Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
Verified with Windows Server 2025 — updated on July 10, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Application Compatibility Description
This policy setting specifies whether Windows Installer RDS Compatibility runs on a per user basis for fully installed applications. Windows Installer allows one instance of the msiexec process to run at a time. By default, Windows Installer RDS Compatibility is turned on. If you enable this policy setting, Windows Installer RDS Compatibility is turned off, and only one instance of the msiexec process can run at a time. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows Installer RDS Compatibility is turned on, and multiple per user application installation requests are queued and handled by the msiexec process in the order in which they are received.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\TSAppSrv\TSMSI Value name: Enable
Enabled: Enable = 0
Disabled: Enable = 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: Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\TSAppSrv\TSMSI]
"Enable"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\TSAppSrv\TSMSI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Enable' -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: Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\TSAppSrv\TSMSI' -Name 'Enable' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\TSAppSrv\TSMSI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Enable' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
# 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: Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\TSAppSrv\TSMSI' -Name 'Enable' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\TSAppSrv\TSMSI'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Enable' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.