Unified Write Filter

What it does:

Unified Write Filter (UWF) is an optional Windows 10 feature that helps to protect your drives by intercepting and redirecting any writes to the drive (app installations, settings changes, saved data) to a virtual overlay. The virtual overlay is a temporary location that is usually cleared during a reboot or when a guest user logs off.

Important

When using ConfigMgr Remote Control and the Unified Write Filter, you may need to add a firewall rule to allow TCP2701 inbound.

Navigate to the Unified Write Filter by right clicking on a device or device collection > Recast RCT > Unified Write Filter:

Unified Write Filter Navigation

Apply UWF Profile

Opens a dialog box where you can select the Filter Profile that you would like to add to the computer, and you can deploy it to the computer.

Unified Write Filter Apply Profile ScreenShot

Disable UWF Write Feature

Removes the current UWF Filter Profile so that there will be no Filter Profile applied on your next reboot.

Install Unified Write Filter

Installs the Windows 10 Unified Write Filter feature on the computer. This step is required to use UWF.

Manage UWF Profiles

This where you create, delete, duplicate, import and export UWF Filter Profiles

Unified Write Filter Manage Profiles ScreenShot

Unified Write Filter Status

Opens the Unified Write Filter Manager. The Manager displays important information regarding the status of the Unified Write Filter.

  • Computer Name – This field contains the name of the computer.
  • Windows Feature Enabled
    • Blank = Not Enabled
    • Enabled = UWF Has been enabled
  • Filter Enabled – Current Session
    • True = There is a filter currently applied to the computer
    • False = There is not a filter currently applied to the computer
  • Filter Enabled – Next Session
    • True = There will be a filter applied after the next reboot of this computer
    • False = There will not be a filter applied after the next reboot of this computer
  • Current Session - These are the details of the filters that are currently applied to your computer.
    • Overlay
      • Type – disk or memory
      • Maximum Size – Size of the overlay that you have chosen
    • Exclusions
      • Type – Type of exclusion (Registry, File)
      • Path – Path of the exclusion
  • Next Session – These are the details of the filters that will be applied on your next reboot.
    • Overlay
      • Type – Disk or Memory
      • Maximum Size – Size of the overlay that you have chosen
    • Exclusions
      • Type – Type of exclusion (Registry, File)
      • Path – Path of the exclusion

Unified Write Filter Status ScreenShot