Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Description
This policy directs Group Policy processing to skip processing any client side extension that requires synchronous processing (that is, whether computers wait for the network to be fully initialized during computer startup and user logon) when a slow network connection is detected. If you enable this policy setting, when a slow network connection is detected, Group Policy processing will always run in an asynchronous manner. Client computers will not wait for the network to be fully initialized at startup and logon. Existing users will be logged on using cached credentials, which will result in shorter logon times. Group Policy will be applied in the background after the network becomes available. Note that because this is a background refresh, extensions requiring synchronous processing such as Software Installation, Folder Redirection and Drive Maps preference extension will not be applied. Note: There are two conditions that will cause Group Policy to be processed synchronously even if this policy setting is enabled: 1 - At the first computer startup after the client computer has joined the domain. 2 - If the policy setting "Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon" is enabled. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, detecting a slow network connection will not affect whether Group Policy processing will be synchronous or asynchronous.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System Value name: SlowlinkDefaultToAsync
Enabled: SlowlinkDefaultToAsync = 1
Disabled: SlowlinkDefaultToAsync = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/SlowlinkDefaultToAsync 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: Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System]
"SlowlinkDefaultToAsync"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SlowlinkDefaultToAsync' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_GroupPolicy/SlowlinkDefaultToAsync
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' -Name 'SlowlinkDefaultToAsync' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SlowlinkDefaultToAsync' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# 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: Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' -Name 'SlowlinkDefaultToAsync' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Change Group Policy processing to run asynchronously when a slow network connection is detected.
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'SlowlinkDefaultToAsync' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.