In this blog post, I will demonstrate the steps to disable/block Print Screen key on keyboard using Intune. You may want to block users from taking a screenshot using the print screen key on the keyboard due to security reasons. Screenshot captures can expose sensitive information such as financial data, customer records, or confidential documents. Blocking the Print Screen key helps prevent unauthorized capture and sharing of such information.
To block the Print Screen key, I will be creating a registry entry and then a restart of the computer will be required. The registry key will be deployed via Intune on the Intune-managed Windows 11 devices. Mostly, I would be taking help from my other blog post for creating this registry value: Create registry keys using Win32 app. Let’s check the steps:
Contents
Download PowerShell Script and a Reg File
First step is to create a registry file (.reg) and a PowerShell script. PowerShell script will be executed on the target Windows 11 devices to import the registry file. You can download these two files from my GitHub repository link: Disable_Print_Screen_Key. After you download them, there are no changes required in any of the files.
Create IntuneWin file
I will use Win32 app deployment method for this deployment which requires the application to be packaged in .intunewin file format. Let’s check the steps to create .Intunewin file.
- Download and copy Disable_PrintScreen.ps1 and Disable_PrintScreen.reg file in to an empty folder (e.g., C:\Source)
- Create another folder called C:\Output or any name you like. This is where we will generate .intunewin file.
- Download Win32 Content Prep tool and extract it to a folder. I have extracted it to C:\IntuneContentPrepTool.
- Run IntunewinAppUtil.exe and provide below details. As an example:
- Source Folder: C:\Source
- Setup File: Disable_PrintScreen.ps1
- Output Folder: C:\Output
- Catalog Folder Information:N
- IntuneWin file has been created successfully.
If you find any issues creating IntuneWin file, you can also refer to below blog post which provides more detail on this and can help with this process.
Create Win32 App deployment for Disabling Print Screen Key
Next step is to create a Win32 app deployment for disabling print screen key. Let’s check the steps:
- Sign in to the Intune admin center > Apps > All Apps.
- Click on + Add and Select Windows app (Win32) from the app type.
- App Information: Click on Select app package file and browse the Intunewin file. Provide Information in the mandatory fields below. The rest of the fields are optional but useful for application documentation and troubleshooting issues.
- Provide the Name, Description and Publisher Information and click Next.
- Program:
- Install command: %windir%\sysnative\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -Executionpolicy Bypass .\Disable_PrintScreen.ps1
- Uninstall command: %windir%\sysnative\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command “Remove-ItemProperty -Path ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout’ -Name ‘Scancode Map’ -Force”
- Install behavior: System
- Device restart behavior: No specific Action
- Requirements: You can specify the requirements that devices must meet to deploy the app. If your devices mix 32-bit and 64-bit types, check the boxes for 32-bit and 64-bit in the Operating system architecture drop-down. Else, go with 64-bit.
- Operating System Architecture: 64-bit
- Minimum operating system: Select the minimum OS requirement for this deployment.
- Detection Rules: Select Manually configure detection rules and click on +Add to add a detection rule.
- Rule Type: Registry
- Key Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout
- Value Name: Scancode Map
- Detection method: Value exists
- Associated with 32-bit app on 64-bit clients: No
- Dependencies: Click Next.
- Supersedence: Click Next.
- Assignments: Assign this application to an entra group containing users/devices.
- Review + create: Review the deployment and click on Create.
Monitoring Deployment Progress
From the Intune admin center > Apps > All apps. Click on the deployment and check the Overview page to show the deployment status.
Sync Intune Policies
The device check-in process might not begin immediately. If you’re testing this policy on a test device, you can manually kickstart Intune sync from the device itself or remotely through the Intune admin center.
Alternatively, you can use PowerShell to force the Intune sync on Windows devices. Restarting the device is another way to trigger the Intune device check-in process.
End User Experience
After the deployment is completed successfully, Navigate to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout and on the right hand side you will find a registry entry called Scancode Map created successfully by our Intune deployment.
The other registry entries which you see under Keyboard Layout registry key are created for testing purpose. This is to check and confirm if there is any impact on the existing registry values. I can confirm that Scancode Map value is added to the key without any impact on the existing reg entries.
Restart your computer and press the Print Screen key on your keyboard to capture a screenshot. The key will not work and will not be able to capture the screenshot as it has been disabled/blocked.
Enable Print Screen Key on Keyboard using Intune
Once you have blocked or disabled the Print Screen key on the keyboard using Intune deployment, it’s easy to enable it again.
- Sign in to the Intune admin center > Apps > All Apps.
- Click on the Disable PrintScreen app deployment to open it.
- Click on Properties > Click on Edit next to Assignments.
- Add a group containing users or devices in the Uninstall assignment section. Ensure that the same user or device is not a part of the group which is added to the Required section as well.
- After the Intune device check-in is completed, you will find that the ScanCode Map registry entry has been deleted from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout registry key. Restart your device once and test Print Screen key. You will now be able to capture screenshot once again using Print Screen key on the keyboard.
