Limit maximum color depth: registry value ColorDepthComputerHKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services

Policy ID: TS_COLORDEPTH
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › Remote Desktop Services › Remote Desktop Session Host › Remote Session Environment

Registry

ColorDepth

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Color Depth

Options
Item	Stored value
Client Compatible	999
15 bit	2
16 bit	3
24 bit	4
32 bit	5

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]

; Options (use only one)
; Client Compatible
"ColorDepth"=dword:000003e7
; 15 bit
"ColorDepth"=dword:00000002
; 16 bit
"ColorDepth"=dword:00000003
; 24 bit
"ColorDepth"=dword:00000004
; 32 bit
"ColorDepth"=dword:00000005

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Client Compatible
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ColorDepth" /t REG_DWORD /d 999 /f
:: 15 bit
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ColorDepth" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
:: 16 bit
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ColorDepth" /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
:: 24 bit
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ColorDepth" /t REG_DWORD /d 4 /f
:: 32 bit
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ColorDepth" /t REG_DWORD /d 5 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Client Compatible
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ColorDepth' -PropertyType DWord -Value 999 -Force | Out-Null
# 15 bit
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ColorDepth' -PropertyType DWord -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null
# 16 bit
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ColorDepth' -PropertyType DWord -Value 3 -Force | Out-Null
# 24 bit
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ColorDepth' -PropertyType DWord -Value 4 -Force | Out-Null
# 32 bit
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ColorDepth' -PropertyType DWord -Value 5 -Force | Out-Null