Activate SMB1: How it works under Windows 10 and 11

To enable SMB 1 under Windows 10 or 11, only a few steps are necessary. However, this should only be done in absolute emergencies.

Enable SMB1 under Windows 10 and 11: This is how it works

The Server Message Block (SMB) is a network protocol for file, print and server services through which data can be exchanged. SMB is based on CIFS and is currently operated in version 3.1.1. SMB sharing is useful, among other things, when different operating systems need to exchange data with each other, such as between a Windows PC and an Apple Mac. To activate the SMB 1.0 protocol, proceed as follows:

• First of all, look for the start icon and click on it. This is either in the lower left corner or in the middle of the selection menu.
• Next, blindly type in the word “Features”. You will see a search query open.
• You should see “Enable or disable Windows features” as a suggestion. Select this with one click.
• A new window should open that contains a structure tree of the various Windows features. These are sorted alphabetically.
• Find the item “Support for SMB 1.0/CIFS file sharing” in the list and expand the menu by clicking on the “+” symbol.
• To enable SMB1, check “SMB 1.0/CIFS client” in the checkbox on the left.
• Finally close the window by clicking on “OK”. After a restart, the function should be activated.

Alternatively: Quickly enable SMB1 via Windows PowerShell

Alternatively to the graphical variant, SMB 1.0 can also be activated via the command line (Windows PowerShell) of Windows 10 and 11. You can read how this works in this section.

• It is also possible to activate SMB1 sharing using Windows PowerShell. To do this, the search query is opened again via “Start”.

• Instead of “Features” enter the word “Powershell”. Select the result “Windows PowerShell” by clicking on “Run as administrator”.

• Alternatively, you can start the Powershell directly and then enter the command “start-process powershell -verb runas” (without quotes).

• You can tell that Powershell is running as an administrator by the path that precedes the input. This should now be “…\system32”.

• Finally, just enter the command “Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName smb1protocol” without quotes and confirm with Enter.
• Close the console with the command “Exit” and restart the computer. After that, the feature should be activated.