Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now

Policy ID: WCN_EnableRegistrar
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Network › Windows Connect Now

Description

This policy setting allows the configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now (WCN). The WCN Registrar enables the discovery and configuration of devices over Ethernet (UPnP), over In-band 802.11 WLAN, through the Windows Portable Device API (WPD), and via USB Flash drives.

Additional options are available to allow discovery and configuration over a specific medium.

If you enable this policy setting, additional choices are available to turn off the operations over a specific medium.

If you disable this policy setting, operations are disabled over all media.

If you do not configure this policy setting, operations are enabled over all media.

The default for this policy setting allows operations over all media.

Options

The empty box and the checked box tell the checkbox items of the Group Policy editor apart (a checked box is an item that is selected by default).

Turn off ability to configure using WCN over Ethernet (UPnP)
Turn off ability to configure using WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN
Turn off ability to configure using a USB Flash Drive
Turn off ability to configure Windows Portable Device (WPD)
Maximum number of WCN devices allowed:
Higher precedence medium for devices discovered by multiple media:
- WCN over Ethernet (UPnP)
- WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN

Registry

ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars View registry values

EnableRegistrarsREG_DWORD
DisableUPnPRegistrarREG_DWORD
DisableInBand802DOT11RegistrarREG_DWORD
DisableFlashConfigRegistrarREG_DWORD
DisableWPDRegistrarREG_DWORD
MaxWCNDeviceNumberREG_DWORD
HigherPrecedenceRegistrarREG_DWORD

Other policies in the same category

View all policies in this category (2)