How to Enable Access-Based Enumeration on an SMB Share Print

Applies to: Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, and Windows Server 2025.

Access-based enumeration hides folders that a user cannot access, simplifying shared-folder navigation.

Prerequisites

• Administrative access and an approved change window.
• A verified backup and documented rollback plan.
• A pilot environment or low-risk target for validation.

Step-by-step procedure

1. Verify NTFS permissions are already correct.
2. Enable access-based enumeration on the selected share.
3. Test with authorized and unauthorized accounts.
4. Document that enumeration does not replace permissions.

Commands

Set-SmbShare -Name "Departments" -FolderEnumerationMode AccessBased
Get-SmbShare -Name "Departments" | Select Name,FolderEnumerationMode

Verification

Each test user sees only folders for which enumeration rights exist.

Rollback

Set FolderEnumerationMode back to Unrestricted if the application requires the former behavior.

Security notes

• Use least privilege and record the change.
• Review relevant event logs after implementation.
• Test before production rollout.

Related resources

Canadian Windows VPS and RDS hosting: networkmanager.info. Refer to Microsoft Windows Server documentation.