WebClient service in Windows 11 and 10: what it does and how to start or disable it

What the WebClient service does

Microsoft describes WebClient as the service that “enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify Internet-based files.” In practice that means WebDAV, a way of reaching files over HTTP or HTTPS as if they were on a network share. Some Microsoft pages list it as Web Client; in the Services console it appears as WebClient.

Detail	Value
Service name	WebClient
Default startup type	Manual (Services usually shows Manual (Trigger Start))
Runs as	A shared svchost.exe process under the Local Service account
Status in Windows	Deprecated since November 2023, still included

Don’t confuse it with the .NET WebClient class that programmers use to download files. The deprecation applies to the Windows service, not to that code library.

Do you need it running?

You need it if you do any of these:

• Use Open with Explorer or a mapped drive for a SharePoint library. Microsoft’s SharePoint troubleshooting says the button doesn’t work while WebClient is disabled.
• Map a drive to a WebDAV address with net use or File Explorer’s Map network drive.
• Open \\server@SSL\folder style paths, which Windows translates to HTTPS.

If none of that applies to you, it doesn’t need to run. For SharePoint and OneDrive files, Microsoft itself calls WebDAV mapping “slower and less reliable” than syncing with the OneDrive app.

Start it or set it to Automatic in Services

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Double-click WebClient.
3. Set Startup type to Automatic if you want WebDAV drives to reconnect after a restart, or Manual to let Windows start it when needed.
4. Select Apply, then Start, then OK.

Microsoft’s SharePoint guidance says Automatic is needed for persistent drive mappings, and that a service set to Disabled can’t be started at all until you change it.

Commands to start, check or disable it

Open Command Prompt as administrator (without admin rights these commands fail with “Access is denied”). Note the space after start= in the sc commands; it’s required.

net start WebClient
net stop WebClient
sc config WebClient start= auto
sc config WebClient start= demand
sc config WebClient start= disabled
sc qc WebClient
sc qtriggerinfo WebClient

demand is the command-line name for Manual. sc qc shows the current startup type, and sc qtriggerinfo shows the trigger that starts the service on demand. In an elevated PowerShell window, the equivalents are:

Get-Service WebClient
Set-Service -Name WebClient -StartupType Automatic
Start-Service WebClient

When to disable it

Microsoft’s guidance on protecting SMB traffic from interception says Windows clients may not need WebClient, and that if they don’t use WebDAV it can be disabled. Its reason: a WebDAV connection can’t be forced to use TLS, so traffic over it may be unencrypted whatever your SMB settings are. WebClient has also been part of real attacks; for example, a WebDAV remote code execution flaw (CVE-2025-33053) was exploited before Microsoft patched it in June 2025.

On a home PC that never opens WebDAV links, setting it to Disabled is low risk. In an organisation, check who relies on SharePoint drive mappings first, and keep Windows updated either way.

Common WebClient problems

• WebClient isn’t in the list on Windows Server. It’s not installed by default. On older Server versions it came with the Desktop Experience feature; on newer ones, add the WebDAV Redirector feature in Server Manager and restart.
• “The network path was not found” or “The network name cannot be found”. Make sure WebClient is running, check the address (use @SSL for HTTPS servers), and see our 0x80070035 guide for general network path errors.
• Error 0x800700DF: “The file size exceeds the limit allowed and cannot be saved”. WebClient limits transfers to 50,000,000 bytes (about 50 MB) by default. Microsoft’s fix is to raise FileSizeLimitInBytes, shown below; our 0x800700DF guide covers the other causes.
• Mapped drive disappears after restart. Set the service to Automatic. Microsoft also notes that SharePoint sign-in cookies eventually time out, so the drive may need reconnecting anyway.

WebClient registry settings

WebClient’s options live under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient\Parameters. Back up the key before changing anything, and restart the service afterwards. The most useful values, with the defaults Microsoft documents:

Value	Default	What it controls
FileSizeLimitInBytes	50000000	Largest file WebClient will transfer, in bytes
BasicAuthLevel	1	0 = Basic authentication off, 1 = only over SSL, 2 = SSL and non-SSL (not recommended: passwords travel in clear text)
FileAttributesLimitInBytes	1000000	Maximum size of the folder listing data WebClient accepts
SendReceiveTimeoutInSec	60	How long to wait for a server response

Edit values as Decimal in Registry Editor. For mapping drives in general, including normal SMB shares, see how to map a network drive.

Related guides

• How to map a network drive in Windows 10 (and Windows 11)
• Error 0x800700DF: the file size exceeds the limit allowed (fix)
• Error 0x80070035 “The Network Path Was Not Found”: How to Fix It
• How to stop OneDrive from syncing (without losing files)
• How to open Command Prompt as administrator in Windows 11 and 10

Official sources:

• Microsoft Learn: Deprecated features for Windows client (WebClient/WebDAV service)
• Microsoft Learn: Protect SMB traffic from interception (disable WebDAV)
• Microsoft Learn: Troubleshoot mapped network drives that connect to SharePoint Online