Do not allow hardware accelerated decoding
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Connection Client Description
This policy setting specifies whether the Remote Desktop Connection can use hardware acceleration if supported hardware is available. If you use this setting, the Remote Desktop Client will use only software decoding. For example, if you have a problem that you suspect may be related to hardware acceleration, use this setting to disable the acceleration; then, if the problem still occurs, you will know that there are additional issues to investigate. If you disable this setting or leave it not configured, the Remote Desktop client will use hardware accelerated decoding if supported hardware is available.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client Value name: EnableHardwareMode
Enabled: EnableHardwareMode = 0
Disabled: EnableHardwareMode = 1
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_CLIENT_DISABLE_HARDWARE_MODE 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: Do not allow hardware accelerated decoding
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client]
"EnableHardwareMode"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow hardware accelerated decoding
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnableHardwareMode' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_CLIENT_DISABLE_HARDWARE_MODE
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow hardware accelerated decoding
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client' -Name 'EnableHardwareMode' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow hardware accelerated decoding
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnableHardwareMode' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow hardware accelerated decoding
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# 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 hardware accelerated decoding
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client' -Name 'EnableHardwareMode' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Do not allow hardware accelerated decoding
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnableHardwareMode' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.