Configure Group Policy domain controller selection: registry value DCOptionUserHKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor

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

Registry

DCOption

REG_DWORDUser

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: When Group Policy Object Editor is selecting a domain controller to use, it should:

Options
Item	Stored value
Use the Primary Domain Controller	1
Inherit from Active Directory Snap-ins	2
Use any available domain controller	3

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor]

; Options (use only one)
; Use the Primary Domain Controller
"DCOption"=dword:00000001
; Inherit from Active Directory Snap-ins
"DCOption"=dword:00000002
; Use any available domain controller
"DCOption"=dword:00000003

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Use the Primary Domain Controller
reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor" /v "DCOption" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Inherit from Active Directory Snap-ins
reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor" /v "DCOption" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
:: Use any available domain controller
reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor" /v "DCOption" /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Use the Primary Domain Controller
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor' -Name 'DCOption' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Inherit from Active Directory Snap-ins
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor' -Name 'DCOption' -PropertyType DWord -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null
# Use any available domain controller
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor' -Name 'DCOption' -PropertyType DWord -Value 3 -Force | Out-Null