Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2*
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\BranchCache Description
This policy setting specifies whether BranchCache hosted cache mode is enabled on client computers to which this policy is applied. In addition to this policy, you must use the policy "Turn on BranchCache" to enable BranchCache on client computers. When a client computer is configured as a hosted cache mode client, it is able to download cached content from a hosted cache server that is located at the branch office. In addition, when the hosted cache client obtains content from a content server, the client can upload the content to the hosted cache server for access by other hosted cache clients at the branch office. Policy configuration Select one of the following: - Not Configured. With this selection, BranchCache settings are not applied to client computers by this policy. In the circumstance where client computers are domain members but you do not want to enable BranchCache on all client computers, you can specify Not Configured for this domain Group Policy setting, and then configure local computer policy to enable BranchCache on individual client computers. Because the domain Group Policy setting is not configured, it will not over-write the enabled setting that you use on individual client computers where you want to enable BranchCache. - Enabled. With this selection, BranchCache hosted cache mode is enabled for all client computers where the policy is applied. For example, if this policy is enabled in domain Group Policy, BranchCache hosted cache mode is turned on for all domain member client computers to which the policy is applied. - Disabled. With this selection, BranchCache hosted cache mode is turned off for all client computers where the policy is applied. In circumstances where this setting is enabled, you can also select and configure the following option: - Type the name of the hosted cache server. Specifies the computer name of the hosted cache server. Because the hosted cache server name is also specified in the certificate enrolled to the hosted cache server, the name that you enter here must match the name of the hosted cache server that is specified in the server certificate. Hosted cache clients must trust the server certificate that is issued to the hosted cache server. Ensure that the issuing CA certificate is installed in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities certificate store on all hosted cache client computers. * This policy setting is supported on computers that are running Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions with Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 4.0 installed.
Registry
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PeerDist\HostedCache\Connection MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PeerToPeerCaching/EnableWindowsBranchCache_Hosted 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: Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2*
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PeerDist\HostedCache\Connection]
"Location"=""More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2*
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PeerDist\HostedCache\Connection'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Location' -Value '' -Type StringIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PeerToPeerCaching/EnableWindowsBranchCache_Hosted
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="WBC_Cache_TextBox" value=""/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 7 or 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PeerDist\HostedCache\Connection' -Name 'Location' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2*
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PeerDist\HostedCache\Connection'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Location' -Value '' -Type StringSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 7 or 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: Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 7 or 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PeerDist\HostedCache\Connection' -Name 'Location' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set BranchCache Hosted Cache mode
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2*
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PeerDist\HostedCache\Connection'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Location' -Value '' -Type StringBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.