Specify maximum number of processes per Shell
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Remote Shell Description
This policy setting configures the maximum number of processes a remote shell is allowed to launch. If you enable this policy setting, you can specify any number from 0 to 0x7FFFFFFF to set the maximum number of process per shell. Zero (0) means unlimited number of processes. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the limit is five processes per shell.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WinRM\Service\WinRS MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/RemoteShell/SpecifyMaxProcesses 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 maximum number of processes per Shell
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WinRM\Service\WinRS]
"MaxProcessesPerShell"=dword:00000005More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum number of processes per Shell
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WinRM\Service\WinRS'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxProcessesPerShell' -Value 5 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/RemoteShell/SpecifyMaxProcesses
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="MaxProcessesPerShell" value="5"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum number of processes per Shell
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WinRM\Service\WinRS' -Name 'MaxProcessesPerShell' -Expected 5 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum number of processes per Shell
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WinRM\Service\WinRS'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxProcessesPerShell' -Value 5 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum number of processes per Shell
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# 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 maximum number of processes per Shell
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WinRM\Service\WinRS' -Name 'MaxProcessesPerShell' -Expected 5 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify maximum number of processes per Shell
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WinRM\Service\WinRS'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxProcessesPerShell' -Value 5 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.