Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or later
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search Description
This policy setting configures whether or not locations on removable drives can be added to libraries. If you enable this policy setting, locations on removable drives cannot be added to libraries. In addition, locations on removable drives cannot be indexed. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, locations on removable drives can be added to libraries. In addition, locations on removable drives can be indexed.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search Value name: DisableRemovableDriveIndexing
Enabled: DisableRemovableDriveIndexing = 1
Disabled: DisableRemovableDriveIndexing = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/DisableRemovableDriveIndexing 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: Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or later
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"DisableRemovableDriveIndexing"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableRemovableDriveIndexing' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/DisableRemovableDriveIndexing
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'DisableRemovableDriveIndexing' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableRemovableDriveIndexing' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 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: Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'DisableRemovableDriveIndexing' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableRemovableDriveIndexing' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.