Primary DNS suffix
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Description
Specifies the primary DNS suffix used by the DNS client in DNS name registration and DNS name resolution. To use this policy setting, click Enabled and enter the entire primary DNS suffix you want to assign. For example: microsoft.com. Important: In order for changes to this policy setting to be applied on the DNS client, you must restart Windows. If you enable this policy setting, it supersedes the primary DNS suffix configured in the DNS Suffix and NetBIOS Computer Name dialog box using the System control panel. You can use this policy setting to prevent users, including local administrators, from changing the primary DNS suffix. If you disable this policy setting, or if you do not configure this policy setting, the DNS client uses the local primary DNS suffix, which is usually the DNS name of Active Directory domain to which it is joined.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_DnsClient/DNS_PrimaryDnsSuffix 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: Primary DNS suffix
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 2000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient]
"NV PrimaryDnsSuffix"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Primary DNS suffix
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NV PrimaryDnsSuffix' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_DnsClient/DNS_PrimaryDnsSuffix
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="DNS_PrimaryDnsSuffixBox" value=""/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Primary DNS suffix
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient' -Name 'NV PrimaryDnsSuffix' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Primary DNS suffix
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NV PrimaryDnsSuffix' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Primary DNS suffix
# 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: Primary DNS suffix
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient' -Name 'NV PrimaryDnsSuffix' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Primary DNS suffix
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 2000
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NV PrimaryDnsSuffix' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.