Enable Remote Desktop NLA via Windows Registry

Network Level Authentication (NLA) provides an essential layer of security for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connections by requiring users to authenticate to the network before a full session is established with the host. This article details the specific Windows Registry key and DWORD value used to control NLA, followed by direct instructions on how to enable or disable it using the Registry Editor (Regedit) and command-line alternatives.

The NLA Registry Value

The configuration for Network Level Authentication is managed by the UserAuthentication DWORD value.

How to Change NLA via Registry Editor (Regedit)

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

  2. Navigate to the following path:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp

  3. In the right pane, locate the DWORD value named UserAuthentication.

    • If it does not exist, right-click an empty space, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it UserAuthentication.

  4. Double-click UserAuthentication:

    • Set the Value data to 1 to require NLA for remote connections.
    • Set the Value data to 0 to allow connections without NLA.

  5. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.

  6. Restart the computer or restart the Remote Desktop Services (TermService) for the changes to take effect immediately.

Quick Configuration via Command Line

Using Command Prompt (cmd)

To configure NLA without opening the GUI, run one of the following commands in an elevated Command Prompt (Run as Administrator):

Using PowerShell

Run the following command in an elevated PowerShell terminal: