Allow the display of image download placeholders
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\Multimedia Description
This policy setting specifies whether placeholders appear for graphical images while the images are downloading. This allows items on the page to be positioned where they will appear when the images are completely downloaded. This option is ignored if the Show Pictures check box is cleared. If you enable this policy setting, placeholders appear for graphical images while the images are downloading. The user cannot change this policy setting. The "Turn off image display" policy setting must be disabled if this policy setting is enabled. If you disable this policy setting, placeholders will not appear for graphical images while the images are downloading. The user cannot change this policy setting. If you do not configure this policy setting, the user can allow or prevent the display of placeholders for graphical images while the images are downloading.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main Value name: Show image placeholders
Enabled: Show image placeholders = 1
Disabled: Show image placeholders = 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: Allow the display of image download placeholders
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 7.0
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Show image placeholders"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow the display of image download placeholders
# 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 'Show image placeholders' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune 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: Allow the display of image download placeholders
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main' -Name 'Show image placeholders' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow the display of image download placeholders
# 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 'Show image placeholders' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow the display of image download placeholders
# 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: Allow the display of image download placeholders
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main' -Name 'Show image placeholders' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow the display of image download placeholders
# 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 'Show image placeholders' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.