Policy
Turn off Program Compatibility Assistant
Windows 11 25H2
Policy overview
Key metadata and intent for this policy.
Supported OS tags: Windows10, Windows10RT, Windows11, Windows7, Windows8, Windows81, WindowsRT, WindowsRT81, WindowsServer2008, WindowsServer2012, WindowsServer2012R2, WindowsServer2016, WindowsVista
This policy setting controls the state of the Program Compatibility Assistant (PCA). The PCA monitors applications run by the user. When a potential compatibility issue with an application is detected, the PCA will prompt the user with recommended solutions. To configure the diagnostic settings for the PCA, go to System->Troubleshooting and Diagnostics->Application Compatibility Diagnostics. If you enable this policy setting, the PCA will be turned off. The user will not be presented with solutions to known compatibility issues when running applications. Turning off the PCA can be useful for system administrators who require better performance and are already aware of application compatibility issues. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the PCA will be turned on. To configure the diagnostic settings for the PCA, go to System->Troubleshooting and Diagnostics->Application Compatibility Diagnostics. Note: The Diagnostic Policy Service (DPS) and Program Compatibility Assistant Service must be running for the PCA to run. These services can be configured by using the Services snap-in to the Microsoft Management Console.
Registry values
How enabled and disabled states update the registry.
| Registry location | Type | Enabled value | Disabled value |
|---|---|---|---|
| HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppCompat\DisablePCA | REG_DWORD | 1 | 0 |
Policy elements
Inputs and configuration options exposed by this policy.
This policy has no additional user input fields.
Other policies in this category
Explore related policies at the same level.
- ComputerPrevent access to 16-bit applicationsAt least Windows Server 2003
- ComputerRemove Program Compatibility Property PageAt least Windows Server 2003
- ComputerTurn off Application Compatibility EngineAt least Windows Server 2003
- ComputerTurn off Application TelemetryAt least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
- ComputerTurn off Inventory CollectorAt least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
- UserTurn off Program Compatibility AssistantAt least Windows Vista
- ComputerTurn off Steps RecorderAt least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
- ComputerTurn off SwitchBack Compatibility EngineAt least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7