Use forest search order
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\KDC Description
This policy setting defines the list of trusting forests that the Key Distribution Center (KDC) searches when attempting to resolve two-part service principal names (SPNs). If you enable this policy setting, the KDC will search the forests in this list if it is unable to resolve a two-part SPN in the local forest. The forest search is performed by using a global catalog or name suffix hints. If a match is found, the KDC will return a referral ticket to the client for the appropriate domain. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the KDC will not search the listed forests to resolve the SPN. If the KDC is unable to resolve the SPN because the name is not found, NTLM authentication might be used. To ensure consistent behavior, this policy setting must be supported and set identically on all domain controllers in the domain.
Registry
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters Value name: UseForestSearch
Enabled: UseForestSearch = 1
Disabled: UseForestSearch = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_kdc/ForestSearch 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: Use forest search order
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters]
"UseForestSearch"=dword:00000001
"ForestSearchList"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use forest search order
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseForestSearch' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ForestSearchList' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_kdc/ForestSearch
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="ForestSearchList" value=""/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use forest search order
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters' -Name 'UseForestSearch' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters' -Name 'ForestSearchList' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use forest search order
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseForestSearch' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ForestSearchList' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use forest search order
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# 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: Use forest search order
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters' -Name 'UseForestSearch' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters' -Name 'ForestSearchList' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use forest search order
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\KDC\Parameters'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseForestSearch' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ForestSearchList' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.