It's a fair question. Group Policy is built into Windows, it's free, and it can restrict virtually anything. If you're already using GPO to lock down desktops, why would you pay for WINSelect?
We hear this from IT admins regularly, and we respect the thinking behind it. Why add another tool if what you have already works?
The honest answer: for some environments, GPO alone is genuinely sufficient. For others, the complexity and limitations of Group Policy make WINSelect worth the investment. And for many, using both together provides the best results.
This guide compares the two approaches honestly - what GPO does well, where it falls short, what WINSelect adds, and how to decide what's right for your environment.
What Group Policy Does Well
Let's start by acknowledging Group Policy's strengths. We're not here to dismiss a tool that's been central to Windows administration for decades.
Comprehensive coverage. GPO can control thousands of Windows settings - far more than any third-party tool. Security policies, software installation, registry modifications, folder redirection, script execution, certificate deployment, and on and on. If Windows has a setting, GPO can probably manage it.
Built-in and free. No additional licensing costs. No extra software to install on endpoints. If you have Active Directory, you have Group Policy.
Enterprise-wide scope. GPO can apply settings across thousands of machines, organised by OU structure, security groups, and WMI filters. Powerful for large-scale policy deployment.
Integration with Microsoft ecosystem. GPO works seamlessly with Active Directory, SCCM, Intune (via ADMX ingestion), and other Microsoft tools. It's a native, supported part of Windows management.
Mature and well-documented. Decades of documentation, community knowledge, and troubleshooting resources. Whatever problem you encounter, someone's probably solved it before.
For organisations with skilled Windows admins, established AD infrastructure, and straightforward policy requirements, GPO can absolutely handle desktop restrictions. We're not going to pretend otherwise.
Where Group Policy Falls Short
That said, Group Policy has real limitations - especially when it comes to the kind of desktop lockdown needed for public-access machines, kiosks, and shared workstations.
Overwhelming complexity. There are over 3,000 Group Policy settings. Finding the right ones for desktop restriction requires expertise. "Hide the Run command" is in one location. "Remove Task Manager" is somewhere else. "Disable Registry Editor" is elsewhere again. Building a comprehensive lockdown means hunting through dozens of policy categories, hoping you haven't missed something.
Compare that to WINSelect: checkboxes on a single screen. "Hide drives" - tick. "Disable right-click" - tick. "Block Control Panel" - tick. No expertise required. No hunting through nested policy categories.
Poor visibility into what's actually applied. With GPO, understanding what's happening on a specific machine requires running RSOP (Resultant Set of Policy) or gpresult and wading through output. Policies can conflict, be overridden by other GPOs, or fail to apply due to security filtering. Debugging "why isn't this policy working" can take hours.
WINSelect shows you exactly what's restricted, in plain language, in one place. No ambiguity, no inheritance confusion, no troubleshooting GPO precedence.
Slow propagation and application. Group Policy updates on a schedule - typically every 90 minutes, plus random offset. If you need a change applied now, you're running gpupdate /force on machines individually or waiting. Some policies only apply at startup or login, requiring reboots.
WINSelect changes take effect immediately. Tick a box, apply, and the restriction is active - no waiting, no gpupdate, no reboot.
Requires Active Directory (mostly). Group Policy's strength is centralised management via AD. Without a domain, you're stuck with Local Group Policy on each machine - configured individually, no central management, no central visibility. For standalone kiosks or workgroup machines, this is a significant limitation.
WINSelect works on any Windows machine - domain-joined or not - and can be managed centrally through Faronics Cloud Deep Freeze regardless of AD membership.
High maintenance burden. GPO configurations accumulate over time. Policies get added but rarely removed. Different admins make changes without documentation. Eventually, you have a tangled mess of policies that nobody fully understands, with unintended interactions and settings nobody remembers why they exist.
WINSelect's configuration is self-documenting. Open the interface, see what's restricted. No archaeology required.
No recovery mechanism. GPO restricts what users can do. It doesn't undo what they've done. If someone manages to change a setting, download malware, or corrupt the system despite your policies, GPO doesn't fix it. You're troubleshooting or reimaging.
This is where pairing WINSelect with Deep Freeze provides value GPO simply can't - guaranteed recovery to a known-good state with every reboot.
Where WINSelect Adds Value
WINSelect isn't trying to replace Group Policy for enterprise-wide configuration management. It's solving a specific problem: making desktop restriction simple, visible, and manageable for shared-access environments.
Simplicity. Configure restrictions in minutes, not hours. No policy expertise required. No hunting through thousands of settings. A single interface with clear options: hide this, disable that, block this. Non-specialists can configure and maintain it.
Instant visibility. Open WINSelect, see exactly what's restricted. No running diagnostic commands, no interpreting RSOP output, no wondering if policies are actually applied. What you see is what's happening.
Immediate changes. Need to add a restriction during a problem? Change takes effect now. No propagation delay, no gpupdate, no reboot. Useful when you discover users have found an escape route and need to close it immediately.
Works without AD. Standalone kiosks, workgroup machines, small deployments without domain infrastructure - WINSelect manages them all. Pair with Faronics Cloud Deep Freeze for centralised management regardless of domain membership.
Purpose-built for public access. WINSelect is designed specifically for the kind of restrictions public-access machines need. The options match the use case. No wading through enterprise policies looking for relevant settings.
