Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Printer Redirection Description
This policy setting allows you to specify whether the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver is used first to install all client printers. If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, the RD Session Host server first tries to use the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver to install all client printers. If for any reason the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver cannot be used, a printer driver on the RD Session Host server that matches the client printer is used. If the RD Session Host server does not have a printer driver that matches the client printer, the client printer is not available for the Remote Desktop session. If you disable this policy setting, the RD Session Host server tries to find a suitable printer driver to install the client printer. If the RD Session Host server does not have a printer driver that matches the client printer, the server tries to use the Remote Desktop Easy Print driver to install the client printer. If for any reason the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver cannot be used, the client printer is not available for the Remote Desktop Services session. Note: If the "Do not allow client printer redirection" policy setting is enabled, the "Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first" policy setting is ignored.
Registry
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services Value name: UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst
Enabled: UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst = 3
Disabled: UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst = 4
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_EASY_PRINT 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: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst"=dword:00000003More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst' -Value 3 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_EASY_PRINT
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst' -Expected 3 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst' -Value 3 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
# 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: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst' -Expected 3 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'UseUniversalPrinterDriverFirst' -Value 3 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.