Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) Description
This setting affects whether the BITS client is allowed to use Windows Branch Cache. If the Windows Branch Cache component is installed and enabled on a computer, BITS jobs on that computer can use Windows Branch Cache by default. If you enable this policy setting, the BITS client does not use Windows Branch Cache. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the BITS client uses Windows Branch Cache. Note: This policy setting does not affect the use of Windows Branch Cache by applications other than BITS. This policy setting does not apply to BITS transfers over SMB. This setting has no effect if the computer's administrative settings for Windows Branch Cache disable its use entirely.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS Value name: DisableBranchCache
Enabled: DisableBranchCache = 1
Disabled: DisableBranchCache = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Bits/BITS_DisableBranchCache 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: Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS]
"DisableBranchCache"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBranchCache' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Bits/BITS_DisableBranchCache
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS' -Name 'DisableBranchCache' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBranchCache' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
# 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: Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS' -Name 'DisableBranchCache' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow the BITS client to use Windows Branch Cache
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBranchCache' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.