Add blog post about system-wide policies

Website/blog/2026-02-19-system-wide-policies/index.md

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+---
+slug: system-wide-policies
+title: System-Wide Policies for Enterprise Deployments
+authors: [borntoberoot]
+tags: [policies, enterprise, settings, new feature]
+---
+
+NETworkManager now supports system-wide policies, giving administrators centralized control over application settings across all users on a machine. This feature is available since the [pre-release version 2026.02.19.0](https://github.com/BornToBeRoot/NETworkManager/releases) and can now be tested.
+
+![System-wide policy indicator](./system-wide-policy-indicator.png)
+
+<!-- truncate -->
+
+## What Are System-Wide Policies?
+
+System-wide policies allow administrators to enforce specific settings for all users on a machine. These policies override user-specific settings and provide centralized control over application behavior in enterprise environments.
+
+When a policy is active, the corresponding setting is locked in the UI and displays a shield icon along with a message indicating that the setting is managed by an administrator. Users can see the enforced value but cannot change it.
+
+## How to Configure Policies
+
+Policies are defined in a `config.json` file placed in the application installation directory (the same folder as `NETworkManager.exe`). When this file exists, the application loads the policies at startup and applies them with precedence over user settings. An example file (`config.json.example`) is included in the application installation directory for reference.
+
+**File location:**
+
+- **Installed version**: `C:\Program Files\NETworkManager\config.json` (or your custom installation path)
+- **Portable version**: Same directory as `NETworkManager.exe`
+
+**File format:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "Policy_Name": true
+}
+```
+
+Property names follow the pattern `Section_SettingName`. You can find the available policy names and values in the corresponding [setting's documentation](https://borntoberoot.net/NETworkManager/docs/category/settings).
+
+### Example Policy
+
+For example, the [`Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup`](https://borntoberoot.net/NETworkManager/docs/settings/update) policy controls whether the application checks for new program versions on GitHub when the application is launched.
+
+**Values:**
+
+- `true` — Force enable automatic update checks at startup for all users
+- `false` — Force disable automatic update checks at startup for all users
+- Omit the property — Allow users to control this setting themselves
+
+**Example `config.json`:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup": false
+}
+```
+
+:::note
+
+- The file must be named exactly `config.json`
+- The file must contain valid JSON syntax
+- Changes to the file require restarting the application to take effect
+- If the file doesn't exist or contains invalid JSON, it will be ignored and user settings will apply
+
+:::
+
+## Deploying Policies
+
+1. **Create the configuration file** — Use the `config.json.example` as a template, rename it to `config.json`, and set your desired policy values.
+
+2. **Deploy to installation directory** — Place the `config.json` file in the same directory as `NETworkManager.exe`. For MSI installations, this is typically `C:\Program Files\NETworkManager\`.
+
+3. **Deploy methods:**
+   - Group Policy — copy the file to the installation directory (use Group Policy preferences or a startup script)
+   - Configuration management tools — SCCM/ConfigMgr, Microsoft Intune, Ansible, etc.
+   - Scripts and deployment toolkits — PowerShell scripts, PSAppDeployToolkit
+   - Manual deployment — hand-copy for small-scale rollouts
+
+4. **Verification:**
+   - Launch the application
+   - Navigate to Settings > Update (e.g., "Check for updates at startup")
+   - Verify the shield icon and the administrator message appear and that the control is disabled
+
+:::warning
+
+Ensure the `config.json` file has appropriate permissions so that regular users cannot modify it. On standard installations in `Program Files`, this is automatically enforced by Windows file permissions.
+
+:::
+
+## Request More Policies
+
+Additional policy options will be added in future releases to provide more granular control over application behavior. If you have specific requirements for system-wide policies in your organization, please submit a feature request via the [GitHub issue tracker](https://github.com/BornToBeRoot/NETworkManager/issues/new/choose) to help us prioritize.
+
+More information is available in the [official documentation](https://borntoberoot.net/NETworkManager/docs/system-wide-policies).
+
+If you find any issues or have suggestions for improvement, please open an [issue on GitHub](https://github.com/BornToBeRoot/NETworkManager/issues).