How to modify Internet Explorer temporary internet settings with registry?

Question

I have been looking through registries for hours and can't seem to find the one that controls the Internet Explorer Temporary Internet File settings. I want to change from Automatic to something else.

Solution

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

DWORD called SyncMode5

• 0 = Never
• 2 = Every time you start internet explorer
• 3 = Every visit to the page.
• 4 = Automatically

Found it here - first result if you Google "temporary internet files check for newer registry".

Tried it out and it is certainly true for IE8/XP SP3

Comments

[Phil]

Ahh thanks! I had seen that listing but thought SyncMode5 was a directory not the actual register file.

[DaveRandom]

@Phil I know, it took me a little while to cotton on - the main reason is that the value doesn't exist until you change it in the dialog you put in your question, it just defaults to Automatic and unless you've set it to something else, its not there. For future excercises like this, take a look at RegFromApp - it lets you track the registry changes any process is making. Great for cracking badly written software... Not that I would ever do that, you understand...

[Phil]

Thanks for the helpful tip! I will definitely use that in the future.

[Heston T. Holtmann]

L@@K: This REG hack DOES NOT work on Windows 7 with IE Versions 8, 9, 10 or 11. I have been fighting with this for days.. even the VB Script versions of this doesn't work either. The setting never sticks.. it always goes back to "Automatic"