Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search Description
This policy setting determines when Windows uses automatic language detection results, and when it relies on indexing history. If you enable this policy setting, Windows will always use automatic language detection to index (as it did in Windows 7). Using automatic language detection can increase memory usage. We recommend enabling this policy setting only on PCs where documents are stored in many languages. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows will use automatic language detection only when it can determine the language of a document with high confidence.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search Value name: AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection
Enabled: AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection = 1
Disabled: AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- Not allowed. -
1- Allowed.
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: Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
# 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: Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Always use automatic language detection when indexing content and properties
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AlwaysUseAutoLangDetection' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.