Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now: registry value EnableRegistrars and 6 moreComputerHKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars

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

Registry

EnableRegistrars

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars 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\WCN\Registrars]

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

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Enabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "EnableRegistrars" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Disabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "EnableRegistrars" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

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

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

DisableUPnPRegistrar

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Turn off ability to configure using WCN over Ethernet (UPnP)
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars]

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

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableUPnPRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableUPnPRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

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

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

DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Turn off ability to configure using WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars]

; Options (use only one)
; Checked
"DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar"=dword:00000001
; Unchecked
"DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

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

# Options (use only one)
# Checked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Unchecked
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null

DisableFlashConfigRegistrar

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Turn off ability to configure using a USB Flash Drive
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars]

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

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableFlashConfigRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableFlashConfigRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

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

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

DisableWPDRegistrar

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Current key

Checked: 1
Unchecked: 0
Element: Turn off ability to configure Windows Portable Device (WPD)
Value type: REG_DWORD

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars]

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

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Checked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableWPDRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Unchecked
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "DisableWPDRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

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

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

MaxWCNDeviceNumber

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Maximum number of WCN devices allowed:
Value type: REG_DWORD
Maximum value: 65535

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars]

; Value names and types follow the ADMX. Replace <enter value> below with your own data
"MaxWCNDeviceNumber"=dword:<enter value>

CMD

:: Value names and types follow the ADMX. Replace <enter value> below with your own data

reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "MaxWCNDeviceNumber" /t REG_DWORD /d "<enter value>" /f

PowerShell

# Value names and types follow the ADMX. Replace <enter value> below with your own data

New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'MaxWCNDeviceNumber' -PropertyType DWord -Value '<enter value>' -Force | Out-Null

HigherPrecedenceRegistrar

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Higher precedence medium for devices discovered by multiple media:

Options
Item	Stored value
WCN over Ethernet (UPnP)	1
WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN	2

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars]

; Options (use only one)
; WCN over Ethernet (UPnP)
"HigherPrecedenceRegistrar"=dword:00000001
; WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN
"HigherPrecedenceRegistrar"=dword:00000002

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: WCN over Ethernet (UPnP)
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "HigherPrecedenceRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars" /v "HigherPrecedenceRegistrar" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f

PowerShell

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

# Options (use only one)
# WCN over Ethernet (UPnP)
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'HigherPrecedenceRegistrar' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'HigherPrecedenceRegistrar' -PropertyType DWord -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null