Windows Push-To-Install Service Registry Key

This article outlines the specific Windows Registry keys that hold the master configuration and policy settings for the Windows Push-To-Install service. It details the exact paths within Regedit, explains the primary values used to manage the service’s behavior, and provides the necessary steps to view or modify these settings.

Master Service Registry Key

The Windows Push-To-Install service (internally associated with the Microsoft Store Install Service) maintains its core system registration and startup configuration at the following master key path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\InstallService

Within this key, several critical configuration parameters dictate how the service runs:

• DisplayName: Specifies the friendly name of the service (Microsoft Store Install Service).
• ImagePath: Points to the executable handling the service, typically %SystemRoot%\System32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs -p.
• Start: A REG_DWORD value defining the startup type:
  • 2 = Automatic
  • 3 = Manual (Default)
  • 4 = Disabled

Push-To-Install Policy Configuration Key

To manage or disable push-to-install capabilities across devices via policy or manual registry modification, the configuration key is located under the Microsoft system policies branch:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PushToInstall

The primary value under this key is:

• DisablePushToInstall: A REG_DWORD value that controls whether the push-to-install feature is active.
  • 0 = Push-to-install is enabled.
  • 1 = Push-to-install is disabled.

If the PushToInstall subkey or the DisablePushToInstall value does not exist, Windows operates using the default enabled behavior.

How to Access and Modify the Key in Regedit

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\InstallService for core service controls.
3. For policy configurations, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PushToInstall. If the key does not exist, right-click the Microsoft folder, select New > Key, and name it PushToInstall.
4. Double-click the target DWORD value to adjust the configuration, click OK, and restart the system for changes to take effect.