Disable indexer backoff
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 or later
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search Description
If enabled, the search indexer backoff feature will be disabled. Indexing will continue at full speed even when system activity is high. If disabled, backoff logic will be used to throttle back indexing activity when system activity is high. Default is disabled.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search Value name: DisableBackoff
Enabled: DisableBackoff = 1
Disabled: DisableBackoff = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/DisableBackoff Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- Disable. -
1- Enable.
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: Disable indexer backoff
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 or later
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"DisableBackoff"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable indexer backoff
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBackoff' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/DisableBackoff
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable indexer backoff
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'DisableBackoff' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable indexer backoff
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBackoff' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable indexer backoff
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 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: Disable indexer backoff
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'DisableBackoff' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable indexer backoff
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Any version of Microsoft Windows with Windows Search 4.0 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableBackoff' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.