Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Windows Connection Manager Description
This policy setting determines whether Windows will soft-disconnect a computer from a network. If this policy setting is enabled or not configured, Windows will soft-disconnect a computer from a network when it determines that the computer should no longer be connected to a network. If this policy setting is disabled, Windows will disconnect a computer from a network immediately when it determines that the computer should no longer be connected to a network. When soft disconnect is enabled: - When Windows decides that the computer should no longer be connected to a network, it waits for traffic to settle on that network. The existing TCP session will continue uninterrupted. - Windows then checks the traffic level on the network periodically. If the traffic level is above a certain threshold, no further action is taken. The computer stays connected to the network and continues to use it. For example, if the network connection is currently being used to download files from the Internet, the files will continue to be downloaded using that network connection. - When the network traffic drops below this threshold, the computer will be disconnected from the network. Apps that keep a network connection active even when they're not actively using it (for example, email apps) might lose their connection. If this happens, these apps should re-establish their connection over a different network. This policy setting depends on other group policy settings. For example, if 'Minimize the number of simultaneous connections to the Internet or a Windows Domain' is disabled, Windows will not disconnect from any networks.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WcmSvc\GroupPolicy Value name: fSoftDisconnectConnections
Enabled: fSoftDisconnectConnections = 1
Disabled: fSoftDisconnectConnections = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WCM/WCM_EnableSoftDisconnect 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: Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WcmSvc\GroupPolicy]
"fSoftDisconnectConnections"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WcmSvc\GroupPolicy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'fSoftDisconnectConnections' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WCM/WCM_EnableSoftDisconnect
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WcmSvc\GroupPolicy' -Name 'fSoftDisconnectConnections' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WcmSvc\GroupPolicy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'fSoftDisconnectConnections' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
# 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: Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WcmSvc\GroupPolicy' -Name 'fSoftDisconnectConnections' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1709
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WcmSvc\GroupPolicy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'fSoftDisconnectConnections' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.