Turn on bandwidth optimization
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\Remote Assistance Description
This policy setting allows you to improve performance in low bandwidth scenarios. This setting is incrementally scaled from "No optimization" to "Full optimization". Each incremental setting includes the previous optimization setting. For example: "Turn off background" will include the following optimizations: -No full window drag -Turn off background "Full optimization" will include the following optimizations: -Use 16-bit color (8-bit color in Windows Vista) -Turn off font smoothing (not supported in Windows Vista) -No full window drag -Turn off background If you enable this policy setting, bandwidth optimization occurs at the level specified. If you disable this policy setting, application-based settings are used. If you do not configure this policy setting, application-based settings are used.
Registry
Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services Value name: UseBandwidthOptimization
Enabled: UseBandwidthOptimization = 1
Disabled: UseBandwidthOptimization = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_RemoteAssistance/RA_Optimize_Bandwidth 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: Turn on bandwidth optimization
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"UseBandwidthOptimization"=dword:00000001
"OptimizeBandwidth"=dword:0000000eMore formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on bandwidth optimization
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseBandwidthOptimization' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'OptimizeBandwidth' -Value 14 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_RemoteAssistance/RA_Optimize_Bandwidth
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="RA_Optimize_Bandwidth_List" value="14"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on bandwidth optimization
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'UseBandwidthOptimization' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'OptimizeBandwidth' -Expected 14 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on bandwidth optimization
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseBandwidthOptimization' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'OptimizeBandwidth' -Value 14 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on bandwidth optimization
# 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: Turn on bandwidth optimization
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'UseBandwidthOptimization' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'OptimizeBandwidth' -Expected 14 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn on bandwidth optimization
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseBandwidthOptimization' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'OptimizeBandwidth' -Value 14 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.