🔑 Peer-to-Peer Connections / Direct PC Access

This feature allows:

• Direct connection to Windows PCs
• Reduced dependency on brokers/gateways (in certain scenarios)
• Enhanced performance for local or hybrid connectivity

🎯 Benefits

• ⚡ Lower latency connections
• 🔄 Improved user experience
• 🧩 Supports hybrid and edge scenarios
• 🛠️ Better troubleshooting (direct path visibility)

💻 Method 1: PowerShell (Recommended for Quick Deployment)

✅ User Context Script

$RegPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\WindowsApp\Flights"

New-Item -Path $RegPath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
New-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name "PeerToPeerConnectionsEnabled" -PropertyType DWORD -Value 1 -Force

📌 Notes

• Must run in user context
• Ideal for:
  • Nerdio Scripted Actions
  • Intune remediation scripts
  • Login scripts

🏢 Method 2: Group Policy (GPO)

Because this is an HKCU setting, deployment must target users.

Option A: Group Policy Preferences (Recommended)

Steps:

1. Open Group Policy Management
2. Edit your user GPO
3. Navigate to:

User Configuration → Preferences → Windows Settings → Registry

1. Create a new Registry Item:

Option B: Logon Script (Alternative)

reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\WindowsApp\Flights" /v PeerToPeerConnectionsEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

📌 GPO Considerations

• Applies at user logon
• Requires:
  • Windows App installed
• Good for domain-joined or hybrid environments

📱 Method 3: Microsoft Intune (Modern / AVD Recommended)

Since this is an HKCU setting, we must deploy in user context

Option A: Intune PowerShell Script (Best Practice)

Steps:

1. Go to Devices → Scripts → Add → Windows 10 and later
2. Upload script:

$RegPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\WindowsApp\Flights"

New-Item -Path $RegPath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
New-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name "PeerToPeerConnectionsEnabled" -PropertyType DWORD -Value 1 -Force

1. Configure:

Option B: Intune Proactive Remediation (Advanced)

Detection Script

$path = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\WindowsApp\Flights"
$value = Get-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name "PeerToPeerConnectionsEnabled" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

if ($value.PeerToPeerConnectionsEnabled -eq 1) {
    Write-Output "Compliant"
    exit 0
} else {
    exit 1
}

Remediation Script

$RegPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\WindowsApp\Flights"

New-Item -Path $RegPath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
New-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name "PeerToPeerConnectionsEnabled" -PropertyType DWORD -Value 1 -Force

📌 Intune Considerations

• Best for:
  • AVD Entra-joined environments
  • Windows 365
• Ensures:
  • Continuous compliance
  • Self-healing configuration

🧠 Operational Considerations

⚠️ Security

• This enables direct connectivity paths
• Validate against:
  • Conditional Access policies
  • Network segmentation
  • Zero Trust design

🔄 Change Management

• Pilot before full rollout
• Validate:
  • User experience
  • Redirection behaviour
  • Connectivity paths

📊 Monitoring

• Track:
  • Connection performance
  • User feedback
  • AVD session metrics

🚀 Summary

💡 Pro Tip (Great Blog Close)

👉 This is a perfect example of where the Windows App is evolving faster than its UI

Many of the most powerful features today are:

• Hidden
• Registry-controlled
• Not yet fully documented