Specify server
Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on September 4, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Skype for Business 2016\Microsoft Lync Feature Policies Description
Specifies how Microsoft Lync identifies the server. If you enable this policy setting, you must specify the server name that Microsoft Lync uses. If you disable this policy setting, Microsoft Lync uses a DNS lookup to identify the server. If you do not configure this policy setting, the user can choose automatic configuration, or the user can specify the name of the server in Microsoft Lync user preferences. To set the user preferences, from the Microsoft Lync Tools menu, click Options, click the Personal tab, within the SIP Communications My Account area click Advanced, select Configure Settings, type the server name in the Server name field. Note: You can configure this policy setting under both Computer Configuration and User Configuration, but the policy setting under Computer Configuration takes precedence.
Registry
HKCU
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync Value name: configurationmode
Enabled: configurationmode = 1
Disabled: configurationmode = 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: Specify server
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync]
"configurationmode"=dword:00000001
"serveraddressinternal"=""
"serveraddressexternal"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify server
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# 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\office\16.0\lync'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'configurationmode' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'serveraddressinternal' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'serveraddressexternal' -Value '' -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: Specify server
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync' -Name 'configurationmode' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync' -Name 'serveraddressinternal' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync' -Name 'serveraddressexternal' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify server
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# 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\office\16.0\lync'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'configurationmode' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'serveraddressinternal' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'serveraddressexternal' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify server
# 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: Specify server
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync' -Name 'configurationmode' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync' -Name 'serveraddressinternal' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\lync' -Name 'serveraddressexternal' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify server
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# 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\office\16.0\lync'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'configurationmode' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'serveraddressinternal' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'serveraddressexternal' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.