Administrative Templates (ADMX/ADML) for Microsoft 365 (June 2023)

[German]Microsoft has released updated administrative template files (ADMX/ADML) for Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise/Office LTSC 2021/Office 2019/Office 2016 and Office Customization Tool for Office 2016 as of June 12, 2023.

I came across this via the following tweet from Carl Stalhood – perhaps the topic is relevant to someone in the enterprise environment.

The download includes the Group Policy template files (ADMX/ADML) for Microsoft 365 Apps for Business, Office LTSC 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016, and also includes the OPAX/OPAL files for the Office Customization Tool (OCT) for Office 2016. The template files are available for the following operating systems:

• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows 11
• Windows 10
• Windows 8.1

However, the mentioned Windows 8.1 should no longer be relevant, since it will be out of support in January 2023. The GPO template files can be used with the following Office variants:

• Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise.
• Desktop versions of Project and Visio that come with subscription plans.
• Volume license versions of Office LTSC 2021, Project 2021, and Visio LTSC 2021. For example: Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021, Project Standard 2021, and Visio LTSC Professional 2021.
• Volume license versions of Office 2019, Project 2019, and Visio 2019. For example: Office Standard 2019 and Visio Professional 2019.
• Volume license versions of Office 2016, Project 2016, and Visio 2016. For example: Office Professional Plus 2016 and Project Standard 2016.

This download also includes an admin folder with OPAX/OPAL files. These files are used by the Office Customization Tool (OCT) to customize Windows Installer (MSI) installations of volume licensed versions of Office 2016. The Office Customization Tool (OPAX/OPAL) files included in this download only work with volume licensed versions of Office 2016, Project 2016, and Visio 2016. For example, Office Professional Plus 2016 and Project Standard 2016.

For a list of all Group Policy and OCT settings, see the Office2016GroupPolicyAndOCTSettings.xlsx file, which is part of the download. More details can be found on the Microsoft download page.