In April 2025, Synology, a leading provider of network-attached storage (NAS) solutions, implemented a policy restricting the use of third-party hard drives in its 2025 NAS lineup. This move mandated the use of Synology-branded or certified drives, effectively excluding other manufacturers’ products. The decision was met with significant backlash from the user community, who expressed concerns over reduced flexibility and potential increased costs.
Responding to the criticism, Synology released DiskStation Manager (DSM) version 7.3 on October 8, 2025. This update reintroduces support for non-validated third-party drives across the 2025 DiskStation Plus, Value, and J-series NAS devices. The company described this change as an effort to provide “expanded storage flexibility” to its users.
However, this policy shift is not a complete reversal. Synology has indicated that the reintroduction of third-party drive support is a temporary measure. The company is actively collaborating with other hard drive manufacturers to establish a standardized testing and validation process. Once this process is in place, Synology plans to restrict drive compatibility to those that meet its validation criteria, which may include select third-party drives.
This approach aims to ensure optimal performance and reliability for users while maintaining a level of control over hardware compatibility. Users are encouraged to stay informed about future updates and potential changes to drive compatibility policies.
