Windows 11 removed the per-setting toggle switches from the Sync Your Settings page. Instead of individual controls for themes, passwords, and language preferences, you now see a single master switch to turn sync on or off. This change removes the ability to select exactly which settings roam across your Microsoft account. This article shows you how to restore the old per-setting toggles using a Group Policy tweak or a Registry edit. You will regain fine-grained control over what Windows 11 syncs between your devices.
Key Takeaways: Restore Individual Sync Toggles on Windows 11
- Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc): Enables the old per-setting sync interface by disabling the simplified sync page.
- Registry Editor (regedit): Applies the same policy change on Windows 11 Home editions that lack the Group Policy Editor.
- Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings: After the fix, this page reverts to the Windows 10-style list of individual toggle switches.
Why Windows 11 Removed the Per-Setting Sync Toggles
Microsoft redesigned the Sync Your Settings page in Windows 11 to simplify the interface. The company merged all sync options into one master toggle. This change reduces clutter but removes the ability to sync only specific items such as your desktop theme or browser passwords without syncing everything else.
The underlying Group Policy setting that controls this behavior is named “Do not sync” under the Roaming User Profiles folder. When this policy is set to “Not Configured” or “Disabled,” Windows 11 shows the simplified single-toggle page. When the policy is set to “Enabled,” the operating system reverts to the legacy per-setting toggle interface from Windows 10.
What You Need Before Starting
You must sign in with a Microsoft account to see the Sync Your Settings page. Local accounts do not have sync options. The fix works on Windows 11 version 22H2 and later. If you use Windows 11 Home, you need the Registry method because the Group Policy Editor is not available on Home editions.
Two Methods to Restore the Old Sync Toggles
Choose the method that matches your Windows 11 edition. The Group Policy Editor method is faster and less error-prone. Use the Registry method only if Group Policy is unavailable.
Method 1: Use the Local Group Policy Editor
- Open the Local Group Policy Editor
Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. If you see an error message, your edition does not include this tool. Use Method 2 instead. - Navigate to the sync policy folder
In the left pane, expand Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Sync your settings. - Open the “Do not sync” policy
Double-click the setting named Do not sync in the right pane. - Enable the policy
Select Enabled in the top-left corner of the window. Click OK to apply the change. - Refresh the policy
Open a Command Prompt as administrator and run gpupdate /force. Wait for the update to complete. - Open Sync your settings
Go to Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings. You now see the old per-setting toggle switches for themes, passwords, language preferences, and other items.
Method 2: Edit the Windows Registry
- Open Registry Editor
Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes in the User Account Control prompt. - Navigate to the sync policy key
Copy and paste the following path into the address bar and press Enter:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\SettingSync - Create the SettingSync key if missing
If the SettingSync folder does not exist, right-click the Windows key, select New > Key, and name it SettingSync. - Create a new DWORD value
Right-click the SettingSync key in the left pane. Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it DisableSettingSync. - Set the value to enable the old interface
Double-click DisableSettingSync. Set Value data to 2 and ensure Base is set to Hexadecimal. Click OK. - Restart your computer
Close Registry Editor and restart Windows. After the restart, open Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings to see the per-setting toggles.
Common Mistakes and Things to Avoid
“DisableSettingSync” value of 1 does not restore the toggles
Setting DisableSettingSync to 1 completely disables sync. You lose all syncing functionality, and the Sync your settings page shows a message that sync is turned off by your organization. Use value 2 instead to enable the old per-setting interface while keeping sync active.
Changes do not take effect immediately
The Registry change requires a restart. Group Policy changes require gpupdate /force or a restart. If you open Sync your settings immediately after applying the Registry change without restarting, you still see the simplified interface.
Sync your settings page is completely missing
If the Sync your settings page does not appear in Settings > Accounts, you are using a local account. Switch to a Microsoft account by going to Settings > Accounts > Your info and clicking Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
Group Policy Editor returns “gpedit.msc not found”
Windows 11 Home and some Enterprise editions do not include the Group Policy Editor. Use the Registry method for these editions. Do not attempt to install gpedit.msc from third-party sources, as this can cause system instability.
Old Sync Toggle Interface vs New Simplified Interface
| Item | Old Per-Setting Toggles | New Simplified Interface |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Individual on/off switches for each sync category | Single master toggle to enable or disable all sync |
| Control level | You can sync themes but not passwords, or vice versa | All categories sync together or not at all |
| Sync categories exposed | Themes, passwords, language preferences, Ease of Access, browser settings, and other Windows settings | All categories hidden behind the master toggle |
| Configuration method | Group Policy or Registry | Default in Windows 11 |
| Applicable Windows editions | Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education (Group Policy); all editions (Registry) | All Windows 11 editions |
The old interface returns the per-setting control that Windows 10 users had. The new interface is simpler but offers no granularity. Choose the method that matches your need for control versus simplicity.
Conclusion
You can restore the old per-setting sync toggles on Windows 11 using the Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor. After applying the change, open Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings to see individual switches for themes, passwords, language preferences, and more. If you later want to revert to the simplified interface, set the Group Policy to Not Configured or delete the DisableSettingSync Registry value and restart. For advanced users, the Group Policy setting also supports additional fine-tuning through the “Do not sync” policy options, which let you exclude specific sync categories while keeping others active.