Selectively allow the evaluation of a symbolic link: registry value SymLinkState and 4 moreComputerHKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS

Policy ID: SymlinkEvaluation
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: System › Filesystem

Registry

SymLinkState

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS Current key

Enabled value: 1
Disabled value: 0

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS]

; Options (use only one)
; Enabled
"SymLinkState"=dword:00000001
; Disabled
"SymLinkState"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Enabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymLinkState" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Disabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymLinkState" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Enabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymLinkState' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Disabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymLinkState' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null

SymlinkLocalToLocalEvaluation

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Local Link to Local Target
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS]

; Options (use only one)
; Checked
"SymlinkLocalToLocalEvaluation"=dword:00000001
; Unchecked
"SymlinkLocalToLocalEvaluation"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkLocalToLocalEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkLocalToLocalEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Checked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkLocalToLocalEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Unchecked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkLocalToLocalEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null

SymlinkLocalToRemoteEvaluation

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Local Link to a Remote Target
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS]

; Options (use only one)
; Checked
"SymlinkLocalToRemoteEvaluation"=dword:00000001
; Unchecked
"SymlinkLocalToRemoteEvaluation"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkLocalToRemoteEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkLocalToRemoteEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Checked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkLocalToRemoteEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Unchecked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkLocalToRemoteEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null

SymlinkRemoteToRemoteEvaluation

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Remote Link to Remote Target
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS]

; Options (use only one)
; Checked
"SymlinkRemoteToRemoteEvaluation"=dword:00000001
; Unchecked
"SymlinkRemoteToRemoteEvaluation"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkRemoteToRemoteEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkRemoteToRemoteEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Checked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkRemoteToRemoteEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Unchecked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkRemoteToRemoteEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null

SymlinkRemoteToLocalEvaluation

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Remote Link to Local Target
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS]

; Options (use only one)
; Checked
"SymlinkRemoteToLocalEvaluation"=dword:00000001
; Unchecked
"SymlinkRemoteToLocalEvaluation"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkRemoteToLocalEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS" /v "SymlinkRemoteToLocalEvaluation" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Checked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkRemoteToLocalEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Unchecked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Filesystems\NTFS' -Name 'SymlinkRemoteToLocalEvaluation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null