Default Publisher direction: registry value defaultrtlUserHKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences

Policy ID: L_DefaultPublisherdirection
Scope: User Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Source: Microsoft 365 Apps / Office Administrative Templates (version 5568.1000)
Category: Microsoft Publisher 2016 › Publisher Options › Advanced › Complex scripts

Registry

defaultrtl

REG_SZUser

HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Default Publisher direction

Options
Item	Stored value
Left to right	0
Right to left	1

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences]

; Options (use only one)
; Left to right
"defaultrtl"="0"
; Right to left
"defaultrtl"="1"

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Left to right
reg add "HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences" /v "defaultrtl" /t REG_SZ /d 0 /f
:: Right to left
reg add "HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences" /v "defaultrtl" /t REG_SZ /d 1 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Left to right
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences' -Name 'defaultrtl' -PropertyType String -Value '0' -Force | Out-Null
# Right to left
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\publisher\preferences' -Name 'defaultrtl' -PropertyType String -Value '1' -Force | Out-Null