Turn on printing of background colors and images
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 23, 2026
Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Settings\Advanced settings\Printing Description
This policy setting specifies whether Internet Explorer prints background colors and images when the user prints a webpage. Including background colors and images might reduce the speed at which a page is printed and the quality of the printing, depending on the capabilities of the printer. If you enable this policy setting, the printing of background colors and images is turned on. The user cannot turn it off. If you disable this policy setting, the printing of background colors and images is turned off. The user cannot turn it on. If you do not configure this policy setting, the user can turn on or turn off the printing of background colors and images.
Registry
HKCU
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main Value name: Print_Background
Enabled: Print_Background = yes
Disabled: Print_Background = no
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: Turn on printing of background colors and images
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Print_Background"="yes"More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on printing of background colors and images
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
# 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\Internet Explorer\Main'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Print_Background' -Value 'yes' -Type StringIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on printing of background colors and images
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main' -Name 'Print_Background' -Expected 'yes' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on printing of background colors and images
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
# 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\Internet Explorer\Main'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Print_Background' -Value 'yes' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on printing of background colors and images
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
# 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: Turn on printing of background colors and images
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main' -Name 'Print_Background' -Expected 'yes' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on printing of background colors and images
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
# 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\Internet Explorer\Main'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Print_Background' -Value 'yes' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.