local printer keeps being set as default printer

Hi,

It’s definitely frustrating when a user’s default printer keeps reverting after each reconnect—especially with the “Do not set default client printer to be default printer in a session” GPO already enabled. Since this policy has been reliably in place since Server 2008, the issue likely stems from a change in behavior introduced with the upgrade to Windows Server 2025 (RDSH).

Here are a few things we can check and try:

Verify GPO Scope and Application

• Double-check that the GPO is applied to the correct OU and that the user session is actually receiving it.

Run gpresult /h report.html from the affected user’s session to confirm the policy is active.

Additional Steps to Try

Check for Conflicting Policies or Scripts

Look for any logon scripts or other GPOs that might be overriding the default printer setting.

Review Printer Redirection Settings

• In Group Policy Editor, navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection Ensure that “Redirect only the default client printer” is disabled.

Registry Tweak (if needed)

• Sometimes, a registry setting can help enforce the default printer behavior:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
  

Value: LegacyDefaultPrinterMode Server 2025-Specific Behavior

• It’s possible that Server 2025 has introduced a new default behavior or bug. If the above steps don’t resolve it, we may need to check for any hotfixes or updates from Microsoft addressing printer redirection in RDSH environments.

Let me know if you'd like help reviewing the GPO application or digging into the registry settings. I’m happy to assist further or escalate if needed.

Best regards,

Quinnie Quoc.