How to Change Windows 11 File Sharing Encryption Level

Option 1Change Encryption Using Windows Settings ⚙️ (🪟 Windows 11 Version 22H2 and newer)

You can change the Windows 11 file sharing encryption level using the Settings ⚙️ app if you have version 22H2 or newer. This is the easiest way to adjust how securely your computer shares files. First, open Settings by pressing the ⊞ Win+I. Then, go to Network & internet, and click on Advanced network settings to find the sharing options.

1. Open Settings. Press the Windows key + I keys on your keyboard.
2. Go to Network & internet. In the left-hand menu, click “Network & internet.” Then, on the right side, click “Advanced network settings.”
3. Find Advanced sharing settings. Scroll down on the “Advanced network settings” page and click on “Advanced sharing settings.”
4. Expand All networks. Under “Advanced sharing settings,” click the arrow next to “All networks” to see more options.
5. Choose your encryption level. Look for the “File sharing connections” menu. You have two choices:
   

   • 128-bit encryption (recommended): This is the most secure option and is usually the default. Use this if your devices support it.
   • 40- or 56-bit encryption: Choose this if you have trouble connecting with older devices or specific network hardware. This is less secure but works with more devices.

   Click your preferred option from the drop-down menu.
6. Close the Settings window. Your changes are saved automatically.
   

Option 2Change Encryption Using Control Panel (Older 🪟 Windows 11 Versions)

If you are using an older version of Windows 11, before build 22509.1011, you can change the Windows 11 file sharing encryption settings through the Control Panel. Open the Control Panel by clicking the Start button and typing 'Control Panel'. Make sure your view is set to 'Large icons' or 'Small icons' to see all the available options clearly.

1. Open Control Panel. Click the Start button, type Control Panel, and then click on the Control Panel app in the search results.
   

   💡Tip

   Make sure your Control Panel is set to view by “Large icons” or “Small icons” to see all options. If it's set to “Category,” click “Network and Internet” first.
2. Go to Network and Sharing Center. Click on the “Network and Sharing Center” icon.
   
3. Access Advanced sharing settings. On the left side of the Network and Sharing Center, click “Change advanced sharing settings.”
4. Expand All networks. Click the arrow next to “All networks” to show more options.
5. Select your encryption level. Under the “File sharing connections” section, choose either:

   • 128-bit encryption (recommended)
   • 40- or 56-bit encryption
   Click the circle next to your choice.
6. Save changes. Click the “Save changes” button at the bottom. If you don't do this, your setting won't be applied.
   

   Save changes by clicking the "Save changes" button. Without saving, your setting will not be applied. If you do not see the "File sharing connections" option, you are likely using a newer Windows 11 version (version 22H2 or later) where this setting resides in the Settings app.

7. Close the Control Panel window.
   

Option 3Manually Change Encryption Using Registry Editor

You can manually change the Windows 11 file sharing encryption level using the Registry Editor (Regedit). The Registry Editor allows you to make detailed system changes. Before you start, back up your registry by going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System and saving a copy.

Before you start: It's a good idea to back up your registry. Open Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System, and save a copy of your registry.

To Use 128-bit Encryption (Default and Recommended)

Windows 11 file sharing uses 128-bit encryption as the default and recommended setting for maximum security. To apply this setting, open the Registry Editor by typing 'regedit' into the Start menu and selecting 'Registry Editor'. You might need to click 'Yes' on a User Account Control prompt. Then, find the registry path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters.

1. Open Registry Editor. Click the Start button, type regedit, and click “Registry Editor.” Click “Yes” if a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.
2. Go to the correct registry path. In the Registry Editor, use the left pane to go to this location:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0
   

   You can also copy and paste this path into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor and press Enter.

3. Change or create the NtlmMinClientSec value. In the right pane, look for a value called NtlmMinClientSec. If it's there, double-click it. If not, right-click in an empty space, select New, and then choose DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it exactly NtlmMinClientSec.
   

   • Value Name: NtlmMinClientSec
   
   
   • Value Type: REG_DWORD
   • Value Data: 20000000 (in hexadecimal)

   Enter 20000000 into the “Value data” box and click “OK.”
4. Change or create the NtlmMinServerSec value. Look for a value called NtlmMinServerSec. If it's not there, create it as a new DWORD (32-bit) Value. Double-click it.
   

   • Value Name: NtlmMinServerSec
   • Value Type: REG_DWORD
   • Value Data: 20000000 (in hexadecimal)

   Enter 20000000 into the “Value data” box and click “OK.”

   💡Tip

   The hexadecimal value 20000000 tells Windows to use 128-bit encryption. This is the most secure setting.
5. Close Registry Editor.
6. Restart your computer. This helps make sure the changes are applied correctly.
   

To Use 40- or 56-bit Encryption (Less Secure, More Compatible)

You can choose to use 40-bit or 56-bit encryption for Windows 11 file sharing if you encounter compatibility issues with older devices, though this is less secure. To do this, open Registry Editor by pressing Windows key + R, typing 'regedit', and pressing Enter. Click 'Yes' on the UAC prompt. You will then need to navigate to the specific registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0.

1. Open Registry Editor. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click “Yes” on the UAC prompt.
2. Go to the correct registry path. Navigate to this path:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0
3. Change or create the NtlmMinClientSec value. In the right pane, find or create the NtlmMinClientSec value (as a DWORD (32-bit) Value if it doesn't exist).
   

   • Value Name: NtlmMinClientSec
   • Value Type: REG_DWORD
   • Value Data: 0 (in hexadecimal)

   Double-click the value, enter 0 in the “Value data” box, and click “OK.”
4. Change or create the NtlmMinServerSec value. Find or create the NtlmMinServerSec value (as a DWORD (32-bit) Value if needed).
   

   • Value Name: NtlmMinServerSec
   • Value Type: REG_DWORD
   
   
   • Value Data: 0 (in hexadecimal)

   
   

   Double-click the value, enter 0 in the “Value data” box, and click “OK.”

   Warning: Setting these values to 0 allows older, weaker encryption methods (40- or 56-bit) to be used. This makes your file sharing connections much less secure.

5. Close Registry Editor.
6. Restart your computer. This is needed for the registry changes to work.
   

Summary

If you're facing Windows 11 file sharing encryption issues, especially with older devices, you can adjust the security level. Newer Windows 11 versions allow changes through the Settings app, while older ones use the Control Panel. For more control, the Windows Registry offers advanced options. Remember, using lower encryption levels can improve compatibility but reduces security.