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Windows 11 Group Policy settings

3,503 settings · 23H2 · 1.0 · 15 Jul 2024

1 folder · 9 settingsCSV
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Windows Components › Remote Desktop Services › Remote Desktop Connection Client

Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings

ComputerNative Intune settingTS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2

Supported on At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1

What it does

This policy setting allows you to specify whether users can run Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) files from a publisher that signed the file with a valid certificate. A valid certificate is one that is issued by an authority recognized by the client, such as the issuers in the client's Third-Party Root Certification Authorities certificate store. This policy setting also controls whether the user can start an RDP session by using default .rdp settings (for example, when a user directly opens the Remote Desktop Connection [RDC] client without specifying an .rdp file). If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, users can run .rdp files that are signed with a valid certificate. Users can also start an RDP session with default .rdp settings by directly opening the RDC client. When a user starts an RDP session, the user is asked to confirm whether they want to connect. If you disable this policy setting, users cannot run .rdp files that are signed with a valid certificate. Additionally, users cannot start an RDP session by directly opening the RDC client and specifying the remote computer name. When a user tries to start an RDP session, the user receives a message that the publisher has been blocked. Note: You can define this policy setting in the Computer Configuration node or in the User Configuration node. If you configure this policy setting for the computer, all users on the computer are affected.

What it writes

Hive
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry key
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
Value name
AllowSignedFiles
When enabled
DWORD 1
When disabled
DWORD 0

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

  • ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2ADMX_TerminalServer on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows builds listed: 10.0.22000, 10.0.19043.1202, 10.0.19042.1202, 10.0.19041.1202.

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

Configure and deploy

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

State

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"AllowSignedFiles"=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: Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings
# Name: TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: TerminalServer.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'AllowSignedFiles' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.

  • 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_TerminalServer/TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2

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_TerminalServer/TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&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: Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings
# Name: TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: TerminalServer.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'AllowSignedFiles' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\AllowSignedFiles') | 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: Allow .rdp files from valid publishers and user's default .rdp settings
# Name: TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: TerminalServer.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'AllowSignedFiles' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 3 retained releases

  1. 22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
    • Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

2 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name
TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2
Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer
Template file
TerminalServer.admx
Release
Windows 11 23H2 · 1.0 · file set d784d0ea5f14a680…
Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES)" explainText="$(string.TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_MACHINE_EXPLAIN)" key="SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" name="TS_CLIENT_ALLOW_SIGNED_FILES_2" valueName="AllowSignedFiles" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_CLIENT" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1" />
      <enabledValue>
        <decimal value="1" />
      </enabledValue>
      <disabledValue>
        <decimal value="0" />
      </disabledValue>
    </policy>

Editor controls

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_CLIENT
<category displayName="$(string.TS_CLIENT)" explainText="$(string.TS_CLIENT_HELP)" name="TS_CLIENT" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_GP_NODE" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_GP_NODE
<category displayName="$(string.TS_GP_NODE)" explainText="$(string.TS_User_Help)" name="TS_GP_NODE" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:definition:TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1
<definition displayName="$(string.TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1)" name="TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1" />
        </or>
      </definition>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_CLIENT
<category displayName="$(string.TS_CLIENT)" explainText="$(string.TS_CLIENT_HELP)" name="TS_CLIENT" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_GP_NODE" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_CLIENT">Remote Desktop Connection Client</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_CLIENT_HELP">Controls Remote Desktop Connection client settings</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_GP_NODE
<category displayName="$(string.TS_GP_NODE)" explainText="$(string.TS_User_Help)" name="TS_GP_NODE" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_GP_NODE">Remote Desktop Services</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_User_Help">Controls configuration of Remote Desktop Services technologies that enable access to a server running Windows-based programs or the full Windows desktop</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:definition:TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1
<definition displayName="$(string.TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1)" name="TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <or>
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1" />
        </or>
      </definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_SUPPORTED_Vista_SP1">At least Windows Vista with Service Pack 1</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents">Windows Components</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents_Help">Contains settings for operating system components.</string></strings>
ChangeIntel

An IT change radar: releases, security, known issues, retirements, documentation changes, and service status from public sources. Every item links to supporting evidence; dates and statuses can change after they are read.

Sources read 18 Oct 16:05 UTC · 253 of 255 readable · 252 fully read · documentation 0/410 current