Change File Sharing Encryption in Windows 11

This post describes steps to change or adjust the encryption level for file sharing in Windows 11.

Windows 11 allows file and printer sharing only over a Private network and will be disabled automatically when set to Public.

• File sharing – Allows users to share and make files and folders available to other devices on a network to view, copy, or change.
• Printer sharing – Allows users to share and make connected printers available to other devices on a network to view and print documents.

By default, when you enable file sharing, Windows uses 128-bit (the highest) encryption to help secure file-sharing connections. Some devices may not support 128-bit encryption; you must select a lower encryption level to use with Windows 11 to make them work.

Below is how to change the encryption level for file sharing in Windows 11.

How to change the encryption level for file sharing in Windows 11

As mentioned above, not all devices will support 128-bit encryption for file sharing in Windows 11. If you have a device that doesn’t support Windows default 128-bit encryption, you can lower the encryption level to support those devices with Windows 11.

Below is how to do that.

Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. Everything can be done, from system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows from its System Settings pane.

To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings, as shown in the image below:

Alternatively, you can use the search box on the taskbar and search for Settings. Then select to open it.

Windows Settings pane should look similar to the image below. In the Windows Settings app, click Network & internet, then select the Advanced network settings tile on the right pane as highlighted in the image below.

On the Network & internet > Advanced network settings pane, under More settings, select the Advanced sharing settings tile to expand.

Select the All networks tile to expand on the Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings pane.

Then choose the encryption level for File sharing connections as highlighted below:

• 1280bit encryption (Recommended)
• 40- or 56-bit encryption

That should do it! You can now close the Windows settings app.

Conclusion:

• Adjusting the encryption level for file sharing in Windows 11 allows for compatibility with devices that do not support the default 128-bit encryption.
• Following the steps, users can navigate to the necessary settings and select a lower encryption level for file-sharing connections.
• This flexibility ensures seamless file sharing across devices within the network, regardless of encryption compatibility.