Configure image quality for RemoteFX Adaptive Graphics: registry value ImageQualityComputerHKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services

Policy ID: TS_SERVER_IMAGE_QUALITY
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
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

This policy setting allows you to specify the visual quality for remote users when connecting to this computer by using Remote Desktop Connection. You can use this policy setting to balance the network bandwidth usage with the visual quality that is delivered.
If you enable this policy setting and set quality to Low, RemoteFX Adaptive Graphics uses an encoding mechanism that results in low quality images. This mode consumes the lowest amount of network bandwidth of the quality modes.
If you enable this policy setting and set quality to Medium, RemoteFX Adaptive Graphics uses an encoding mechanism that results in medium quality images. This mode provides better graphics quality than low quality and uses less bandwidth than high quality.
If you enable this policy setting and set quality to High, RemoteFX Adaptive Graphics uses an encoding mechanism that results in high quality images and consumes moderate network bandwidth.
If you enable this policy setting and set quality to Lossless, RemoteFX Adaptive Graphics uses lossless encoding. In this mode, the color integrity of the graphics data is not impacted. However, this setting results in a significant increase in network bandwidth consumption. We recommend that you set this for very specific cases only.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, RemoteFX Adaptive Graphics uses an encoding mechanism that results in medium quality images.

See the full description on the Group Policy page ›

Registry

ImageQuality

REG_DWORDComputer

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

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Image quality:

Options
Item	Stored value
Lossless	1
High	2
Medium	3
Low	4

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)
; Lossless
"ImageQuality"=dword:00000001
; High
"ImageQuality"=dword:00000002
; Medium
"ImageQuality"=dword:00000003
; Low
"ImageQuality"=dword:00000004

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Lossless
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ImageQuality" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: High
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ImageQuality" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
:: Medium
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ImageQuality" /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
:: Low
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v "ImageQuality" /t REG_DWORD /d 4 /f

PowerShell

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

# Options (use only one)
# Lossless
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ImageQuality' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# High
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ImageQuality' -PropertyType DWord -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null
# Medium
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ImageQuality' -PropertyType DWord -Value 3 -Force | Out-Null
# Low
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'ImageQuality' -PropertyType DWord -Value 4 -Force | Out-Null