Configure BranchCache for network files
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\BranchCache Description
This policy setting is used only when you have deployed one or more BranchCache-enabled file servers at your main office. This policy setting specifies when client computers in branch offices start caching content from file servers based on the network latency - or delay - that occurs when the clients download content from the main office over a Wide Area Network (WAN) link. When you configure a value for this setting, which is the maximum round trip network latency allowed before caching begins, clients do not cache content until the network latency reaches the specified value; when network latency is greater than the value, clients begin caching content after they receive it from the file servers. Policy configuration Select one of the following: - Not Configured. With this selection, BranchCache latency 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 configure a BranchCache latency setting on all client computers, you can specify Not Configured for this domain Group Policy setting, and then configure local computer policy to enable BranchCache latency settings on individual client computers. Because the domain Group Policy setting is not configured, it will not over-write the latency setting that you use on individual client computers. - Enabled. With this selection, the BranchCache maximum round trip latency setting is enabled for all client computers where the policy is applied. For example, if Configure BranchCache for network files is enabled in domain Group Policy, the BranchCache latency setting that you specify in the policy is turned on for all domain member client computers to which the policy is applied. - Disabled. With this selection, BranchCache client computers use the default latency setting of 80 milliseconds. In circumstances where this policy setting is enabled, you can also select and configure the following option: - Type the maximum round trip network latency (milliseconds) after which caching begins. Specifies the amount of time, in milliseconds, after which BranchCache client computers begin to cache content locally.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PeerToPeerCaching/EnableWindowsBranchCache_SMB 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: Configure BranchCache for network files
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache]
"PeerCachingLatencyThreshold"=dword:00000050More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure BranchCache for network files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PeerCachingLatencyThreshold' -Value 80 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_PeerToPeerCaching/EnableWindowsBranchCache_SMB
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="WBC_SMBLatency_DecimalTextBox" value="80"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure BranchCache for network files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache' -Name 'PeerCachingLatencyThreshold' -Expected 80 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure BranchCache for network files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PeerCachingLatencyThreshold' -Value 80 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure BranchCache for network files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 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: Configure BranchCache for network files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache' -Name 'PeerCachingLatencyThreshold' -Expected 80 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure BranchCache for network files
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PeerCachingLatencyThreshold' -Value 80 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.