Fix | Windows 10, “the connection cannot proceed because authentication is not enabled”

Ah security, the balance between not allowing access at all and allowing too much access.

In Windows 10 Microsoft changed RDP’s defaults. They modified the default for “SecurityLayer” from 0 to 2. Even if you go into the user interface and disable: “Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)” Still doesn’t change that value to a 2.

Simple fix:

  1. Open RegEdit
  2. Navigate to this Key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp
  3. Change “SecurityLayer” to a zero
  4. Reboot and done!