Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 29, 2026
Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 or later
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search Description
Enabling this policy allows indexing of mail items on a Microsoft Exchange server when Microsoft Outlook is not running in cached mode. The default behavior for search is to not index uncached Exchange folders. Disabling this policy will block any indexing of uncached Exchange folders. Delegate mailboxes are managed separately from online mailboxes. The "Enable Indexing of Uncached Exchange Folders" has no effect on delegate mailboxes. To stop indexing of online and delegate mailboxes you must disable both policies.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search Value name: PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders
Enabled: PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders = 0
Disabled: PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders = 1
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: Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 or later
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune 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: Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 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: Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable indexing uncached Exchange folders
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows Vista, or any version of Windows with Windows Search 3.01 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PreventIndexingUncachedExchangeFolders' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.