Turn off Windows default printer management: registry value LegacyDefaultPrinterModeUserHKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

Policy ID: LegacyDefaultPrinterMode
Scope: User Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Control Panel › Printers

Registry

LegacyDefaultPrinterMode

REG_DWORDUser

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Current key

Enabled value: 1
Disabled value: 0

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows]

; Options (use only one)
; Enabled
"LegacyDefaultPrinterMode"=dword:00000001
; Disabled
"LegacyDefaultPrinterMode"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Enabled
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows" /v "LegacyDefaultPrinterMode" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Disabled
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows" /v "LegacyDefaultPrinterMode" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Enabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows' -Name 'LegacyDefaultPrinterMode' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Disabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows' -Name 'LegacyDefaultPrinterMode' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null