WinRM Listener Registry Key Location in Windows

This article identifies the exact Windows Registry path used to store Windows Remote Management (WinRM) listener configuration parameters. It details the specific subkeys, common values, and best practices for viewing or modifying WinRM listener settings directly within the Registry Editor.

WinRM Listener Registry Key Path

The configuration parameters for WinRM listeners are stored in the following registry path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WSMAN\Listener

Registry Structure and Subkeys

Under the Listener key, WinRM creates distinct subkeys for each configured listener based on the transport protocol and listening address. These typically appear in the format:

• *+HTTP — Represents a listener on all IP addresses using the HTTP protocol (default port: 5985).
• *+HTTPS — Represents a listener on all IP addresses using the HTTPS protocol (default port: 5986).

If a listener is bound to a specific IP address rather than all interfaces (*), the subkey name will reflect that specific IP address and protocol combination (for example, 192.168.1.50+HTTPS).

Key Configuration Values

Inside each listener subkey, several DWORD, String, and Multi-String values dictate how the listener operates:

• Port (DWORD): Specifies the TCP port number on which the listener accepts incoming connections (e.g., 5985 for HTTP or 5986 for HTTPS).
• Enabled (DWORD): Defines the operational state of the listener (1 for enabled, 0 for disabled).
• URLPrefix (String): Specifies the URL prefix for incoming requests, typically set to wsman.
• Hostname (String): Defines the host name for the WinRM service.
• CertificateThumbprint (String): Present on HTTPS listeners, this contains the thumbprint of the X.509 certificate used for SSL/TLS encryption.
• IPAddress (String): Contains the IP address or wildcard character associated with the binding.

Related General Service Key

While listener-specific bindings reside under the Listener subkey, global WinRM service parameters (such as authentication methods, timeout limits, and memory quotas) are stored in the adjacent key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WSMAN\Service

Recommendations for Configuration Changes

While these settings can be directly modified using regedit.exe or reg.exe, manual registry edits carry a risk of syntax errors. To ensure validation, use native administrative tools when possible:

• Command Prompt: winrm enumerate winrm/config/listener
• PowerShell: Get-ChildItem -Path WSMan:\Localhost\Listener