Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Storage Sense Description
When Storage Sense runs, it can delete files in the user’s Downloads folder if they haven’t been opened for more than a certain number of days. If the group policy "Allow Storage Sense" is disabled, then this policy does not have any effect. Enabled: You must provide the minimum number of days a file can remain unopened before Storage Sense deletes it from Downloads folder. Supported values are: 0 - 365. If you set this value to zero, Storage Sense will not delete files in the user’s Downloads folder. The default is 0, or never deleting files in the Downloads folder. Disabled or Not Configured: By default, Storage Sense will not delete files in the user’s Downloads folder. Users can configure this setting in Storage settings.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Storage/ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
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: Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense]
"ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Storage/ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="StorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold" value="0"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense' -Name 'ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
# 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: Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense' -Name 'ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure Storage Storage Downloads cleanup threshold
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1903
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\StorageSense'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'ConfigStorageSenseDownloadsCleanupThreshold' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.