Require Encryption
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Lanman Workstation Description
This policy controls whether the SMB client will require encryption. If you enable this policy setting, the SMB client will require the SMB server to support encryption and encrypt the data. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the SMB client will not require encryption. However, SMB encryption may still be required; see notes below. Note: This policy is combined with per-share, per-server, and per mapped drive connection properties, through which SMB encryption may be required. The SMB server must support and enable SMB encryption. For example, should this policy be disabled (or not configured), the SMB client may still perform encryption if an SMB server share has required encryption. Important: SMB encryption requires SMB 3.0 or later
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation Value name: RequireEncryption
Enabled: RequireEncryption = 1
Disabled: RequireEncryption = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/LanmanWorkstation/RequireEncryption Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- Disabled. -
1- Enabled.
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Require Encryption
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation]
"RequireEncryption"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Require Encryption
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RequireEncryption' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/LanmanWorkstation/RequireEncryption
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Require Encryption
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation' -Name 'RequireEncryption' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Require Encryption
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RequireEncryption' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Require Encryption
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Require Encryption
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation' -Name 'RequireEncryption' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Require Encryption
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2022, Windows 11
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RequireEncryption' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.