Policy
Primary DNS suffix
Microsoft Windows
Policy overview
Key metadata and intent for this policy.
Supported OS tags: Windows10, Windows10RT, Windows11, Windows2000, Windows7, Windows8, Windows81, WindowsRT, WindowsRT81, WindowsServer2003, WindowsServer2008, WindowsServer2012, WindowsServer2012R2, WindowsServer2016, WindowsVista, WindowsXP
Specifies the primary DNS suffix used by the DNS client in DNS name registration and DNS name resolution. To use this policy setting, click Enabled and enter the entire primary DNS suffix you want to assign. For example: microsoft.com. Important: In order for changes to this policy setting to be applied on the DNS client, you must restart Windows. If you enable this policy setting, it supersedes the primary DNS suffix configured in the DNS Suffix and NetBIOS Computer Name dialog box using the System control panel. You can use this policy setting to prevent users, including local administrators, from changing the primary DNS suffix. If you disable this policy setting, or if you do not configure this policy setting, the DNS client uses the local primary DNS suffix, which is usually the DNS name of Active Directory domain to which it is joined.
Registry values
How enabled and disabled states update the registry.
No explicit registry values are set for enabled or disabled states.
Policy elements
Inputs and configuration options exposed by this policy.
| Scope | Element | Type | Registry mapping | Constraints & behavior | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer | Enter a primary DNS suffix: ID DNS_PrimaryDnsSuffixBox | text | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient Value name NV PrimaryDnsSuffix Type REG_SZ | None |