Maximum size of Active Directory searches: registry value QueryLimitUserHKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI

Policy ID: AD_QueryLimit
Scope: User Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Desktop › Active Directory

Registry

QueryLimit

REG_DWORDUser

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Number of objects returned:
Value type: REG_DWORD
Required: true
Maximum value: 4000000000

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI]

; Value names and types follow the ADMX. Replace <enter value> below with your own data
"QueryLimit"=dword:<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\Directory UI" /v "QueryLimit" /t REG_DWORD /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\Directory UI' -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI' -Name 'QueryLimit' -PropertyType DWord -Value '<enter value>' -Force | Out-Null