Turn off Windows Installer: registry value DisableMSIComputerHKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer

Policy ID: DisableMSI
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows 2000
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › Windows Installer

Registry

DisableMSI

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Disable Windows Installer

Options
Item	Stored value
Always	2
For non-managed applications only	1
Never	0

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer]

; Options (use only one)
; Always
"DisableMSI"=dword:00000002
; For non-managed applications only
"DisableMSI"=dword:00000001
; Never
"DisableMSI"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Always
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer" /v "DisableMSI" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
:: For non-managed applications only
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer" /v "DisableMSI" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Never
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer" /v "DisableMSI" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

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

# Options (use only one)
# Always
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer' -Name 'DisableMSI' -PropertyType DWord -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null
# For non-managed applications only
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer' -Name 'DisableMSI' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Never
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer' -Name 'DisableMSI' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null