This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off enable more agent connectors by reducing protections for all users in Windows 11.
Starting with Windows 11 build 26220.7344 (Dev and Beta), Windows now offers native support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that gives AI agents a universal way to connect with apps, tools, and services. Agents can discover and connect to these tools and other agents via a secure, manageable Windows on-device registry (ODR). By default, all agent connectors in the Windows on-device registry will be contained in a secure environment with their own identity and audit trail. With OS level integration, MCP on Windows delivers secure discoverability, consistent controls, and enterprise grade manageability—empowering developers, IT professionals, and end users to build and deploy agentic workflows at scale.
As part of this release, two agent connectors are built into Windows—File Explorer and Windows Settings.
- File Explorer Connector
Agents can use the File Explorer connector to manage, organize and retrieve local files on a user’s device with their consent. On Copilot+ PCs, the connector can also perform natural language search to retrieve the exact file based on descriptions, content, metadata, and, for images, enhanced search based on image classification. - Windows Settings Connector
On Copilot+ PC devices, Windows Settings connector lets users check, change settings, or navigate directly to specific pages such as display, mouse, keyboard, and sound using natural language.
References:
Securely containing MCP servers on Windows
Learn about securely containing MCP servers and agent connectors on Windows
learn.microsoft.com
Ignite 2025: Furthering Windows as the premier platform for developers, governed by security
Continuing Windows evolution as a secure open platform for AI and Agents At Build, we
blogs.windows.com
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable reducing protections for agent connectors.
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off Reducing Protections for Agent Connectors in Settings
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Reducing Protections for Agent Connectors using REG file
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on Advanced on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Under AI components settings, turn On or Off (default) Enable more agent connectors by reducing protections for what you want. (see screenshot below)
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.
2 Turn On "Enable more agent connectors by reducing protections"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_ON_Enable_more_agent_connectors_by_reducing_protections.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Mcp\Agents]
"ConnectorEnvironmentPolicy"=dword:000000023 Turn Off "Enable more agent connectors by reducing protections"
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_OFF_Enable_more_agent_connectors_by_reducing_protections.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Mcp\Agents]
"ConnectorEnvironmentPolicy"=dword:000000014 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
