Set default search scope

UserNeeds changes for IntuneL_SetDefaultSearchScope

Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows7 (defined in the Windows templates)

5568.1000

What it does

This policy allows you to specify the default search scope to be used. Users will not be able to change the default once this policy is set, but they can change the scope while running a search. If you enable this policy, you can specify the folders that Outlook searches by default when the user begins a new search. If you disable or do not configure this policy, Outlook searches all folders in the current mailbox when the search is initiated from the Inbox. If the search is initiated from another folder, the search only includes items from that folder. Users can still change the scope when searching.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\search

Why it needs changes for Intune

Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE

Options

Option	Type	Registry value	Allowed values
Set default search scopeDefault: Default behavior (see explanation)	Drop-down list	`defaultsearchscope`	Default behavior (see explanation)`0` "All Mailboxes" on all folders`1` "Current Folder" on all folders`2` "Current Mailbox" on all folders`3`

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Enabled · User · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\search]
"defaultsearchscope"=dword:00000000

PowerShell

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Set default search scope
# Name: L_SetDefaultSearchScope
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: outlk16.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\search' -Name 'defaultsearchscope' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0

The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_outlk16/L_SetDefaultSearchScope

ADMX SyncML candidate

<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
  <SyncBody>
    <Replace>
      <CmdID>1</CmdID>
      <Item>
        <Meta>
          <Format>chr</Format>
          <Type>text/plain</Type>
        </Meta>
        <Target>
          <LocURI>./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_outlk16/L_SetDefaultSearchScope</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;
&lt;data id="L_SetDefaultSearchScopeDropID" value="0"/&gt;</Data>
      </Item>
    </Replace>
    <Final/>
  </SyncBody>
</SyncML>

Intune remediation scripts

Detection

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: Set default search scope
# Name: L_SetDefaultSearchScope
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: outlk16.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\search' -Name 'defaultsearchscope' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 0
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\search\defaultsearchscope') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

Remediation

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Set default search scope
# Name: L_SetDefaultSearchScope
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: outlk16.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\search' -Name 'defaultsearchscope' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0

History 1 retained release

5568.100010 Aug 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

Template

Internal name: L_SetDefaultSearchScope
Namespace: outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows
Template file: outlk16.admx
Release: Microsoft 365 Apps 5568.1000 · file set 8be05d876aae137d…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="User" displayName="$(string.L_SetDefaultSearchScope)" explainText="$(string.L_SetDefaultSearchScopeExplain)" key="software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\search" name="L_SetDefaultSearchScope" presentation="$(presentation.L_SetDefaultSearchScope)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_SearchOptions" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
      <elements>
        <enum id="L_SetDefaultSearchScopeDropID" valueName="defaultsearchscope">
          <item displayName="$(string.L_SetDefaultSearchScopeStr0)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="0" />
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.L_SetDefaultSearchScopeStr1)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="1" />
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.L_SetDefaultSearchScopeStr2)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="2" />
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.L_SetDefaultSearchScopeStr3)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="3" />
            </value>
          </item>
        </enum>
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="L_SetDefaultSearchScope" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <dropdownList defaultItem="0" noSort="true" refId="L_SetDefaultSearchScopeDropID">
        </dropdownList>
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_OutlookOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_OutlookOptions)" name="L_OutlookOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook" />
    </category>
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Preferences
<category displayName="$(string.L_Preferences)" name="L_Preferences" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_OutlookOptions" />
    </category>
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_SearchOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_SearchOptions)" name="L_SearchOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Preferences" />
    </category>
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook">Microsoft Outlook 2016</string></strings>
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_OutlookOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_OutlookOptions)" name="L_OutlookOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeOutlook" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_OutlookOptions">Outlook Options</string></strings>
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Preferences
<category displayName="$(string.L_Preferences)" name="L_Preferences" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_OutlookOptions" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Preferences">Preferences</string></strings>
outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_SearchOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_SearchOptions)" name="L_SearchOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Preferences" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="outlk16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_SearchOptions">Search Options</string></strings>