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administrative templatesComputer ConfigurationNot configured

Configure DNS client settings

Sets DNS suffix search list for internal domain resolution. Enables seamless access to internal resources.

10 May 20264 min —
Policy path
Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Network > DNS Client
Supported on
Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016 and later

Sets DNS suffix search list for internal domain resolution. Enables seamless access to internal resources. Security baselines recommend setting it to company.local.

Description

Configure DNS client settings is a Windows Group Policy setting located under Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Network > DNS Client. It applies to the Computer Configuration branch and is classified as a Informational-level policy in the SNMP & Network Protocols category.

Sets DNS suffix search list for internal domain resolution. Enables seamless access to internal resources.

Microsoft sets the default value to Not configured while industry security baselines (CIS, NIST, DISA STIG) recommend company.local.

Under the hood, this policy is enforced through the Windows registry at HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient using the value name SearchList. Modifying the value directly through regedit.exe or PowerShell produces the same effect as configuring the GPO, but going through Group Policy is preferred so that the setting is centrally managed and survives reboots, image rebuilds, and policy refresh cycles.

In-depth explanation

This is primarily an operational or user-experience setting. It does not directly raise or lower the security posture, but it standardizes behavior across the fleet, which is important for predictable support, training, and troubleshooting in an MSP-managed environment.

The policy is grouped under SNMP & Network Protocols, which means it is typically applied through a domain-wide GPO linked at the OU level. In a multi-tenant MSP context, scope it through WMI filters or security group filtering rather than linking at the domain root, so that you can roll out progressively (pilot OU → wider rings → all production).

The setting takes effect after the next Group Policy refresh (gpupdate /force for immediate testing, or by default within ~90 minutes for workstations and ~5 minutes on domain controllers). For computer-side policies a reboot may be required; for user-side policies, a sign-off/sign-on cycle is enough.

Use cases

  • Apply organization-wide hardening of snmp & network protocols on all domain-joined Windows endpoints.
  • Roll out a CIS Benchmark-aligned baseline targeting 'Configure DNS client settings' via a dedicated GPO.
  • Reduce attack surface for accounts that handle privileged credentials or sensitive data.
  • Standardize the configuration across multiple customer tenants for an MSP-managed fleet.

Security implications

This control is primarily about consistency and supportability rather than security. The main risk of leaving it unconfigured is divergence between machines, which makes troubleshooting and standardized imaging harder, especially across multiple customer tenants in an MSP context.

How to configure

  1. Open Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc) on a domain controller or a workstation with RSAT installed.
  2. Create or edit a GPO linked to the OU containing the target computer configurations. We recommend a dedicated baseline GPO (e.g. SEC – SNMP & Network Protocols) instead of editing Default Domain Policy.
  3. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Network > DNS Client.
  4. Open Configure DNS client settings and set it to company.local.
  5. Click OK and close the editor.
  6. On the target endpoint, run gpupdate /force (or wait for the next refresh cycle), then verify with rsop.msc or gpresult /h report.html.

Direct registry path: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\SearchList. You can apply the same change with PowerShell:

New-Item -Path 'HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient' -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient' -Name 'SearchList' -Value <value> -Type DWord

Registry mapping

Registry pathHKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient
Value nameSearchList
Value typeREG_DWORD
Enabled valuecompany.local
Disabled valueNot configured

Frequently asked questions

What does the Configure DNS client settings Group Policy do?
Sets DNS suffix search list for internal domain resolution. Enables seamless access to internal resources.
Where do I find this setting in the GPO editor?
Open <code>gpmc.msc</code>, then navigate to <code>Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Network > DNS Client</code> and look for <strong>Configure DNS client settings</strong>.
What is the Microsoft default value?
<code>Not configured</code> on a fresh Windows install. Domain-joined machines may inherit a different value if a baseline GPO is already in place.
What value do security baselines recommend?
<code>company.local</code> – aligned with CIS, NIST, and DISA STIG guidance for current Windows versions.
Can I configure this without a GPO?
Yes, by writing to <code>HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\SearchList</code> directly via <code>regedit</code>, PowerShell, or Intune. A GPO is preferred for centrally managed environments because it survives reimaging and is easier to audit.