EnterpriseModeEnable_1">
        <textBox refId="EnterReportBackPrompt">
          <label>Type the location (URL) of where to receive reports about the websites for which users turn on and use Enterprise Mode</label>
        </textBox>
      </presentation>
      <presentation id="EnterpriseModeSiteList_1">
        <textBox refId="EnterSiteListPrompt">
          <label>Type the location (URL) of your Enterprise Mode IE website list</label>
        </textBox>
      </presentation>

This blog has been provided to you by the IE Support Team.