---
title: "Prevent Device Companion Apps"
description: "Prevents additional software from being installed when plugging in devices (e.g. Ads when plugging in a monitor). Poses potential security risk."
editUrl: false
---

:::note
This page is generated from [`config/tweaks.json`](https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/winutil/blob/main/config/tweaks.json). Do not edit this page directly.
:::

```json title="config/tweaks.json"
  "WPFTweaksPreventDeviceMetadataFromNetwork": {
    "Content": "Prevent Device Companion Apps",
    "Description": "Prevents additional software from being installed when plugging in devices (e.g. Ads when plugging in a monitor). Poses potential security risk.",
    "category": "Essential Tweaks",
    "panel": "1",
    "registry": [
      {
        "Path": "HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Device Metadata",
        "Name": "PreventDeviceMetadataFromNetwork",
        "Value": "1",
        "Type": "DWord",
        "OriginalValue": "<RemoveEntry>"
      }
    ],
  }
```

## Registry Changes

Applications and System Components store and retrieve configuration data to modify Windows settings, so we can use the registry to change many settings in one place.

You can find information about the registry on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Registry) and [Microsoft's Website](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/registry).
