diff --git a/windows/deployment/usmt/usmt-exclude-files-and-settings.md b/windows/deployment/usmt/usmt-exclude-files-and-settings.md
index 2b5db81c9da..d7c0f5e4fde 100644
--- a/windows/deployment/usmt/usmt-exclude-files-and-settings.md
+++ b/windows/deployment/usmt/usmt-exclude-files-and-settings.md
@@ -5,14 +5,14 @@ manager: aaroncz
ms.author: frankroj
ms.prod: windows-client
author: frankroj
-ms.date: 11/01/2022
+ms.date: 09/18/2023
ms.topic: article
ms.technology: itpro-deploy
---
# Exclude files and settings
-When you specify the migration .xml files, `MigApp.xml`, `MigDocs.xml`, and `MigUser.xml`, the User State Migration Tool (USMT) 10.0 migrates the settings and components listed, as discussed in [What does USMT migrate?](usmt-what-does-usmt-migrate.md) You can create a custom .xml file to further specify what to include or exclude in the migration. In addition you can create a `Config.xml` file to exclude an entire component from a migration. You can't, however, exclude users by using the migration .xml files or the `Config.xml` file. The only way to specify which users to include and exclude is by using the user options on the command line in the ScanState tool. For more information, see the [User options](usmt-scanstate-syntax.md#user-options) section of the [ScanState syntax](usmt-scanstate-syntax.md) article.
+When you specify the migration .xml files, `MigApp.xml`, `MigDocs.xml`, and `MigUser.xml`, the User State Migration Tool (USMT) 10.0 migrates the settings and components listed, as discussed in [What does USMT migrate?](usmt-what-does-usmt-migrate.md) You can create a custom .xml file to further specify what to include or exclude in the migration. In addition, you can create a `Config.xml` file to exclude an entire component from a migration. You can't, however, exclude users by using the migration .xml files or the `Config.xml` file. The only way to specify which users to include and exclude is by using the user options on the command line in the ScanState tool. For more information, see the [User options](usmt-scanstate-syntax.md#user-options) section of the [ScanState syntax](usmt-scanstate-syntax.md) article.
Methods to customize the migration and include and exclude files and settings include:
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ We recommend that you create a custom .xml file instead of modifying the default
The migration .xml files, `MigApp.xml`, `MigDocs.xml`, and `MigUser.xml`, contain the **<component>** element, which typically represents a self-contained component or an application such as Microsoft® Office Outlook® and Word. To exclude the files and registry settings that are associated with these components, use the **<include>** and **<exclude>** elements. For example, you can use these elements to migrate all files and settings with pattern X except files and settings with pattern Y, where Y is more specific than X. For the syntax of these elements, see [USMT XML Reference](usmt-xml-reference.md).
> [!NOTE]
-> If you specify an **<exclude>** rule, always specify a corresponding **<include>** rule. Otherwise, if you do not specify an **<include>** rule, the specific files or settings will not be included. They will already be excluded from the migration. Thus, an unaccompanied **<exclude>** rule is unnecessary.
+>
+> If you specify an **<exclude>** rule, always specify a corresponding **<include>** rule. Otherwise, if you don't specify an **<include>** rule, the specific files or settings aren't included. They're already excluded from the migration. Thus, an unaccompanied **<exclude>** rule is unnecessary.
