- A
Local Security Policy (secpol.msc)
Why wrong: Local Security Policy focuses on security settings like password policies and user rights, not Control Panel restrictions.
- B
User Accounts (netplwiz)
Why wrong: User Accounts manages user credentials and login settings, not system-wide restrictions.
- C
Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Local Group Policy Editor provides Administrative Templates that include settings to hide or restrict access to Control Panel and system settings.
- D
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why wrong: System Configuration controls boot and startup options, not user restrictions.
Question 673 of 750
How to Create and Apply a Local Security Policy to Restrict Control Panel
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of windows administrative tools. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A technician needs to deploy a custom security policy to all Windows 10 workstations in a small office. The policy must restrict access to the Control Panel and prevent users from changing system settings. Which administrative tool should be used to create and apply this policy locally on each machine?
Quick Answer
The answer is the Local Group Policy Editor, launched by running gpedit.msc. This tool is the correct choice because it provides a centralized interface to create and apply a local group policy that restricts control panel access and locks down system settings through granular Administrative Templates and Security Settings. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between administrative tools—a common trap is confusing the Local Security Policy (secpol.msc), which only handles security-related settings like account policies, with the broader scope of gpedit.msc that includes user-configuration restrictions. Remember that gpedit.msc is only available on Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions, not on Windows Home. A quick memory tip: think of “GP” for “Group Policy” as the “Grand Parent” of all local restrictions—if you need to block the Control Panel or hide settings, gpedit is your go-to.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
The Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) is the correct tool because it provides the administrative templates and policy nodes (e.g., User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel) needed to restrict access to Control Panel and prevent system setting changes. These settings are written to the local Group Policy Objects (GPOs) stored in %SystemRoot%\System32\GroupPolicy, which Windows applies at user logon. This tool is available on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, but not on Windows 10 Home.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Local Security Policy (secpol.msc)
Why it's wrong here
Local Security Policy focuses on security settings like password policies and user rights, not Control Panel restrictions.
- ✗
User Accounts (netplwiz)
Why it's wrong here
User Accounts manages user credentials and login settings, not system-wide restrictions.
- ✓
Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Why this is correct
Local Group Policy Editor provides Administrative Templates that include settings to hide or restrict access to Control Panel and system settings.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why it's wrong here
System Configuration controls boot and startup options, not user restrictions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common misconception is that Local Security Policy (secpol.msc) can handle all policy restrictions, but it only covers security-specific settings, not administrative templates for UI restrictions like Control Panel access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, gpedit.msc reads and writes policy settings to the Registry.pol file within the local GPO store; when a policy is enabled, the corresponding registry keys (e.g., HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoControlPanel) are applied at user logon via the Winlogon process. A subtle behavior is that local GPOs are processed in a specific order (Local, Site, Domain, OU) in a domain environment, so domain policies can override local settings. In a real-world scenario, a technician might use gpedit.msc to deploy a 'Prohibit Access to Control Panel and PC Settings' policy (enabled under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel) to enforce kiosk-like restrictions on shared workstations.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1202 question test?
Windows Administrative Tools — This question tests Windows Administrative Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) — The Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) is the correct tool because it provides the administrative templates and policy nodes (e.g., User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel) needed to restrict access to Control Panel and prevent system setting changes. These settings are written to the local Group Policy Objects (GPOs) stored in %SystemRoot%\System32\GroupPolicy, which Windows applies at user logon. This tool is available on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, but not on Windows 10 Home.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.
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