Configure password backup directory

ComputerIntune-readyLAPS_BackupDirectory

Supported on At least Microsoft Windows 10 or later

25H2 · 1.0

What it does

Use this setting to configure which directory the local admin account password is backed up to. The allowable settings are: 0=Disabled (password will not be backed up) 1=Backup the password to Azure Active Directory 2=Backup the password to Active Directory If not specified, this setting will default to 0 (Disabled). If this setting is configured to 1, and the managed device is not joined to Azure Active Directory, the local administrator password will not be managed. If this setting is configured to 2, and the managed device is not joined to Active Directory, the local administrator password will not be managed. If this setting is disabled or not configured, the local administrator password is not managed. See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2188435 for more information.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS

In Intune

No native CSP; import the ADMX (Intune-ready).

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Security baselines

Microsoft's Windows 11 v26H2 Security Baseline v2 sets this to Enabled, in its GPO “MSFT Windows 11 26H2 - Computer”.

Backup directory: Set to “Active Directory” (2).

Read from the registry.pol files in the baselines' GPO backups, downloaded from Microsoft's Security Compliance Toolkit. All baselines

Options

Option	Type	Registry value	Allowed values
Backup directoryDefault: Azure Active Directory	Drop-down list	`BackupDirectory`	Disabled`0` Azure Active Directory`1` Active Directory`2`

Configure and deploy

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

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS]
"BackupDirectory"=dword:00000001

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: Configure password backup directory
# Name: LAPS_BackupDirectory
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: LAPS.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS' -Name 'BackupDirectory' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

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)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_LAPS/LAPS_BackupDirectory

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>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_LAPS/LAPS_BackupDirectory</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;
&lt;data id="LAPS_BackupDirectory" value="1"/&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: Configure password backup directory
# Name: LAPS_BackupDirectory
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: LAPS.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS' -Name 'BackupDirectory' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS\BackupDirectory') | 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: Configure password backup directory
# Name: LAPS_BackupDirectory
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: LAPS.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS' -Name 'BackupDirectory' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 5 retained releases

24H2 · 1.030 Sep 2024
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
23H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- The policy's own registry value SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS~~[removed: \BackupDirectory]~~
22H2 · 3.015 Jul 2024
- Added in this release.

1 later release left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name: LAPS_BackupDirectory
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.LAPS
Template file: LAPS.admx
Release: Windows 11 25H2 · 1.0 · file set de4e49983ebd651f…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.LAPS_BackupDirectory)" explainText="$(string.LAPS_BackupDirectory_Help)" key="SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\LAPS" name="LAPS_BackupDirectory" presentation="$(presentation.LAPS_BackupDirectory)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:LAPS_CAT" />
        <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:SUPPORTED_Windows10" />
        <elements>
          <enum id="LAPS_BackupDirectory" valueName="BackupDirectory">
            <item displayName="$(string.LAPS_BackupDirectoryDisabled)">
              <value>
                <decimal value="0" />
              </value>
            </item>
            <item displayName="$(string.LAPS_BackupDirectoryAzure)">
              <value>
                <decimal value="1" />
              </value>
            </item>
            <item displayName="$(string.LAPS_BackupDirectoryAD)">
              <value>
                <decimal value="2" />
              </value>
            </item>
          </enum>
        </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="LAPS_BackupDirectory" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <dropdownList defaultItem="1" refId="LAPS_BackupDirectory">Backup directory</dropdownList>
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:category:LAPS_CAT
<category displayName="$(string.LAPS)" name="LAPS_CAT" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:System" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows10
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows10)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows10" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:System
<category displayName="$(string.System)" explainText="$(string.System_Help)" name="System" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:category:LAPS_CAT
<category displayName="$(string.LAPS)" name="LAPS_CAT" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:System" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:LAPS">LAPS</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows10
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows10)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows10" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.LAPS:SUPPORTED_Windows10">At least Microsoft Windows 10 or later</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:System
<category displayName="$(string.System)" explainText="$(string.System_Help)" name="System" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:System">System</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:System_Help">Allows configuration of various system component settings.</string></strings>