Default Active Directory path when searching for printers: registry value Default Search ScopeUserHKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard

Policy ID: PrinterDirectorySearchScope
Scope: User Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Control Panel › Printers

Registry

Default Search Scope

REG_SZUser

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Default Active Directory path
Value type: REG_SZ
Maximum length: 255

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard]

; Value names and types follow the ADMX. Replace <enter value> below with your own data
"Default Search Scope"="<enter value>"

CMD

:: Value names and types follow the ADMX. Replace <enter value> below with your own data

reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard" /v "Default Search Scope" /t REG_SZ /d "<enter value>" /f

PowerShell

# Value names and types follow the ADMX. Replace <enter value> below with your own data

New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard' -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard' -Name 'Default Search Scope' -PropertyType String -Value '<enter value>' -Force | Out-Null