Windows BITS Service Registry Key Parameters

This article explains the exact Windows Registry locations used to store service parameters and configuration settings for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS). It details the primary service path in regedit, the Group Policy configuration subkey, and the key parameter values managed within these locations.

Primary Service Parameters Key

The core parameters and service configuration for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service are stored in the following Registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\BITS\Parameters

This key contains the internal operational parameters that the service host relies on to run BITS. Common values found in this location include:

• ServiceDll (REG_EXPAND_SZ): Points to the dynamically linked library file that implements the service, typically %SystemRoot%\System32\qmgr.dll.
• ServiceDllUnloadOnStop (REG_DWORD): Controls whether the service DLL is unloaded from memory when the service stops.

Group Policy and Administrative Parameters Key

If BITS settings are managed via Group Policy or administrative configurations (such as bandwidth throttling, job timeouts, or peer caching), the parameters are stored in a different registry path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS

Common parameters created under this policy key include:

• MaxBandwidthValidFrom / MaxBandwidthValidTo: Defines the active hours for bandwidth throttling limits.
• MaxDownloadRate: Specifies the maximum download rate in kilobits per second (Kbps) during foreground or background transfers.
• JobInactivityTimeout: Sets the number of days an idle BITS job remains active before being automatically canceled.
• EnablePeerCaching: Controls whether BITS uses branch caching or peer-to-peer distribution to source files.

How to Access the Key in Regedit

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate the hierarchy or copy and paste HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\BITS\Parameters into the address bar at the top.
3. If managing policy overrides, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS.
4. Restart the BITS service or reboot the computer for any manual parameter changes to take effect.