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 and to make them work, you will have to select a lower encryption level to use with Windows 11. 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. From system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows, all can be done 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. On the Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings pane, select the All networks tile to expand. 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: This post showed you how to change the encryption level for file sharing in Windows 11. If you find any error above or have something to share, please use the comment below to report.
