Preview pane location: registry value PreviewPaneLocationComputerHKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search

Policy ID: PreviewPaneLocation
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Search version 3.01 or later
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › Search

Registry

PreviewPaneLocation

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Preview Pane Location

Options
Item	Stored value
Auto	0
Right	1
Bottom	2
Off	3

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]

; Options (use only one)
; Auto
"PreviewPaneLocation"=dword:00000000
; Right
"PreviewPaneLocation"=dword:00000001
; Bottom
"PreviewPaneLocation"=dword:00000002
; Off
"PreviewPaneLocation"=dword:00000003

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Auto
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "PreviewPaneLocation" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
:: Right
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "PreviewPaneLocation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Bottom
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "PreviewPaneLocation" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
:: Off
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "PreviewPaneLocation" /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f

PowerShell

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

# Options (use only one)
# Auto
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'PreviewPaneLocation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null
# Right
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'PreviewPaneLocation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Bottom
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'PreviewPaneLocation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 2 -Force | Out-Null
# Off
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'PreviewPaneLocation' -PropertyType DWord -Value 3 -Force | Out-Null