Maximum size of Active Directory searches
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Directory Description
Specifies the maximum number of objects the system displays in response to a command to browse or search Active Directory. This setting affects all browse displays associated with Active Directory, such as those in Local Users and Groups, Active Directory Users and Computers, and dialog boxes used to set permissions for user or group objects in Active Directory. If you enable this setting, you can use the "Number of objects returned" box to limit returns from an Active Directory search. If you disable this setting or do not configure it, the system displays up to 10,000 objects. This consumes approximately 2 MB of memory or disk space. This setting is designed to protect the network and the domain controller from the effect of expansive searches.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Desktop/AD_QueryLimit 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: Maximum size of Active Directory searches
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI]
"QueryLimit"=dword:00002710More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum size of Active Directory searches
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'QueryLimit' -Value 10000 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Desktop/AD_QueryLimit
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="AD_QueryLimit_Box" value="10000"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum size of Active Directory searches
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI' -Name 'QueryLimit' -Expected 10000 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum size of Active Directory searches
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'QueryLimit' -Value 10000 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum size of Active Directory searches
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# 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: Maximum size of Active Directory searches
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI' -Name 'QueryLimit' -Expected 10000 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Maximum size of Active Directory searches
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'QueryLimit' -Value 10000 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.