I got around Synology's dumb drive restrictions — here's how

Synology’s NAS lineup has long been the preferred choice amongst consumers looking to buy a new NAS drive. However, Synology's 2025-Plus Series NAS models now come with a catch — your drives need to be “compatible,” or DSM starts locking you out of core features like the ability to use your brand-new NAS. And as of today, the only drives on that list are Synology-branded drives. It’s frustrating, unnecessary, and very un-Synology. But here’s the good news. There are ways you can bypass it. In fact, there are two ways. Here's how.