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To see which collection a custom client setting is deployed to, open the Configuration Manager console, go to Administration > Client Settings, select the setting, and read the Deployments tab in the details pane. If you need the same answer repeatedly, or filtered to one collection, use the Get-CMClientSettingDeployment cmdlet from the Configuration Manager site drive. Microsoft documents that cmdlet as available starting in Configuration Manager version 2107.
The two questions people often mix up are “which collection is this setting deployed to?” and “what is this device actually receiving?” The first is answered by the Deployments tab or the cmdlet. The second is answered by Resultant Client Settings, covered below.
Check the collection target in the console
The console method works for one setting at a time and needs no scripting. It is the quickest way to confirm a deployment after you create or change a custom setting, which is also the purpose Microsoft gives the tab in its Configure client settings guidance (the page’s metadata shows it was last updated 2022-10-03).
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- In the console, select Administration, then Client Settings.
- Select the custom client setting you want to inspect. Default client settings are a separate object and are not the target of this check.
- In the details pane, open the Deployments tab.
- Read the collection or collections listed. Each entry is a collection the custom setting is deployed to.
If the collection you expected is missing, the setting is not deployed to it, regardless of what the device’s collection membership looks like elsewhere in the console.
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Query deployments with PowerShell
The cmdlet is the better choice when you need to check many settings, document a site, or confirm a collection-level target in a script. It is documented in the Get-CMClientSettingDeployment reference, which lists setting name, setting ID, and setting object as ways to identify the setting, and collection name and collection ID as filters.
Run these commands from the Configuration Manager site drive, for example PS XYZ:>, where XYZ is your site code. Running them from a regular PowerShell session without the module loaded will fail.
List every deployment of one setting
$clientSetting = Get-CMClientSetting -Name "Software Center customizations"
$clientSetting | Get-CMClientSettingDeploymentThe output lists the collections that receive this setting. Use this form when you want the full picture for one setting.
Filter to a single collection
Get-CMClientSettingDeployment -Name "Software Center customizations" -CollectionName "Pilot Devices"Replace the setting and collection names with values from your site. If you prefer to identify the collection by its ID, the reference documents a collection ID filter as well. To confirm the parameters available in your installed module, run Get-Help Get-CMClientSettingDeployment -Full.
Method comparison
The three methods answer different questions, so pick the one that matches the object you are investigating.
| Method | Best for | Scope | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Console Deployments tab | Checking the collection target of one selected setting | One setting, all of its collection deployments | Visual check under Administration > Client Settings. Requires no scripting. |
Get-CMClientSettingDeployment |
Repeatable checks, reports, or collection-filtered lookups | One or more settings, optionally filtered by collection name or ID | Documented from Configuration Manager version 2107. Run from the site drive. |
| Resultant Client Settings | Explaining the effective settings on one device or user | One selected device or user | Shows the outcome, not the deployment target. It does not replace the Deployments check. |
Find the effective result for a device or user
Resultant Client Settings tells you what a particular device or user ends up with after all applicable settings are combined. It is the right view when a user reports a Software Center behaviour or a client setting seems ignored.
- Go to Assets and Compliance > Devices (or Users).
- Select the object you are investigating.
- Choose Resultant Client Settings.
The view is read-only. To open it, the account you use needs Read access to client settings, as Microsoft’s guidance notes. Use the Deployments tab first to learn which collections are involved, then the resultant view to see how they combine on the target you care about.
How precedence works between custom settings
Custom client settings override default client settings. The About client settings in Configuration Manager article describes this model; its page metadata shows a 2025-12-08 date.
Best Value
When more than one custom setting applies to a device and they conflict, the order number decides the result. Microsoft’s Configure client settings page states: “When you have multiple custom client settings, they’re applied according to their order number.” A lower order number takes precedence.
To change the order, select the custom setting in Administration > Client Settings and use Move Item Up or Move Item Down. Check the order after any change, because a setting that looks correct on its own can lose to another custom setting with a lower number.
Quick Recap
When the result does not match what you expect
- The setting is deployed, but the client still shows old behaviour. A client receives the configuration when it next downloads policy. A deployment entry does not prove the client has already fetched the latest policy. Wait for the next policy cycle on the client, or trigger a policy download, before concluding the deployment failed.
- The Deployments tab shows the right collection, but the effective result is different. Several custom settings can reach the same device, user, or user group. Microsoft notes that prioritization and combination can be complex in this case. Open Resultant Client Settings on the specific target and compare it against the order numbers.
- The Resultant Client Settings view is missing or empty. Confirm that the account has Read access to client settings. The view cannot be read without it.
- The PowerShell cmdlet is not recognised. The cmdlet is documented from Configuration Manager version 2107. Check the site version and the installed Configuration Manager module before relying on it in a runbook.
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