# CMAKE_FIND_USE_PACKAGE_REGISTRY

Added in version 3.16.

Controls the default behavior of the `find_package()` command for whether or not to search paths provided by the User Package Registry.

By default this variable is not set and the behavior will fall back to that determined by the deprecated `CMAKE_FIND_PACKAGE_NO_PACKAGE_REGISTRY` variable. If that is also not set, then `find_package()` will use the User Package Registry unless the `NO_CMAKE_PACKAGE_REGISTRY` option is provided.

This variable takes precedence over `CMAKE_FIND_PACKAGE_NO_PACKAGE_REGISTRY` when both are set.

In some cases, for example to locate only system wide installations, it is not desirable to use the User Package Registry when searching for packages. If the `CMAKE_FIND_USE_PACKAGE_REGISTRY` variable is `FALSE`, all the `find_package()` commands will skip the User Package Registry as if they were called with the `NO_CMAKE_PACKAGE_REGISTRY` argument.

See also Disabling the Package Registry and the `CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_PATH`, `CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_ENVIRONMENT_PATH`, `CMAKE_FIND_USE_INSTALL_PREFIX`, `CMAKE_FIND_USE_CMAKE_SYSTEM_PATH`, `CMAKE_FIND_USE_SYSTEM_ENVIRONMENT_PATH`, `CMAKE_FIND_USE_SYSTEM_PACKAGE_REGISTRY`, and `CMAKE_FIND_USE_PACKAGE_ROOT_PATH` variables.