Trust logic for file attachments
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Attachment Manager Description
This policy setting allows you to configure the logic that Windows uses to determine the risk for file attachments. Preferring the file handler instructs Windows to use the file handler data over the file type data. For example, trust notepad.exe, but don't trust .txt files. Preferring the file type instructs Windows to use the file type data over the file handler data. For example, trust .txt files, regardless of the file handler. Using both the file handler and type data is the most restrictive option. Windows chooses the more restrictive recommendation which will cause users to see more trust prompts than choosing the other options. If you enable this policy setting, you can choose the order in which Windows processes risk assessment data. If you disable this policy setting, Windows uses its default trust logic, which prefers the file handler over the file type. If you do not configure this policy setting, Windows uses its default trust logic, which prefers the file handler over the file type.
Registry
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_AttachmentManager/AM_EstimateFileHandlerRisk Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Trust logic for file attachments
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments]
"UseTrustedHandlers"=dword:00000002More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trust logic for file attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseTrustedHandlers' -Value 2 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_AttachmentManager/AM_EstimateFileHandlerRisk
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="AM_TrustLogicSetting" value="2"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trust logic for file attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments' -Name 'UseTrustedHandlers' -Expected 2 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trust logic for file attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseTrustedHandlers' -Value 2 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trust logic for file attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trust logic for file attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments' -Name 'UseTrustedHandlers' -Expected 2 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trust logic for file attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows XP Professional with SP2
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseTrustedHandlers' -Value 2 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.