# Create WMI Filters for the GPO
Applies To: Windows Server 2012
To make sure that each GPO associated with a group can only be applied to computers running the correct version of Windows, use the Group Policy Management MMC snap-in to create and assign WMI filters to the GPO. Although you can create a separate membership group for each GPO, you would then have to manage the memberships of the different groups. Instead, use only a single membership group, and let WMI filters automatically ensure the correct GPO is applied to each computer.
- [No text is specified for bookmark or legacy link '#bkmk\_1'.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/jj717288(v=ws.11))
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**Administrative credentials**
To complete these procedures, you must be a member of the Domain Administrators group, or otherwise be delegated permissions to modify the GPOs.
First, create the WMI filter and configure it to look for a specified version (or versions) of the Windows operating system.
### To create a WMI filter that queries for a specified version of Windows
1. On a computer that has the Group Policy Management feature installed, click **Start**, click **Administrative Tools**, and then click **Group Policy Management**.
2. In the navigation pane, expand **Forest:** *YourForestName*, expand **Domains**, expand *YourDomainName*, and then click **WMI Filters**.
3. Click **Action**, and then click **New**.
4. In the **Name** text box, type the name of the WMI filter.
Note
Be sure to use a name that clearly indicates the purpose of the filter. Check to see if your organization has a naming convention.
5. In the **Description** text box, type a description for the WMI filter. For example, if the filter excludes domain controllers, you might consider stating that in the description.
6. Click **Add**.
7. Leave the **Namespace** value set to **root\\CIMv2**.
8. In the **Query** text box, type:
```
select * from Win32_OperatingSystem where Version like "6.%"
```
This query will return **true** for computers running Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2. To set a filter for just Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, use "6.2%". To specify multiple versions, combine them with or, as shown in the following:
```
... where Version like "6.1%" or Version like "6.2%"
```
To restrict the query to only clients or only servers, add a clause that includes the ProductType parameter. To filter for client operating systems only, such as Windows 8 or Windows 7, use only ProductType="1". For server operating systems that are not domain controllers, use ProductType="3". For domain controllers only, use ProductType="2". This is a useful distinction, because you often want to prevent your GPOs from being applied to the domain controllers on your network.
The following clause returns **true** for all computers that are not domain controllers:
```
... where ProductType="1" or ProductType="3"
```
The following complete query returns **true** for all computers running Windows 8, and returns **false** for any server operating system or any other client operating system.
```
select * from Win32_OperatingSystem where Version like "6.2%" and ProductType="1"
```
The following query returns **true** for any computer running Windows Server 2012, except domain controllers:
```
select * from Win32_OperatingSystem where Version like "6.2%" and ProductType="3"
```
9. Click **OK** to save the query to the filter.
10. Click **Save** to save your completed filter.
After you have created a filter with the correct query, link the filter to the GPO. Filters can be reused with many GPOs simultaneously; you do not have to create a new one for each GPO if an existing one meets your needs.
### To link a WMI filter to a GPO
1. On a computer that has the Group Policy Management feature installed, click **Start**, click **Administrative Tools**, and then click **Group Policy Management**.
2. In the navigation pane, find and then click the GPO that you want to modify.
3. Under **WMI Filtering**, select the correct WMI filter from the list.
4. Click **Yes** to accept the filter.