How to allow direct access to Removable Storage in Remote Sessions on Windows 10

If you often allow other people to access your computer as a remote computer and want to allow direct access to removable storage in remote sessions, it might help you activate it. It’s easy to enable or disable Remote Desktop or RDP access to removable storage devices on a Windows PC. You can do this using the Registry Editor or the Local Group Policy Editor.

Many people often use the remote session feature to help a friend or family member find themselves miles away. Sometimes you may need to access removable storage such as a USB drive, external hard drive, etc. on a remote computer. Likewise, if someone uses your computer as a remote computer, you may want to allow that person to access the connected USB device. By default, Windows does not allow remote users to access a removable storage device. However, if you want to enable this access, this tutorial will help you.

Note: You must activate this feature on the remote computer.

Allow direct access to removable storage in remote sessions

To allow direct access to removable storage in remote sessions using the Registry Editor, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run prompt.
2. Type regedit and hit the Enter button.
3. Click on Yes in the UAC prompt.
4. Go to the Windows enter HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
5. Create a new key.
6. Name it as RemovableStorageDevices.
7. Create a new DWORD value.
8. Name it as AllowRemoteDASD.
9. Double-click AllowRemoteDASD and set the value to 1.
10. Restart your computer.

To learn more about these steps, you should keep reading.

Before you begin, you should create a registry file backup and create a system restore point.

At first, you need to open the Registry Editor on your computer. You can do this using the search box on the taskbar. However, if you are using an older version of Windows, you can press Win + R, type regeditand press Enter button. After clicking the Yes button in the UAC prompt, it should open the Registry Editor on your PC instantly. After that go to this next path-

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindows

You should see a key called RemovableStorageDevices in the the Windows key.

However, if you don’t see it, you have to create it manually. To do this, right click on the the Windows touch and select New> Key.

Name it as RemovableStorageDevices. Then select this newly created key, right click on it, select New> DWORD value (32 bit).

It should create a DWORD value on your right. Name it as AllowRemoteDASD.

Now double click on AllowRemoteDASD and set the value as 1.

After setting the value, you must restart your computer.

If you want to disable access to removable storage for remote users, there are two methods.

You set the value of AllowRemoteDASD as 0, or you can delete the RemovableStorageDevices from Registry Editor after accessing this path-

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindows

That’s it! Again, you must restart your computer to complete the change.

Allow direct access to removable storage in remote sessions using the Group Policy Editor

To allow direct access to removable storage in remote sessions using the Local Group Policy Editor, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run prompt.
2. Type gpedit.msc and hit the Enter button.
3. Go to Access to removable storage in Computer configuration.
4. Double click on All removable storage: allows direct access in remote sessions.
5. To select Activated.
6. Click it Okay to save the change.
7. Restart your computer.

Let’s see these steps in detail.

At first, you need to open the Local Group Policy Editor on your computer. To do this, press Win + R to open the Run prompt, type gpedit.msc, and hit the Enter button. Then go to this path-

Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemRemovable Storage Access

Here you can find a parameter called All removable storage: allows direct access in remote sessions. You must double-click on it and select Activated option.

After that click on the Okay to save the change.

Restart your computer.

That’s it!