- [Example 1: How to migrate all files from C:\\ except .mp3 files](#example-1-how-to-migrate-all-files-from-c-except-mp3-files)
@@ -82,16 +83,16 @@ The following .xml file migrates all files and subfolders in `C:\Data`, except t
Test component
-
-
- C:\Data\* [*]
-
-
-
-
- C:\Data\temp\* [*]
-
-
+
+
+ C:\Data\* [*]
+
+
+
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+ C:\Data\temp\* [*]
+
+
@@ -104,23 +105,23 @@ The following .xml file migrates any subfolders in `C:\`EngineeringDrafts`, but
```xml
-
- Component to migrate all Engineering Drafts Documents without subfolders
-
-
-
-
- C:\EngineeringDrafts\* [*]
-
-
-
-
- C:\EngineeringDrafts\ [*]
-
-
-
-
-
+
+ Component to migrate all Engineering Drafts Documents without subfolders
+
+
+
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+ C:\EngineeringDrafts\* [*]
+
+
+
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+ C:\EngineeringDrafts\ [*]
+
+
+
+
+
```
@@ -130,35 +131,35 @@ The following .xml file migrates all files and subfolders in `C:\EngineeringDraf
```xml
-
- Component to migrate all Engineering Drafts Documents except Sample.doc
-
-
-
-
- C:\EngineeringDrafts\* [*]
-
-
-
-
- C:\EngineeringDrafts\ [Sample.doc]
-
-
-
-
-
+
+ Component to migrate all Engineering Drafts Documents except Sample.doc
+
+
+
+
+ C:\EngineeringDrafts\* [*]
+
+
+
+
+ C:\EngineeringDrafts\ [Sample.doc]
+
+
+
+
+
```
### Example 5: How to exclude a file from any location
-To exclude a Sample.doc file from any location on the C: drive, use the **<pattern>** element. If multiple files exist with the same name on the C: drive, all of these files will be excluded.
+To exclude a Sample.doc file from any location on the C: drive, use the **<pattern>** element. If multiple files exist with the same name on the C: drive, all of these files are excluded.
```xml
C:\* [Sample.doc]
```
-To exclude a Sample.doc file from any drive on the computer, use the **<script>** element. If multiple files exist with the same name, all of these files will be excluded.
+To exclude a Sample.doc file from any drive on the computer, use the **<script>** element. If multiple files exist with the same name, all of these files are excluded.
```xml
@@ -174,15 +175,15 @@ The following .xml file excludes all `.mp3` files from the migration:
```xml
-
+
Test
-
-
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
@@ -199,11 +200,11 @@ The following .xml file excludes only the files located on the C: drive.
Test
-
+
- c:\*[*]
+ c:\*[*]
-
+
@@ -217,53 +218,53 @@ The following .xml file unconditionally excludes the `HKEY_CURRENT_USER` registr
```xml
-
- Test
-
-
-
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- HKCU\testReg[*]
-
-
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- HKCU\*[*]
-
-
-
-
-
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+ Test
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+ HKCU\testReg[*]
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+ HKCU\*[*]
+
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+
+
+
```
##### Example 4: How to Exclude `C:\Windows` and `C:\Program Files`
-The following .xml file unconditionally excludes the system folders of `C:\Windows` and `C:\Program Files`. Note that all `*.docx`, `*.xls` and `*.ppt` files won't be migrated because the **<unconditionalExclude>** element takes precedence over the **<include>** element.
+The following .xml file unconditionally excludes the system folders of `C:\Windows` and `C:\Program Files`. All `*.docx`, `*.xls` and `*.ppt` files aren't migrated because the **<unconditionalExclude>** element takes precedence over the **<include>** element.
```xml
-
- Test
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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-
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- C:\Program Files\* [*]
-C:\Windows\* [*]
-
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-
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-
+
+ Test
+
+
+
+
+
+
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+
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+
+
+ C:\Program Files\* [*]
+ C:\Windows\* [*]
+
+
+
+
+
```
@@ -275,12 +276,13 @@ You can create and modify a `Config.xml` file if you want to exclude components
- **To exclude an operating system setting:** Specify `migrate="no"` for the setting under the **<WindowsComponents>** section.
-- **To exclude My Documents:** Specify `migrate="no"` for **My Documents** under the **<Documents>** section. Note that any **<include>** rules in the .xml files will still apply. For example, if you have a rule that includes all the .docx files in My Documents, then only the .docx files will be migrated, but the rest of the files won't.
+- **To exclude My Documents:** Specify `migrate="no"` for **My Documents** under the **<Documents>** section. Any **<include>** rules in the .xml files are still applied. For example, if you have a rule that includes all the .docx files in My Documents, then .docx files are still migrated. However, any additional files that aren't .docx aren't migrated.
For more information, see [Config.xml File](usmt-configxml-file.md).
> [!NOTE]
-> To exclude a component from the `Config.xml` file, set the **migrate** value to **"no"**. Deleting the XML tag for the component from the `Config.xml` file will not exclude the component from your migration.
+>
+> To exclude a component from the `Config.xml` file, set the **migrate** value to **"no"**. Deleting the XML tag for the component from the `Config.xml` file doesn't exclude the component from your migration.
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