To see which collection a custom client setting is deployed to, open Administration > Client Settings in the Configuration Manager console, select the setting, and read the Deployments tab in the details pane. You can get the same answer from PowerShell with Get-CMClientSettingDeployment, which Microsoft documents as available starting in Configuration Manager version 2107. The Deployments tab tells you where a setting is assigned. It does not tell you what a particular device ends up using, which is a separate check covered below.
Find the collection target in the console
This is the fastest method when you already know the setting name and only need its assignments.
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- In the Configuration Manager console, go to Administration > Client Settings.
- Select the custom client setting you want to check.
- In the details pane, open the Deployments tab. Each collection the setting targets is listed there. Microsoft describes this tab as the way to verify the targeted collection after a deployment, in its Configure client settings guidance.
If a collection you expected is missing from the list, the setting was never deployed to it, regardless of what the collection contains. Fix the deployment first, then check the device-level result.
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The console view is manual, so use PowerShell when you need repeatable checks, a report across several settings, or output filtered to one collection. Microsoft’s Get-CMClientSettingDeployment reference supports lookup by setting name, ID, or object, and filtering by collection name, collection ID, or collection object.
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Run these commands from the Configuration Manager site drive, which appears as your site code followed by a colon and a prompt, for example XYZ:>. Running them from a standard PowerShell session will not find the Configuration Manager cmdlets.
Get every deployment for one setting
$clientSetting = Get-CMClientSetting -Name "Software Center customizations"
$clientSetting | Get-CMClientSettingDeploymentThe first line retrieves the setting object. The second passes it down the pipeline so the cmdlet returns its deployments.
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Limit the output to one collection
Get-CMClientSettingDeployment -Name "Software Center customizations" -CollectionName "Pilot Devices"Replace both names with a setting and collection that exist on your site. Because the cmdlet is documented only from version 2107 onward, confirm that your installed module supports these parameters before you build a procedure around them. Running Get-Help Get-CMClientSettingDeployment -Full in the site drive shows the parameter sets your module actually exposes.
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Separate deployment from effective settings
Two different questions get mixed up here. “Which collections is this setting assigned to?” is answered by the Deployments tab or the cmdlet. “What does this device or user actually receive?” is answered by Resultant Client Settings. The table shows how the three methods differ.
| Method | Best for | Scope | Practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Console Deployments tab | Quickly seeing the collection target for a selected setting | Setting-to-collection deployment | Direct, visual check in Administration > Client Settings. |
Get-CMClientSettingDeployment |
Repeatable queries or collection-filtered inspection | Setting deployment, optionally filtered by collection | Documented from version 2107; run from the Configuration Manager site drive. |
| Resultant Client Settings | Explaining the effective settings on one device or user | Selected device or user | Does not replace checking the setting’s collection deployment. |
Open Resultant Client Settings for a device or user
- Go to Assets and Compliance > Devices, or Assets and Compliance > Users for a user object.
- Select the device or user you are investigating.
- Choose Resultant Client Settings.
The view is read-only. The account you use needs Read access to client settings to see the settings in this interface, according to the same Microsoft guidance.
Why a deployment can still look wrong on a client
A correct deployment does not guarantee the outcome you expect, because several rules determine the final result.
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- Custom settings override defaults. Custom client settings are deployed to collections and take precedence over the default client settings, as described in Microsoft’s About client settings in Configuration Manager documentation.
- Order number decides conflicts between custom settings. Microsoft’s Learn page states: “When you have multiple custom client settings, they’re applied according to their order number.” When two custom settings conflict, the one with the lower order number takes precedence. Change the order with Move Item Up and Move Item Down in the console.
- Clients apply settings at their next policy download. A deployment entry shows the assignment, not that the client has already downloaded the latest policy. After a change, allow the client to pull policy before judging the result.
- Combined settings can be hard to predict. Microsoft notes that prioritization and combination become complex when several settings are deployed to a device, a user, or a user group. For a specific target, the Resultant Client Settings view is the reliable check.
Checks before you trust the result
- Confirm the Configuration Manager site version and the installed PowerShell module. The cmdlet is documented from version 2107, so older sites will not have it.
- Confirm the account running the console or script has Read access to client settings.
- Compare the setting’s order number against other custom settings that target the same collection before assuming a conflict is the cause.
- Verify the client has downloaded policy since the last change.
- Note that Microsoft’s Configure client settings page was last updated on 2022-10-03 according to its page metadata. Menu labels may differ slightly in newer releases, so match them to your installed version.
The Deployments tab and Get-CMClientSettingDeployment answer where a setting is assigned. Resultant Client Settings answers what a specific device or user gets. Using both prevents you from diagnosing a deployment problem when the actual issue is precedence or policy timing.
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