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Many Windows 10 users reported that the Your system requires SMB2 or higher error message occurs on their PCs when they try to transfer specific files.
In case you’re unfamiliar, SMB stands for Server Message Block, a protocol for sharing files, and it has two versions, the SMB1 and the SMB2; the latter is the more secure one.
SMB1 protocol is vulnerable, and your system will give you a warning message saying that it requires SMB2, but don’t panic, because there are some helpful solutions.
This error message can be annoying, but it can be fixed in minutes with our solutions, so let’s get started.
Why am I getting Your system requires SMB2 or higher message?
As we explained, this version 2 is a latter model of the file-sharing protocol. Therefore, if you are shown this message on your computer, it is because of the following reasons:
- You are running on SMB1 – Most modern systems require at least SMB2. So, this could be a missing pointer on your computer.
- Disabled SMD2 – Other than missing on your computer, it may also not be enabled, and in this case, you will need to allow it to access some shared files.
Users have been confronted with these messages, your system requires SMB2 or higher on Windows Server 2019 Impacket and Synology. Note that the solutions discussed will come in handy in all these cases.
How can I fix the Your system requires SMB2 or higher error?
1. Turn on the Windows feature
- Start PowerShell as administrator by pressing the Windows Key+ X and selecting PowerShell (Admin).
- Type the following line in Windows PowerShell, and press Enter:
Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select EnableSMB2Protocol - If the result is True, your system can run the SMB2 protocol.
- Type windows features in the Windows Search box, and select the Turn Windows features on or off option.
- Once the Windows Features window opens, check the SMB1/CIFS File Sharing Support option, and hit OK.
- Restart your PC, and check if the problem with SMB2 is resolved.
Many users have confirmed that you can run the SMBv1 protocol on Windows 10 by temporarily re-enabling the SMB service.
Read more about this topic2. Use Powershell
- Start PowerShell as administrator by pressing the Windows Key+ X and selecting PowerShell (Admin).
- Enter the following command, and press
Enter:
Set-SmbServerConfiguration –EnableSMB2Protocol $true - Press Y to confirm.
By performing this action, you will enable the SMBv2 protocol and get rid of the error message Your system requires SMB2 or higher once and for all.
These two simple solutions can help you fix the annoying Your system requires SMB2 or higher error. For more suggestions or other questions, please access the comments section below.
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer.She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies -- AI and DNA computing in particular.Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.
FAQs
To enable SMB2 on Windows 10, you need to press the Windows Key + S, start typing and click on Turn Windows features on or off. You can also search the same phrase in Start, Settings. Scroll down to SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support and check that top box.
How to enable SMB2 in registry? ›
Type regedit in the "Open" field and click OK. Add a REG_DWORD key with the name of Smb2. Set the value to 0 to disable SMB2, or set it to 1 to re-enable SMB2.
Should SMB2 be disabled? ›
Is it safe to disable SMB v2/v3 in Windows Server? In some situations, one may desire to disable SMB v2/v3 protocols in order to harden their systems. The immediate question is: Is this safe? As per Microsoft, "...we recommend that you do not disable SMBv2 or SMBv3.
How do I enable SMB on my computer? ›
Enabling SMB Signing via Group Policy
Within the policy navigate to Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options. There are 4 policy items that can be modified depending on your needs. All of these policy items can either be enabled or disabled.
What port is SMB2 on Windows 10? ›
SMB2 runs on top of TCP ports 139 and 445 which are the same ports used by the older SMB protocol. TCP: SMB2 uses TCP as its transport protocol. The well known TCP port for SMB2 is 445.
How do I get SMB2 or higher? ›
To do so, follow these steps: From an elevated PowerShell prompt, run Get-SmbServerConfiguration and check the value of EnableSMB2Protocol in the output. If it shows Disabled, both SMB2 and SMB3 are disabled. To enable SMB2 (which also enables SMB3), run Set-SmbServerConfiguration -EnableSMB2Protocol $true .
How do I know if SMB v2 is enabled? ›
Open the Powershell and type in Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select EnableSMB2Protocol. You should receive a True in response, meaning you can run SMB2 on your computer. If not, you might need to be sure you have the latest build of Windows. SMBv2 should be disabled by default.
Is SMBv2 enabled by default? ›
SMB3 and SMB2 are enabled by default for all OS that support them. The only one you should need to enable or disable is SMB1.
Is SMB2 still used? ›
Windows Vista/Server 2008 and later operating systems use SMB2 when communicating with other machines also capable of using SMB2. SMB1 continues in use for connections with older versions of Windows, as well various vendors' NAS solutions.
How do I enable SMB1 and SMB2 in Windows 10? ›
STEP 1 :Access Control Panel. Then, select Programs. STEP 2 : Locate Programs and Features and click Turn Windows features on or off. STEP 3 : Find SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support in the list and enable all three functions belong to it.
While port 139 and 445 aren't inherently dangerous, there are known issues with exposing these ports to the Internet. You can check if a port is open by using the netstat command. There is a common misconception that an open port is dangerous.
What is the SMB2 protocol? ›
The Server Message Block (SMB) Protocol Versions 2 and 3, hereafter referred to as "SMB 2 Protocol", is an extension of the original Server Message Block (SMB) Protocol (as specified in [MS-SMB] and [MS-CIFS]). Both protocols are used by clients to request file and print services from a server system over the network.
What happens if I disable SMBv1? ›
SMB1 is certainly fraught with security issues and should be discouraged. SMB2 is still fine and if disabled may cause some scanners to stop scan to folder and other options (and other devices might stop working as well as most have only just stopped using SMB1).
Is SMB v2 vulnerable? ›
Description. The remote version of Windows contains a version of SMBv2 (Server Message Block) protocol that has several vulnerabilities. An attacker may exploit these flaws to elevate his privileges and gain control of the remote host.
How to check if SMB signing is enabled? ›
In the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options. Open Microsoft network client: Digitally sign communications (always), select Enabled, then select OK.
How do I enable SMBv1 in regedit? ›
Open the Registry Editor by typing “regedit” in the Start menu search bar and pressing Enter. Create a new DWORD value named “SMB1” (without quotes). Set the value of SMB1 to 0 to disable SMBv1 or 1 to enable SMBv1.
How to force SMB2? ›
To enable SMB2 on Windows 10, you need to press the Windows Key + S, start typing and click on Turn Windows features on or off. You can also search the same phrase in Start, Settings. Scroll down to SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support and check that top box.
How to enable SSL in registry? ›
How to identify if an SSL/TLS protocol is enabled/disabled
- Click Start or press the Windows key.
- In the Start menu, either in the Run box or the Search box, type regedit and press Enter. ...
- Navigate to follow the registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols.
Click Start>Run. Type regedt32.exe in the Run field. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/Cdrom . Change the Autorun value to 1 to enable autorn, and 0 to disable autorun.
