Control rich previews for attachments
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 29, 2026
Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 3.01 or later
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search Description
Enabling this policy defines a semicolon-delimited list of file extensions which will be allowed to have rich attachment previews. When this policy is disabled or not configured the default settings will be set to .bmp;.emf;.gif;.jpg;.jpeg;.png;.wmf;.wrn;.txt;.err;.xml;.cpp;.c;.h;.cxx;.hxx;.idl;.cs;.vb;.idl;.xsd;.doc;.docx;.xls;.xlsx;.ppt;.pptx;.vsd;.xlsb;.xltx;.dot;.rtf
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search 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: Control rich previews for attachments
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 3.01 or later
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"RichAttachmentPreviews"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Control rich previews for attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 3.01 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RichAttachmentPreviews' -Value '' -Type StringIntune 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: Control rich previews for attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'RichAttachmentPreviews' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Control rich previews for attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 3.01 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RichAttachmentPreviews' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Control rich previews for attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 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: Control rich previews for attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'RichAttachmentPreviews' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Control rich previews for attachments
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 3.01 or later
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RichAttachmentPreviews' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.