Integrates with Deep Freeze. WINSelect restricts during sessions; Deep Freeze restores on reboot. Together they provide comprehensive protection that GPO alone cannot match. GPO can restrict but can't recover. Deep Freeze + WINSelect does both.
When Using GPO and WINSelect Together Makes Sense
Many organisations use both - GPO for enterprise-wide policies, WINSelect for specific public-access lockdown. This isn't redundancy; it's layering appropriate tools for different purposes.
GPO for baseline security across all machines. Password policies, security settings, software deployment, certificate management, enterprise-wide configuration. These apply to every machine in your domain - staff workstations, servers, and public PCs alike.
WINSelect for additional lockdown on public-access machines. The extra restrictions needed for kiosks, library computers, school labs, and shared workstations. These go beyond baseline security - hiding the desktop, blocking keyboard shortcuts, restricting applications, creating kiosk experiences. Apply WINSelect only where this level of lockdown is needed.
Example scenario: A school district has GPO deploying baseline security to all 2,000 machines - password policies, Windows Update settings, software restrictions for the entire estate. On top of that, the 500 student lab machines have WINSelect for aggressive desktop lockdown plus Deep Freeze for recovery. Staff workstations get GPO only. Different tools for different requirements, working together.
Another example: A library with no Active Directory infrastructure. No GPO available. WINSelect provides the desktop restrictions, Faronics Cloud Deep Freeze provides central management and recovery. Complete protection without domain infrastructure.
When Group Policy Alone Is Sufficient
We're not going to pretend everyone needs WINSelect. GPO alone may be sufficient if:
• You have skilled Windows admins comfortable with GPO complexity
• Your restriction requirements are straightforward and well-documented
• All machines are domain-joined with reliable AD connectivity
• You don't need instant changes - scheduled propagation is acceptable
• You have other mechanisms for system recovery (reimaging, snapshots, etc.)
• The time investment in GPO configuration and maintenance is acceptable
If that describes your environment, GPO can absolutely handle desktop restrictions. We're not trying to sell you something you don't need.
When WINSelect Is Worth the Investment
WINSelect typically provides value when:
• You need aggressive desktop lockdown for public access or kiosks
• GPO complexity is consuming too much admin time
• You have non-domain machines that need central management
• Non-specialists need to configure or maintain restrictions
• You need instant visibility into what's actually restricted
• Immediate changes are important (not waiting for GPO propagation)
• You're pairing with Deep Freeze for complete protection and recovery
• Time savings justify the licensing cost
The ROI calculation is straightforward: if WINSelect saves your team enough time compared to GPO configuration and troubleshooting, it pays for itself. For organisations with many public-access machines, this threshold is usually met quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can WINSelect completely replace Group Policy?
No, and it's not designed to. GPO handles thousands of enterprise settings that WINSelect doesn't touch - security policies, software deployment, certificate management, and much more. WINSelect focuses specifically on desktop and application restrictions for public-access scenarios. Most organisations use both: GPO for enterprise baseline, WINSelect for specific lockdown needs.
Does WINSelect require Active Directory?
No. WINSelect works on any Windows machine - domain-joined, workgroup, or standalone. For centralised management without AD, pair with Faronics Cloud Deep Freeze, which manages machines over the internet regardless of domain membership.
Is WINSelect easier to manage than GPO?
For desktop restrictions specifically, yes - significantly. WINSelect presents relevant options in a single interface with clear labels. GPO requires navigating thousands of settings across multiple categories, understanding policy precedence, and troubleshooting application issues. WINSelect is designed to be approachable; GPO requires expertise.
Will WINSelect conflict with existing GPO settings?
Generally no. WINSelect applies its restrictions at a different level than Group Policy. In most deployments, they coexist without issues - GPO enforces enterprise policies, WINSelect adds additional desktop restrictions. If you have very specific GPO configurations, test WINSelect on a pilot machine before broad deployment.
What if I already have GPO restrictions that work?
If your current GPO setup meets your needs and isn't consuming excessive admin time, you may not need WINSelect. It's not about replacing what works - it's about solving problems GPO doesn't solve well. If GPO is working for you, that's genuinely fine.
Can I trial WINSelect alongside existing GPO?
Absolutely. Install WINSelect on a test machine, configure your desired restrictions, and see how it compares to your GPO approach. The 30-day trial gives you time to evaluate whether it adds value for your environment.
The Bottom Line
Group Policy is powerful, comprehensive, and free. For organisations with GPO expertise and straightforward requirements, it can handle desktop restrictions effectively.
WINSelect trades GPO's breadth for simplicity and speed in the specific area of desktop lockdown. It's designed for public-access scenarios where complexity is the enemy and immediate visibility matters.
Many organisations use both - GPO for enterprise-wide baseline policies, WINSelect for aggressive public-access restrictions. This isn't redundancy; it's using appropriate tools for different requirements.
The question isn't "GPO or WINSelect" - it's "does WINSelect solve problems that GPO doesn't, for my environment?" If the answer is yes, it's worth the investment. If GPO genuinely meets your needs, stick with what works.
Want to See the Difference?
Try WINSelect free for 30 days. Compare the experience to your current GPO configuration.
