Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
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 the RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior. By default, the RD Session Host server fallback printer driver is disabled. If the RD Session Host server does not have a printer driver that matches the client's printer, no printer will be available for the Remote Desktop Services session. If you enable this policy setting, the fallback printer driver is enabled, and the default behavior is for the RD Session Host server to find a suitable printer driver. If one is not found, the client's printer is not available. You can choose to change this default behavior. The available options are: "Do nothing if one is not found" - If there is a printer driver mismatch, the server will attempt to find a suitable driver. If one is not found, the client's printer is not available. This is the default behavior. "Default to PCL if one is not found" - If no suitable printer driver can be found, default to the Printer Control Language (PCL) fallback printer driver. "Default to PS if one is not found" - If no suitable printer driver can be found, default to the PostScript (PS) fallback printer driver. "Show both PCL and PS if one is not found" - If no suitable driver can be found, show both PS and PCL-based fallback printer drivers. If you disable this policy setting, the RD Session Host server fallback driver is disabled and the RD Session Host server will not attempt to use the fallback printer driver. If you do not configure this policy setting, the fallback printer driver behavior is off by default. Note: If the "Do not allow client printer redirection" setting is enabled, this policy setting is ignored and the fallback printer driver is disabled.
Registry
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services Value name: fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver
Enabled: fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver = 1
Disabled: fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_FALLBACKPRINTDRIVERTYPE 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: Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver"=dword:00000001
"FallbackPrintDriverType"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'FallbackPrintDriverType' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_FALLBACKPRINTDRIVERTYPE
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="TS_FALLBACK_OPTIONS" value="1"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'FallbackPrintDriverType' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'FallbackPrintDriverType' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
# 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: Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'FallbackPrintDriverType' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify RD Session Host server fallback printer driver behavior
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'fPolicyFallbackPrintDriver' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'FallbackPrintDriverType' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.